Pros & Cons
-
- 7.5x zoom ratio.
- Crisp optics.
- Smooth Live View focus.
- Optical stabilization.
- Power Zoom accessory available.
-
- Shows some distortion.
- Dim corners at widest aperture.
Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Specs
| 35mm Equivalent (Telephoto) | 216mm mm |
| 35mm Equivalent (Wide) | 28.8 |
| Dimensions | 3.8 by 3.1 inches |
| Lens Mount | Canon EF-S |
| Optical Zoom | 7.5 x |
| Stabilization | Optical |
| Type | Lens |
| Weight | 1.1 |
Canon has no shortage of 18-135mm lenses for its APS-C SLR system. The latest addition, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM ($599.99), offers the same smooth focus when shooting in Live View (with a recent SLR) as the last iteration, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM ($304.00 at Amazon) . The USM designation refers to an ultrasonic motor, which is more powerful than the stepping motor used in the STM lens. Aside from that, the big update is the ability to use a Power Zoom add-on ($149), a plus for video. The 18-135mm is a solid performer, and a good choice for any Canon shooter who wants a zoom lens that covers a long range.
Design
The 18-135mm ($599.00 at Amazon) is designed for use with APS-C Canon SLRs; it will not mount on a full-frame body. It measures 3.8 by 3.1 inches (HD), weighs 1.1 pounds, and supports 67mm front filters. It's at its smallest at 18mm and telescopes when zoomed to 135mm. Front and rear caps are included, but not a lens hood. You'll need to spend another $40 if you want to add the proper EW-73D hood.
The lens has an ample 7.5x zoom range, covering about a 29-216mm field of view in full-frame terms. It's a variable aperture lens, with a maximum of f/3.5 at 18mm, narrowing to f/5.6 when zoomed all the way to 135mm. If you're considering an upgrade from the 18-55mm ($96.18 at Amazon) starter zoom that ships with most entry-level SLRs, you should look at the 18-135mm for stronger optical quality and a longer zoom range. But two thing it doesn't bring to the table is more light gathering capability or depth of field control—consider instead a wide-aperture zoom with a shorter range like the Sigma 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM ($322.18 at Amazon) or Sigma 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM ($598.00 at Amazon) .
The lens barrel has two control rings, one to adjust the focal length (with markings at 18, 24, 35, 50, 85, and 135mm) at the center of the barrel, and a narrower one at the front to control manual focus. Both are covered in ribbed rubber for more comfortable gripping. Toggles switch between manual and autofocus and turn the image stabilization system on or off.
The minimum focus distance is 1.28 feet (0.39-meter). When zoomed all the way, the lens gains near macro magnification, capturing photos at 1:3.6 life-size at the closest focus range. Given the zoom range, it's unlikely that you'll find yourself missing a shot because the lens is too close to your subject. If you're a macro fiend, consider instead a dedicated prime like the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM ($599.00 at Amazon) .
I didn't have the STM version of the lens on hand to compare focus speed side by side, but found the USM focus motor to be as speedy as promised. The lens has no problem locking onto subjects quickly, especially when paired with the 45-point autofocus system offered by the EOS 80D ($899.00 at Amazon) . Likewise, focus when recording video with the 80D is fast, but also quite smooth, thanks to the camera's Dual Pixel AF system.
Image Quality
I tested the lens with the 24-megapixel 80D. At 18mm f/3.5 it scores a strong 2,238 lines per picture height on Imatest's standard center-weighted sharpness test. Quality holds up through most of the frame. There is a drop in fidelity at the edges, but at 1,811 lines the periphery is crisper than the 1,800 lines we like to see in a photo.
Stopping down to f/4 bumps the overall resolution to 2,387 lines, and edges also benefit from the narrower diaphragm, improving to 1,918 lines. At f/5.6 the overall score enjoys a very modest improvement (2,394 lines), and edges top 2,000. Image quality holds up at f/8 (2,364 lines), before taking a slight dip at f/11 (2,226 lines) due to diffraction.
Similar Products
Our Current Picks for The Best Canon EF SLR Lenses for 2021
See How We Test Digital Cameras
At 35mm the maximum aperture has narrowed to f/4.5. Resolution takes a hit, dropping to 1,856 lines, with edges that are a little soft (1,753 lines). Sharpness improves dramatically at f/5.6 (2,206 lines average, with edges topping 2,000 lines) and at f/8 (2,382 lines). There's a modest resolution drop at f/11 (2,289 lines).
At 70mm the f-stop has narrowed to f/5 at its widest. The lens manages 2,120 lines, with even performance across most of the frame, but edges that are noticeably soft at 1,500 lines. Performance is steady at f/5.6, but improves at f/8. Stopping down that far bumps the overall score to 2,275 lines and edges are reasonably crisp at 1,777 lines. At f/11 the lens hits peak resolution, 2,294 lines, with edges that don't lag far behind (2,090 lines).
Performance at 135mm isn't far off from that at 70mm. At f/5.6 the resolution hits 2,028 lines; performance is strong through most of the frame, but edges are soft at 1,622 lines. There's a marked improvement at f/8—2,238 lines on average, with edges that hit 1,965 lines. Image quality remains strong at f/11, where it scores 2,174 lines.
Distortion is an issue, but that's to be expected from a zoom of this range and type. At 18mm there is 4 percent barrel distortion, which gives straight lines an outwardly curved appearance. That gives way to pincushion distortion when zoomed, which curves those same lines inward. At 35mm there's about 1 percent, which increases to 1.3 percent at 70mm and 1.5 percent 135mm. If you use software like Lightroom ($9.99/Month at Adobe) to process images, the distortion can be removed with ease.
Lenses don't always illuminate the edges of the frame as brightly as the center. I used an ExpoDisc to capture a flat gray image and Imatest's Uniformity tool to analyze the results. Corners are dim at 18mm f/3.5, lagging a full two stops (2EV) behind the center of the frame. The gap is cut to 1.7EV at f/4, and pulls within a stop at f/5.6.
At 35mm f4.5, 70mm f/5, and 135mm f/5.6, the corners lag behind the center by 1.3EV—that's outside the 1EV threshold that we hope to see from a lens. In each case, stepping down to the next full-stop aperture brings the deficit to within a stop. And, like distortion, you can use Lightroom's lens profile tool to compensate for this issue.
Conclusions
The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM is a solid zoom lens. It delivers crisper images than the 18-55mm that ships with many entry-level Rebel cameras, and more than doubles its zoom range. Its focus motor is more powerful than the 18-135mm STM, but it's still capable of delivering smooth focus in Live View when paired with a Canon SLR with on-sensor phase detection. That, combined with the availability of a power zoom accessory, makes it especially appealing to videographers. If the price is a bit steep for your liking, there are alternatives. The Sigma 18-200mm F3.5-6.3 DC Macro OS HSM Contemporary ($389.00 at Amazon) doesn't offer the same benefits when working in Live View, and doesn't match the 18-135mm in sharpness, but it does cover a longer zoom range and is less expensive. If image quality and increased light gathering are prioritized over zoom length, you can also consider the Sigma 18-35mm f/1.8 or 17-70mm f/2.8-4.
Best Lens Picks
- The Best Fujifilm Lenses for 2020
- The Best Leica M Lenses for 2020
- The Best Micro Four Thirds Lenses for 2020
- The Best Pentax SLR Lenses for 2020
- More Lens Reviews
- More from Canon