The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is a flexible and high-performance lens built exclusively for Canon APS-C format DSLR cameras. This lens has a broad zoom range, which enables it to cover a variety of focal lengths.
As a result, it is excellent for use in a wide variety of photographic applications, such as capturing landscapes, portraits, and daily scenes. Packed with modern features and technology, the lens delivers great image quality, precise focusing, and effective image stabilization, making it a trustworthy choice for both beginners and pros.
Key Specs
- Focal Length: 18-135mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/3.5-5.6
- Lens Construction: 16 elements in 12 groups
- Diagonal Angle of View: 74°20′-11°30′
- Focus Adjustment: Autofocus with full-time manual override
- Closest Focusing Distance: 1.28 ft./0.39m
- Filter Size: 2.6 in./67mm diameter
- Max. Diameter x Length: 3.1 x 3.8 in.
- Weight: Approx. 18.2 oz./515g
Performance
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens gives a great performance in varied shooting settings. The lens incorporates a fast and silent USM (Ultrasonic Motor) autofocus mechanism, allowing for rapid and precise focusing on targets.
Whether you’re catching moving subjects or shooting in low-light circumstances, the lens’s autofocus operates brilliantly, providing clear and well-defined shots. Additionally, the lens offers a close focusing distance, letting you snap amazing close-up images with ease.
Autofocus System
The autofocus technology of the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is very sophisticated and dependable. It employs a ring-type USM motor, which permits not only smooth and near-silent functioning of the autofocus but also gives full-time manual focus override.
This is a significant advantage over other types of USM motors. This allows photographers to make fine changes to focus manually, even while the lens is set to autofocus mode. The fast and precise focusing technology means that you can take excellent shots in a wide variety of shooting conditions, from rapid-action sports to portrait photography.
Vibration Reduction
With built-in image stabilization, the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens helps eliminate the effects of camera shake, allowing for clearer handheld photos. The lens’s image stabilization mechanism compensates for undesirable vibrations and motions, especially when shooting at longer focal lengths or in low-light circumstances.
When taking telephoto photographs or recording video, this function is very helpful since it helps to preserve image stability and reduces the possibility of blurry images or shaky recordings by reducing the amount of camera shake that occurs.
Build Quality
The EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens from Canon features a sturdy build quality that can survive frequent usage as well as a variety of climatic situations thanks to the lens’s construction by Canon. The lens has a sturdy exterior shell and a lens mount made of metal, which together ensures the lens’s durability and dependability.
In addition to this, it has seals that are resistant to dust and moisture, offering an extra layer of defense from the environment. Because of this, the lens is suited for use in outdoor photography, where you are more likely to be confronted by severe weather conditions.
Handling and Ergonomics
Because of its superior handling and ergonomics, the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens makes it possible to work with it for extended periods of time without experiencing any discomfort. Because of its small size and low weight, the lens is extremely portable, making it an excellent choice for photography while traveling or when on the go.
It also has a manual focus ring that is conveniently located, which makes it possible to make changes that are both straightforward and accurate. Because of the way the lens was designed in its whole, it has a comfortable grip that enables photographers to keep their balance while shooting.
Image Stabilization
Image Stabilization (IS), a technology developed by Canon, is built into the lens, and thanks to it, blur and camera wobble caused by hand motions are significantly mitigated. This function is especially helpful when shooting at longer focal lengths or in low-light circumstances, both of which increase the likelihood that the captured image may be blurry.
The image stabilization mechanism of the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens compensates for undesirable vibrations and motions, enabling you to take crisper photos and movies handheld.
Shooting Experience
The shooting experience provided by the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is one that is very smooth and engaging. Because of its flexible zoom range, you are able to compose your images with pinpoint accuracy, whether you are photographing wide-angle vistas or zooming in on things that are further away.
The autofocus technology of the lens operates really well, swiftly and correctly latching onto targets to ensure that key moments may be easily captured by the user. You will be able to concentrate on the creative parts of photography as a result of the lens’s straightforward controls and ergonomic design, which contribute to a shooting experience that is smooth and easy.
Image Quality
The lens produces photos that are extremely crisp and detailed, with colors that are true to life and very little distortion. This superb image quality is maintained across the whole zoom range of the lens. It has an optical design that incorporates both aspherical and UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) components, both of which help to successfully eliminate aberrations and distortions, which ultimately results in pictures that are of high quality.
Because the lens has an aperture range of f/3.5-5.6, you have creative control over the depth of focus, which enables you to isolate subjects and generate appealing background blur when you so wish.
Teleconverter Compatibility
It is possible to extend the range and functionality of the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens by using Canon teleconverters, which are compatible with the lens. You are able to lengthen the focal length of the lens by installing a teleconverter, which gives you the ability to photograph subjects that are further away with even greater reach.
Because of this compatibility, the lens’s capabilities have been improved, and it is now ideal for a larger variety of photographic styles, such as sports photography and photography of wildlife.
Comparison with Competitors
When compared to its competition, the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens delivers a winning mix of performance, adaptability, and image quality. It’s image stabilization and autofocus systems are well acclaimed, which gives it an advantage when it comes to producing photographs that are crisp and well-focused.
The build quality of the lens is remarkable, as is its handling, which ensures the lens’s endurance and makes it easy to operate in a variety of shooting settings. The lens offers great results in terms of picture quality, with very few distortions and precise color reproduction. The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is a dependable and adaptable option for photographers because of its compatibility with teleconverters and overall shooting experience.
Specifications
| Focal Length & Maximum Aperture | 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 |
| Lens Construction | 16 elements in 12 groups |
| Diagonal Angle of View | 74°20′-11°30′ |
| Focus Adjustment | AF with full-time manual |
| Closest Focusing Distance | 1.28 ft./0.39m |
| Filter Size | 2.6 in./67mm diameter |
| Max. Diameter x Length, Weight | 3.1 x 3.8 in., approx. 18.2 oz. |
| 77.4 x 96mm, approx. 515g |
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- A versatile zoom range that is appropriate for a wide variety of photographic applications.
- A system that can autofocus quickly and accurately while also allowing for full-time manual focus override.
- Effective image stabilization for crisper handheld images.
- Long-lasting construction quality that is resistant to dust and moisture.
- For portability, the design is both compact and lightweight.
- Excellent image quality, with very few visible imperfections and true-to-life color reproduction.
- Compatibility with Canon teleconverters, which allow for an increased shooting distance.
Cons:
- Performance in low light may be hindered when using a variable maximum aperture.
- At some focal lengths, there is some distortion as well as vignetting.
- There is only limited applicability to the requirements of professional photography or specialist photography.
Price and Availability
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens has a price that is comparable to other lenses in its class and provides an excellent compromise between performance and cost. Because it can be purchased at a large number of authorized Canon dealers as well as online platforms, it is quite simple for photographers all over the world to get their hands on it.
Because of the lens’s widespread adoption and excellent compatibility with Canon’s APS-C format DSLR cameras, there is a large selection of new and pre-owned models available on the market. Users who are contemplating purchasing this lens will also benefit from Canon’s vast service network and customer support, both of which further enhance the entire purchase experience.
Conclusion
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens is a flexible and trustworthy alternative for photographers seeking a single lens solution for their Canon APS-C format DSLR cameras. The versatility of its performance, focusing system, and image stabilization make it an excellent choice for a wide range of shooting scenarios. The lens is built to survive frequent usage as well as difficult situations thanks to its high-quality construction that is both long-lasting and easy to manipulate.
The image quality is great, and it produces photos that are both crisp and detailed regardless of the zoom setting. To summarize, the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens delivers a compelling mix of characteristics, which makes it a great choice for photographers who are eager to increase the creative options available to them.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM FAQs
Q. Is the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens compatible with full-frame Canon cameras?
A. No, this lens is designed specifically for Canon APS-C format DSLR cameras and is not compatible with full-frame cameras. It is meant to be used with cameras like the Canon EOS Rebel series or the Canon EOS 7D series.
Q. Does the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens have image stabilization?
A. Yes, this lens features built-in Image Stabilization (IS) technology, which helps reduce camera shake and blur when shooting handheld. This feature is especially useful when using longer focal lengths or shooting in low-light conditions.
Q. Can I use teleconverters with the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens?
A. Yes, this lens is compatible with Canon teleconverters, allowing you to extend its reach and achieve even longer focal lengths. Using a teleconverter can be beneficial for capturing distant subjects or wildlife photography.
Q. What is the closest focusing distance of the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens?
A. The closest focusing distance of this lens is 1.28 ft./0.39m. This allows you to get reasonably close to your subject for detailed close-up shots.
Q. Does the Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM lens have a fixed or variable maximum aperture?
A. The maximum aperture of this lens is variable, ranging from f/3.5 at the wide end to f/5.6 at the telephoto end. This means that as you zoom in, the maximum aperture will decrease. It’s important to keep this in mind when shooting in low-light conditions, as the narrower aperture may require higher ISO settings or slower shutter speeds.
