EF-S 18-135 STM for standard zoom on 7D?

[mark_pierlot]

<p>I'm looking for a good walkabout standard zoom for my 7D. I use my 70-200/4 L IS for that purpose, but often find it too long, so I'd like another zoom to complement it.</p>

<p>I was going to get a 15-85, but then noticed some glowing reviews for the new 18-135 STM, which is several hundred dollars cheaper. Photozone surprisingly ranks them about at par as regards sharpness. The fact that these zooms are slow doesn't really bother me, since I'll be using the lens in outdoor daylight (I have faster lenses for lower light); I usually shoot my 70-200 at f/5.6.</p>

<p>So what do think? Should I save money and get the STM?</p>

[paddler4]

<p>I doubt you will find many people who have used both. You can look <a href="http://tinyurl.com/bw93ony">here </a>to get a direct comparison. You will have to try a variety of focal lengths and apertures because the difference seems not to be consistent across all combinations. I have the 15-85 and am quite pleased with it, but the other may be good as well.<br>

I rarely consider a lens with a zoom factor greater than about 3x because of the optical problems that typically come with a longer zoom range, but these seem relatively well controlled on the 15-85. Some of the problems that often accompany a large zoom range, like barrel and pincushion distortion and some kinds of chromatic aberration, are easily fixed in post, but some aren't. You can see some with both lenses in the test charts as you change focal lengths.</p>

[clgriffin]

<p>I do have both. The EFS 18-135mm IS is primarily an amateur video lens as far as I'm concerned, designed to work well with the focusing system in the T4i.<br>

While the lens is sharp enough it has bothersome chromatic aberration, the worst I've seen in a long time. On the other hand I have been more pleased with the original 17-85mm IS and the later model, 15-85mm IS for the APS-C format.<br>

I'll keep the STM for infrequent use on the T4i, because it really does autofocus in video mode nicely. But I won't bother putting it on the 7D.<br>

Now the 40mm STM is both sharp and doesn't exhibit CA.</p>

[mark_pierlot]

<p>Thanks, Dan and Charles. Just out of curiosity, I went to the site Dan linked to and compared crops from the 18-135 and 15-85 to those from the 24-70/2.8 L II (which I have), and was shocked how much sharper the L zoom is. I just don't think I could bring myself to buy either of the EF-S zooms now, and will just use the 24-70 in tandem with my 70-200. I know I'll be losing a bit of focal length at the short end, but I'm not much a wide angle shooter anyway.</p>

<p>So thanks for saving me $600, guys! And, by the way, I already have a 40/2.8 STM, and am well aware of its virtues.</p>

[PuppyDigs]

<p>The 17-55 2.8 IS USM is probably the nearest to an L optic you can get in the EF-S mount.</p>

[ljwest]

<blockquote>

<p>Thanks, Dan and Charles. Just out of curiosity, I went to the site Dan linked to and compared crops from the 18-135 and 15-85 to those from the 24-70/2.8 L II (which I have), and was shocked how much sharper the L zoom is. I just don't think I could bring myself to buy either of the EF-S zooms now, and will just use the 24-70 in tandem with my 70-200. I know I'll be losing a bit of focal length at the short end, but I'm not much a wide angle shooter anyway.<br>

So thanks for saving me $600, guys! And, by the way, I already have a 40/2.8 STM, and am well aware of its virtues.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Heh! Not so fast, there! if you need/want the really wide end, and can stand to carry 3 lenses, there's always the EF-S 10-22!</p>

[JDMvW]

<p>Well, I'd stick with the 15-85* for the kind of shooting I do, but the combination of STM if you do video at all, and the longer top end, make the 18-135 an obvious sort of One-Lens solution.</p>

<p>*I actually have and intend to keep the older and crummier 17-85 IS which I use more than any other lens I own, even including my 24-105, etc., but the <em>range</em> is what I like. </p>

[mark_pierlot]

<blockquote>

<p>If you need/want the really wide end, and can stand to carry 3 lenses, there's always the EF-S 10-22!</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I guess there's also the well-acclaimed Tokina 11-16/2.8.</p>

[clgriffin]

<p>This was done with 10-22mm and T4i, which autofocuses with either 15-85 or the 10-22:</p>

<p>

 

[Ken Katz]

As suggested above, I would probably look at the various super WA zooms available for crop sensor Canon, since none of the available "normal range" EF-s zooms will likely match up against your 24-70II at similar focal lengths and apertures. If super WA is not your thing, perhaps one of the new WA primes, like the 24mm IS or 28mm IS, would work. Either one would provide a considerable savings of weight over the big L zoom plus they have IS thrown in just for fun.