CanonEF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 is STM

I finally received my copy of the 18-135 STM lens. I went back and forth for a while deciding between this lens, the 15-85 and the 24-105. I eventually opted for this lens for three reasons. First, the lens is the newest available and I assumed Canon fixed the shortcomings of the previous 18-135 optically (along with the new stepping motor). Second, I really didn't need the extra 3mm on the wide end but I truly did need the extra 50mm on the tele end. Third, as a general walk-around lens, the weight was about 20% less than the 15-85 and about 30% less than the 24-105 which really does make a difference around your neck.Onto my experience(s). From what little I could read from the sparse reviews out there, this lens was suppose to be very close optically to the 15-85 (since I don't have a copy of the 15-85, I have to rely on MTF charts). There is some barrel distortion at 18mm, appox. the same as the 15-85 at 15mm, but it goes away very quickly on my copy between the 18-24 range. One thing I do like about this lens is there's plenty of space between the 18 and 24, it's not crammed together like other lenses on the wide end. The lens is a 3.5-5.6 aperture. In its progression you'll hit 4.0 in the 25-35mm range, 4.5 40-50mm range, 5.0 in the 55-80mm range and 5.6 from 85-135. On the 60D, be sure to load the peripheral illumination correction and chromatic aberration profile from Canon to eliminate any fall-off.Physically, this lens is bigger than I thought it would be (I don't know why I was expecting anything different really). It's about a 1/4 of an inch shorter than the previous 18-135 and about a 1/2 inch longer than the 15-85. Weight is about 1 oz more than the previous 18-135 and about 3 1/2 oz less than the 15-85. Diameter is roughly the same for all these lenses. The overall feel of this lens is superb. You really feel like it has enough heft to not be considered a plastic piece of junk but not so much that it creates a "boat anchor" feeling around your neck. The zoom ring is very nice and smooth along with the electronic manual focus ring. Both feel extremely upscale with the ribbing and ease of use. About the manual focus ring, you can over-ride AF anytime by half-pressing the shutter and rotating the MF ring (negating the need to flip the switch to MF each time you want to focus yourself).Performance (in my opinion) is stellar. The lens is EXTREMELY quiet while focusing and zooming (I would say audibly non-existent). Fluid is the best way to describe it. Everything flows in a way that makes you appreciate what the lens is doing, it's really a very refined, artistic, sensory appealing and tactile accomplishment (again, in my opinion). Zooming is fast. Focus is fast and spot-on. This lens focuses almost instantaneously. One thing that surprised me was the bokeh of this lens. I was expecting a kit lens 18-55 type of bokeh but I have to say this lens is VERY good (when I say VERY, I mean VERY close to prime). I am truly impressed! This lens is extremely sharp in the center, I have found it is sharp throughout the focal range and exceedingly sharp in the 35-85mm range. The lens profile will correct for any fall-off you might get in the corners. I have not found any color fringes yet although I haven't "pixel-peeped" a lot of the close-ups and I haven't had it for that long to begin with. Color balance is VERY good. I truly enjoy the warm/vivid colors this lens captures.In closing, this lens has exceeded my expectations in every way. I think this lens is a bargain in the $400-$500 price range (although the MSRP is $549.00). With the optics, build quality, and performance I believe it is probably the best value for a lens with it's focus range. Obviously prime lenses and L glass are going to trump this lens but for the price/performance/ergonomic ratios, good luck. Canon really has produced a winner here. Feel free to comment or ask if you have any specific questions about the lens...

I bought this lens for my Canon 60d. My choice was between this lens and the EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS.EF-S 15-85mm can go 3mm wider but stops at 85mm. The most it can open at 85mm is f5.6. It is big and heavy at almost 600g. It is expensive at 600 new and 530 gently used (at the moment of my review).EF-S 18-135mm STM has much longer reach. I do not think I will ever need anything longer than 135mm (equivalent of 216mm on a FF). I can cover wide angle by purchasing a wide zoom (like a Tokina 11-16mm f2.8), which I intend to do anyway. EF-S 18-135mm STM is not as heavy (at about 450-500g) and is a little brighter (f4.5 at 85mm). It is also more affordable at 550 new and 400 gently used (at the moment of my review). Also, I personally think that EF-S 18-135mm STM is a little sharper.Therefore, I decided in favor of longer reach, newer design, lighter weight, and (subjectively) better image quality. And saved some $$ in the process.I have had this lens for about 3 months now. I can tell that it is not a small or unnoticeable lens (especially with a hood). However, it is not too large or too heavy and does not feel like a burden. Just very solid and reassuring quality feeling. It is definitely lighter than a full-frame zoom. The lens extends quite a lot when zoomed out. The front element is not rotating (good for using filters). The filter size is 67mm.The lens is sharp, silent, and focuses very fast. The color rendition is good. The lens looks good and has a premium feel. Zoom and manual focus are smooth.There is some distortion, but most Canon bodies can auto-correct for that. All you need to do is download the lens profile from the Canon site and then set your camera to use this profile. It is also easily correctable in post-processing if you shoot RAW.To protect the lens, I bought Fotodiox Lens Hood and AGFA Lens Cap (much more convenient than the original one). They both are very cheap, look good, and serve me well.Long story short - I am very happy with my choice.Warning: This is a dedicated APS-C lens. It will not work on a Full-Frame body!

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 is STM definately adds versatility to my amateur street videography. While on the street, the lens zooms in close enough, but will go wide enough for when people walk up to me on the street for conversation. Totally improves the quality of video when combined with my Canon t8i. Additionally, I hear no mechanical sounds from the lens using only the cameras microphone. Although normally, I use an external microphone, I hear no mechanical sounds from this lens in my video. I added a lens hood EW-73B, a few days after purchasing the lens for added protection. Overall, I'm rating the lens with 5 stars, and it's not just because of excellent versatility during street videography.

I own a Canon EOS Rebel T6. This lens fits beautifully. I mainly shoot landscapes, nature and gardens. After one week, I can say that I am very pleased with this lens. It is not too heavy and meets my needs of not having to switch out lenses all of the time. So far, I am pleased with close-up photos and landscapes. The colors are much clearer and details are super sharp The end of the lens is 67mm, so you get more in your landscape photos without a wide angle lens. I like that. But keep this in mind for future purchases of lens hoods or lens filters. 58mm won't fit. There is a bit of a learning curve, of course with focusing as it works a bit differently than the kit lenses that came with my camera. The lens is very quiet when focusing as well. My white box lens is new with no warranty card included. Package arrived in time stated and was packaged well. I was glad that I had to sign for it and it wasn't just left at my doorstep. I had one question for the seller before purchasing and they were quick to respond. So far so good.