Canon EF-S 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Standard Zoom Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras Description:
Compact, lightweight and a wide magnification range - this standard zoom lens features a wide focal length range from normal to telephoto equivalent to 29-320mm in the 35mm format. It features an Optical Image Stabilizer for up to 4-stops of effective correction even at full zoom. Since Canon’s optical image stabilization system is in the lens, not in the camera, you can see the stabilized, steadier images through the viewfinder. And the circular aperture can give beautiful background blur effects. This new wide zoom ratio EF-S lens delivers excellent high-speed performance at an affordable price.
- Color: Black
- Brand: Canon
- Model: 18-200mm Lens
- Dimensions: 3.00″ h x 4.00″ w x 5.00″ l, 2.00 pounds
Features
- Standard zoom lens; 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6
- Canon’s Optical Image Stabilizer technology allows sharp hand-held shots at shutter speeds up to four stops slower than otherwise possible
- 11 elements in 9 groups; aspherical lens element to correct aberration
- For EOS 50D, 40D, 30D, 20D, 20Da, Rebel XSi/XS, Digital Rebel XTi/XT and Digital Rebel cameras
Customer Reviews:
A great walkabout lens at a very useful focal length range!
Having used the Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 Image Stabilized USM SLR Lens for EOS Digital SLR’s for about two years now, this is the perfect focal length range for use as a day-to-day walkabout lens on my Canon 40D. Other Canon gear that I have include their excellent Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Lens for Canon DSLR Cameras , their razor-sharp Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras , Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM Lens for Canon EOS Cameras , the extremely sharp Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L IS USM 1-to-1 Macro Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras , Canon MP-E 65mm f/2.8 1-5X Macro Lens for Canon SLR Cameras , and Canon MR-14EX Macro Ring Lite for Canon Digital SLR Cameras.
In low light or wider-angle scenery shots, this lens is not as sharp as my 17-55mm f/2.8. When used to photograph macro-like shots of butterflies and flowers, it is not as sharp as my 100mm f/2.8. When used at its 200mm lens to focus onto distant birds and turtles sitting on a stone in a pond, it is not as sharp as my 70-200mm f/4L. But as a one-lens solution for covering that kind of focal lengths, it is pretty good. On sunny days, I use this lens on a 40D with a B&W multi-coated MRC Kaesemann Circular Polarizer. I consider this to be a very useful hiking/travel/walkabout lens. This is my first experience with a Canon lens that does not use USM, and the micro-motor is slightly slower and noisier than USM… but not knowing what to expect, I was expecting even slower focusing and, in most situations, I found its focus speed totally adequate - still very quick and without any back-and-forth hunting in lower lighting. But my main gripe about this lens is that Canon did not use USM (who knows what kind of marketing decisions went into this, much as I wondered why the 40D had a 3.0-inch LCD but kept the same 230,000 pixels as the 2.5-inch LCD on the 30D - one of my main gripes with the 40D). For the price, Canon should have included USM with full-time manual focusing. But I did notice that the price has dropped by more than 60 dollars since I bought the lens less than three weeks ago.
The use of a zoom lock switch to prevent lens creep is a very welcome addition that I always wished that their 17-85mm and 17-55mm lenses also had. Because of the 11 lens elements in this lens, it slides out to a zoomed length far more than my 17-85mm lens does when the camera is pointing downward and slung around my neck and/or shoulder. Other superzooms have this same lens creep problem and this is likely a design compromise that the Canon engineers had to consider in still wanting to minimize the amount of friction and effort it takes to turn the zoom ring versus the propensity of the lens elements’ weight to pull the zoom downward due to gravity. I have learned to always flick the zoom lock switch on when I am just carrying the camera, quickly flick the zoom lock switch off as I begin to aim and focus (after a short while, it becomes easily habitual to use the middle or ring finger of my right hand to lock/unlock the zoom lock switch while aiming), and to just hold the camera more horizontal if I am actively looking to photograph more. The lens does not rotate during focusing, so circular polarizer filters stay in place.
Unlike Canon’s USM lenses, the micro-motor focus design of this lens does not allow you to override the autofocus mechanism until you first flip the AF/MF switch on the lens. Furthermore, while the 17-85mm lens lets you use both the focus ring and zoom ring when the lens hood is inverted on the lens, on the 18-200mm lens, since the focus ring is now placed at the very front of the lens (and in front of the much-wider zoom ring), when its Canon EW78D Lens Hood for EF 28-200mm f/3.5-5.6 Canon SLR Lens (not included with the lens) is inverted, the lens hood’s “petals” block most of the zoom ring and I have to use my middle finger and thumb to reach in between the hood petals to rotate the focus ring when the hood is screwed on in its inverted position. I would have much preferred that Canon retain the same focus-ring-closer-to-camera-body design that they used on the 17-85mm. But since I mainly use manual focus on my two 65mm and 100mm macro lenses, this is not that big of a deal for me.
At both 18mm and 200mm wide open, the image corners can be a little on the soft side, but when stopped down between f/5.6 and f/11, the image is sharp from edge to edge. But even Canon’s 28-300mm L glass, which is also f/3.5-5.6, has its share of design compromises and sharpness issues in a superzoom lens design. So I think that any lens encompassing this sort of zoom range will be tripping over the physical limitations of what can be achieved when compared with a lens with a smaller zoom range. A 18-200mm lens at a fixed f/2.8 with USM and L-grade glass and weather sealing in a lens that weighs less than 3 pounds would be wonderful, and I would gladly pay a lot more for it as single-lens travel/walkabout lens solution, but that product still only exists in my dreams right now.
This 18-200mm lens will now make my 17-85mm lens the least-used lens that I have, so I may eventually end up selling the 17-85mm lens.
I have posted 3 sample shots taken at Denver Botanic Gardens and 19 shots from having spent over 3 weeks in South Africa to the image gallery for this lens.
December 14 2009 update add-on to my original review: Even though I keep thinking about eventually moving to full-frame, I just got the Canon 7D (still keeping my 40D, and wondering what to do with my 30D), and as a daily “only one lens and only one camera body” walkabout/travel combination, this 18-200mm lens ***ROCKS*** when used with my spanky new 7D :-)))) My other favorite combination, when I do not mind lugging the extra bulk and weight, is to carry both the 70-200mm f/4L on my 40D and my 17-55mm f/2.8 on my 7D, with the 7D in the hand and the 40D in the Think Tank Digital Holster 30. My issue with just carrying only a 17-55m or 17-85mm as a general walkabout lens is that, all too often, I find interesting things to photograph that need more than a 55mm or 85mm reach, especially when it comes to photographing wildlife or strangers (e.g. I like shooting “everyday people doing everyday things” in foreign countries) and trying to get closer to the subject may not be practical.
Comparing This Lens to the Sigma 18-200mm OS Lens
I’ve had the Sigma AF 18-200mm f/3.5-6.3 DC OS lens for several months and found it to give sharper images with my 40D than the Tamron 18-250mm (non-IS/OS) which it replaced. Then along comes Canon with their own superzoom “travel lens” so I bought one to see how it compares to the Sigma. My tests show mixed results regarding image quality. With both lenses wide open the Sigma wins at the wide end from 18-24mm, especially away from the center, while the Canon wins at the 135-200mm long end, also especially away from the center. Further, the Sigma is f6.3 wide open at 200mm while the Canon is f5.6. This is only a small difference, but it does give the Canon even more advantage at 200mm where shutter speed needs to be the highest.
Both lenses auto-focus accurately (no front or back focus) although the Sigma is slower to lock focus in low light and is a little noisier in getting there. Their IS/OS are equally effective at about 3 stops of compensation. Build quality, size and weight are about the same and both use the same 72mm filter size. Sigma includes a lens hood while Canon wants to sell you one.
In summary, the Canon is slightly better for me due to the faster and quieter low-light focus and improved telephoto image quality. The trade-off is poorer image quality than the Sigma for wide angle shots, even after stopping down. Finally, the Canon lens costs about $200 more than the Sigma at this time.
Canon EF-S 18-200mm Review
Where do I start… This lens gets the most action/time on my camera. Images are clear and color accurate and the zoom range makes it hard to take off. I am a 1:1 ratio person that hates photos that only look good from far. I try for that pixel to pixel perfection that makes my hobby harder, but so much more enjoyable when done right. I don’t use or run photos thru photoshop, because a part of me thinks it is cheating (leads me to retake photos often). I suppose someday I will change, but until then, I want a simple and clean photo.
The 18-200mm has surprised me over and over. I have compared it to my L lenses and it keeps up. If you go to Canon’s website check out the lens diagram info, the guts of this lens is very, very, very close to the L 24-105mm. I had to check because it was surprising me too often. In real life, I have taken the same shots between the two and find myself checking DPP (Canon’s Digital Photo Professional software) to see which lens took which photo. When I test new lenses during an event, the 18-200 goes back on for the rest of the event because it produces GREAT shots and saves time in lens changes and looking like a wannabe pro. The only comparible L lenses I have in this range are the 24-105mm and the 70-200mm, both f4 and with IS. This lens STILL trumps them when it comes to function. My only complaint is the vignetting which usually only shows up when I photo something in the sky. I let is go until it get a great shot and that shot i open with DPP and let it remove it. My 50D has an option to do this in camera, but I have all that post shot cheating turned off. (no noise reduction, auto highlights, etc…)
===L Lens Info for new folks:===
Don’t get me wrong, there are reasons to own an L lens. Tack sharp clarity may not always be the case. The 24-105 and 70-200 are similar to the other L series lenses, they help take the guesswork out of the shot. If anyone make a lens with well coated glass, low aperture, and supreme motors, the lens no longer part of the challenge with taking photo. The joy of photography is to enjoy it, and if you are in it to make money, then L is the way to make your life easier. For the rest, it is the challenge of getting that perfect shot. The advantage between Pro and Enthusiast is that Pros will come to learn which setting will or will not photograph well. Enthusiasts will be able to see each scene in a mechanical way, a way that they will know which Aperture, Shutter Speed, and ISO will get the shot the best. It isn’t the lens that makes the shot, it’s the photographer. But, L lenses make it MUCH easier to not worry about little details. L does mean luxury (not better photos) in the true sense that these type of lenses take out some of the guesswork for photography. I will say again, it isn’t the lens that makes the photo — it is the photographer; more specifically, it is the TIMING and LUCK.
I will compare this to the list of lenses I have used and maybe you will have something to reference it by. BTW, I don’t review lenses unless I spent a few weeks with them.
Note: EF-S lenses handle power much better with longer battery life on Rebel (1.6 factor) Cameras in my experience than EF or non-Canon. I have seen this difference on my XS, XSi, two X1i’s and my 50D.
EF-S 10-22 USM
no comparison (part of my travel trio)
EF 300mm f4L IS
no comparison (part of my travel trio)
EF 50 f1.8 II
There really is no comparison. This is a low light, close subject lens that is better than the 18-200 at 50mm.
EF-S 18-55 IS (kit lens)
The 18-200 has a better focus control. Image quality is the same, however, 18-55 is better at 18mm.
EF-S 55-250 IS
The 18-200 has sharper corners all around, but I miss the extra 50mm.
EF 24-70 USM
Completely better than 18-200 in the 24-70 range, but no IS. No IS makes it really hard to take macro shots.
EF 24-105 f4L IS
Near identical shots, can’t tell when sorting (have to use DPP to find lens info sometimes). Overall, 18-200 is more useful.
EF 70-200 f4L IS
The 18-200 is near same IQ up to 190mm. After 190mm this L lens has an advantage. I love the 70-200 shell (nothing moves) but absolutely hate the noise that IS makes. I can hear and FEEL it start up and spin down. Annoying compared to the quiet 18-200.
Sigma 150-500 OS
The 18-200 is better between 150-200. This Sigma did really poor at 500mm. Images were soft past 300 and at 500mm photos looked like double vision. I hope it was a bad lens.
Tamron 18-270 VR
The 18-200 shots are cleaner at all ISO and focal length mm. The Tamron is a lens to be used in bright light at 800+ ISO. The range is advertised at 18-270, but in my experience it was more like 18-220mm. My 55-250mm Canon got closer to the subject.
Manufacturer Description
Compact, lightweight and a wide magnification range–this standard zoom lens features a wide focal length range from normal to telephoto equivalent to 29-320mm in the 35mm format. It features an Optical Image Stabilizer for up to 4-stops of effective correction even at full zoom. Since Canon’s optical image stabilization system is in the lens, not in the camera, you can see the stabilized, steadier images through the viewfinder. And the circular aperture can give beautiful background blur effects. This new wide zoom ratio EF-S lens delivers excellent high-speed performance at an affordable price.
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