Canon lens efs 18-135mm review

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Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS - Lab Review / Test

Lens Reviews - Canon EOS (APS-C)

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Review by Klaus Schroiff, published December 2016

Introduction

The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS is the third incarnation by Canon in this lens class. It's not exactly easy to distinguish between the different generations because Canon didn't bother to add the usual mk (I,II,III) to the name. The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS was released in 2009, followed by the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 STM IS in 2012 and just recently the current EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS saw its first light. Just based on the name you can already conclude that they differ regarding the incorporated AF motor (micro-, stepping- & ultrasonic motor). As far as we can tell, the optical design of the USM lens has NOT been changed compared to the STM version - Canon's own MTFs and the design schema are identical. Thus we are talking about an evolution of the mechanical design only.

If you followed Canon announcements over the last decades, you may conclude that the USM is either a micro-USM- or ring-USM-type variant. However, this time Canon came up with something new - Nano USM. Nano USM transmits its ultrasonic vibration energy into linear (rather than rotational) movement. Ring-type USM is renowned for for brisk AF operations. This is desirable for fast still life photography but for video you really prefer to have smooth AF action. This is what Nano USM is all about - thus it's similar to an STM drive but faster. Another special feature of the lens is the ability to mate with the optional Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1 thus you can add smooth, motorized zooming when needed (see also the related contacts at the bottom of the lens in the product image below). Of course, the lens works also perfectly nice for conventional photography which is why you can also buy camera kits featuring this lens.

The 18-135mm lens class is quite popular especially among casual travel photographers. The compact size and broad zoom range is very attractive and the zoom ratio is still moderate enough to avoid most of the severe optical issues that are plaguing the more extreme 18-200mm or 18-300mm lens families.

The build quality has been improved compared to its predecessor. Rather than following the design philosophy of Canon's base kit lenses, it resembles the Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS thus a mid-spec model. The plastic lens body feels a little more high-grade. Both the zoom and especially the focus ring operate smoothly. Unsurprisingly the lens extends quite a bit when zooming towards tele settings. The inner lens tube doesn't wobble when when fully extended. We didn't experience any zoom creeping during our test but Canon has implemented a transport lock just in case.

The AF speed is very snappy and absolutely silent. Similar to STM lenses, manual focusing works "by-wire" thus you are actually driving the focus motor when turning the focus ring. We had no issues with this (as usual). The efficiency of the image stabilizer is rated at 4 f-stops although we'd suggest to plan a little bit more conservative here. The IS is "dynamic" so it switches automatically between static image stabilization and panning for object tracking.

It is worth mentioning that another things has changed - the price tag. The previous generations of this lens were budget items but these times are over. The Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 USM IS is listed at 600US$/EUR thus 50% higher. Unfortunately this is something to get used to now that the market is consolidating from its hype phase.

Specifications Equiv. focal length"29-216mmmm" (full format equivalent) Equiv. aperture"f/5.6-9" (full format equivalent in terms of depth-of-field) Optical construction16 elements in 12 groups inc 1x aspherical and 1x UD element Number of aperture blades7 (circular) min. focus distance0.39m (1:3.6) Dimensions (L x W)77.4x96mm Weight515g Filter size67mm Hoodpetal shaped, optional Other featuresimage stabilizer, Nano USM, optional Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1

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EF-S Nano USM IS (2016-)

Canon EF-s 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM (67mm filters, 18.2 oz./515g, 1.3'/0.4m close focus, about $599). bigger. I got mine at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon, or at Crutchfield.

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, , store demo or used lens. Get yours only from the for the best prices, service, return policies and selection. Thanks for helping me help you! Ken.

January 2018 Canon Reviews Canon Lenses All Reviews

Sample Images

Zoey and Sofie riding in the back seat, 14 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 35mm at f/4.5 at 1/50 at Auto ISO 400, Perfectly Clear. bigger.

Instant autofocus: Ryan's orange drone, 31 December 2017. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 91mm at f/5.6 at 1/250 at Auto ISO 160, Perfectly Clear. bigger or camera-original © file.

Spanish Tile, 01 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 62mm at f/8 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution or camera-original © file.

Cactus, 14 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 79mm at f/16 at 1/50 at Auto ISO 100, as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

Sky Mural, 14 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 18mm at f/3.5 at 1/13 at ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution or camera-original © file.

Note that there is very little in focus at this large (f/3.5) aperture.

Golf Clubhouse, 14 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 50mm at f/8 at 1/200 at Auto ISO 100, as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

Power Pole against Blue Sky, 14 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 121mm at f/8 at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100, as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

Weird Art Thing on Concrete, 18 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 71mm at f/8 at 1/640 at Auto ISO 100, as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

Sharp enough?

Red Roof Tiles against Blue Sky, 18 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 135mm wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/400 at Auto ISO 100, as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

Palm Trunk, 18 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 59mm at f/11 at 1/100 at ISO 100, Perfectly Clear. bigger or full-resolution or camera-original © file.

Sharp enough?

Introduction

This 18-135mm Nano USM lens is magnificent, with instantaneous autofocus, ultra-close and great optical performance covering an ideal do-everything zoom range. This could be the only lens you need for everything for your Canon APS-C camera.

Canon has made three different EF-S 18-135mm IS lenses, differing mostly in how fast they focus. This newest (2016-) Nano USM version is the fastest-focussing and best. It snaps focus between far and near with no perceptible delay.

The older 18-135mm STM (2012-2018) was also an excellent lens, with fast, but not instantaneous, autofocus.

The original 18-135mm (2009-) was an excellent lens, but its autofocus makes a little bit of sound, you have to move a switch back and forth to go between auto and manual focus, and the zoom range between 18mm and 24mm is cramped on the zoom ring.

New

● Nano USM focus motor for instantaneous autofocus.

Good

● Great optical quality.

● Instantaneous autofocus.

● Small.

● Light.

● Perfect zoom range to cover just about everything.

● Super-close .

● Reasonably priced.

Bad

● Nothing.

Missing

● Nothing, unless you're expecting a focus lock button.

Format

This is only for Canon APS-C cameras. It won't mount on any full-frame camera.

Compatibility

This EF-S lens mounts only on Canon's APS-C DSLRs. It won't fit Canon's full-frame cameras.

It work flawlessly on every Canon APS-C DSLR, except the very oldest 10D from 2003, the D60 from 2002 and the D30 from 2000. It works great on the original Digital Rebel from 2003 and every other Canon APS-C DSLR.

It works on , but only if you use the EOS-M adapter.

It won't mount on any Canon full-frame or .

Canon 18-135mm IS USM. bigger.

Specifications

Name

Canon calls this the Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM.

EF: Electronic Focus, as all Canon's lenses have been since 1987.

-S: Only fits Canon's APS-C DSLRs.

IS: Image Stabilization.

USM: Ultrasonic Autofocus Motor.

Optics

Canon 18-135mm USM internal construction. UD, Image Stabilizer and Aspherical elements.

16 elements in 12 groups.

One UD extra-low dispersion element, which helps reduce secondary axial chromatic aberration.

One aspherical element.

Multicoated.

The focus is electronically compensated as zoomed; the camera needs to be on for it to stay in focus as zoomed.

Diaphragm

Canon 18-135mm IS USM (EF diaphragm not visible). bigger.

7 rounded blades.

Stops down to f/22-38.

Focal Length

18～135mm.

When used on Canon's APS-C cameras, it sees the same angle of view as a 28～200mm lens sees when used on a full-frame or .

Autofocus

Internal focus.

No external movement as focussed, so no air or dust is sucked in.

Focus Scale

No.

Infinity Focus Stop

No.

Depth of Field Scale

No.

Reproduction Ratio Scale

No.

Infrared Focus Index

No.

Close Focus

1.3 feet (0.4 meters).

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:3.6 (0.28 ×).

Image Stabilizer

Rated 4 stops improvement.

Caps

Canon E-67II front cap, included.

Canon EOS "E" rear cap, included.

Filters

Plastic 67mm filter thread.

Hood

EW-73D, not included.

Case

LP1116, not included.

Size

3.05" maximum diameter × 3.78" extension from flange.

77.4 mm maximum diameter × 96 mm extension from flange.

Weight

18.150 oz. (514.6g) actual measured weight.

Canon specifies 18.2 oz. (515 g).

Quality

Made in Taiwan.

Announced

17 February 2016.

Included

Lens.

Canon E-67II front cap.

Canon EOS "E" rear cap.

USA warranty paperwork.

Instruction sheet.

Canon's Model Numbers

EF-S18-135ISUSM.

1276C002 (1276C001 in Japan).

JAN: 4549292-061383.

Price, USA

$599, January 2018.

Packaging

Corrugated cardboard box holding the lens wrapped in a few layers of bubble wrap.

Box, Canon 18-135mm IS USM. bigger.

Optional Accessories

Teleconverters

It won't work with any teleconverters.

Extension Tubes

At the 135mm setting, you can get a magnification range of 0.09~0.43 with the Canon Extension Tube EF12 II, and a magnification range of 0.21~0.61with the Canon Extension Tube EF25 II.

Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1

The Power Zoom Adapter PZ-E1 attaches to the bottom of the lens and allows it to focus and zoom by remote control — or with the electronic lever on the adapter.

This is mostly for video applications where you want smooooooth zooms.

This motorized gizmo attaches to the bottom of the lens and zooms the lens via teeth in the zoom ring:

Bottom, Canon 18-135mm IS USM. bigger.

EW-73D hood.

LP1116 sack case.

Getting a Legal USA Version

(applies in USA only)

In the USA, be sure your box includes a warranty card marked "For USA," and that the serial number on this card matches the one laser-engraved in black-on-black on the bottom of your lens.

If you don't have the warranty card — or the serial number doesn't match — you got ripped off with a gray market version from another country. This is why I never buy anyplace other than from my . You just can't take the chance of buying elsewhere, especially at any retail store, because non-USA versions have no warranty in the USA, and you won't even be able to get firmware or service for it — even if you're willing to pay out-of-pocket for it when you need it!

If a gray market version saves you $300 it may be worth it, but for $100 or less I wouldn't risk having no warranty or support.

Always be sure to check yours while you can still return it, or just don't buy from unapproved sources or at retail so you'll be able to have your camera serviced and get free updated firmware as needed.

Get yours from the and you won't have a problem, but if you take the risk of getting yours elsewhere, be sure to check everything while you still can return it.

Performance

Overall

This is a great lens, so great that I wish Canon made one like it for full frame! This lens is sharp and responds instantly to whatever I need it to do. I wish everything worked this well.

Autofocus

Autofocus is instantaneous.

It pops from near to far faster than I can see; it just snaps from one distance to the next instantly, and it does it silently.

Bravo!

Manual Focus

Manual focus is entirely electronic.

Just grab the focus ring at any time you have the shutter half-pressed for instant manual-focus override.

Focus Breathing

Focus breathing is the image changing size as focused in and out. It's important to cinematographers because it looks funny if the image changes size as focus gets pulled back and forth between actors. If the lens does this, the image "breathes" by growing and contracting slightly as the dialog goes back and forth.

I can't see any focus breathing; the image doesn't change size as focussed.

Bokeh

Bokeh, the feel or quality of out-of-focus areas as opposed to how far out of focus they are, is OK. It's not usually distracting:

Davis 6250 weather station, 18 January 2018. bigger or camera-original © file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely display full resolution images properly).

As always, if you want to throw the background as far out of focus as possible, shoot at 135mm, get as close as possible and shoot at f/5.6.

Distortion

This lens has strong barrel distortion at 18mm and pincushion distortion at most other settings, but you'll probably never see it because most Canon cameras correct it automatically by default.

We're not shooting film today. All zoom lenses distort, and with automated in-camera correction it isn't important anymore.

Ergonomics

It's a very well-designed, straight-ahead lens: the middle is all zoom ring. It zooms with one strong finger, and it's always easy to set a precise focal length quickly.

The focus ring is an electronic encoder. It easily moves with a fingertip.

All the switches are conveniently under my left thumb.

Falloff

Whatever falloff it may have is compensated automatically in the camera, so it's always invisible.

Filters, use with

There's no need for thin filters.

Go ahead and use your standard rotating polarizer and grad filters. You can stack a few on top of each other without vignetting.

Lateral Color Fringes

There are no color fringes as shot on Canon's cameras, which by default correct for any that may be there.

Macro

Macro performance is superb. It gets super-close:

Kienzle Flieger Automat 800/2843 at close-focus distance, 18 January 2018. Canon SL2, Canon 18-135mm USM IS at 135mm wide-open at f/5.6 at 1/1,250 at Auto ISO 100, as shot. bigger or camera-original © file.

1,200 × 900 pixel crop from above. bigger or camera-original © file to explore on your computer (mobile devices rarely display full resolution images properly).

If this crop is about 6" (15cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 20 × 30" (50 × 75cm).

If this crop is about 12" (30cm) wide on your screen, then the complete image printed at this same extreme magnification would be about 40 × 60" (1 × 1.5 meters).

This is shot wide-open at f/5.6. It gets sharper as stopped down.

The texture you're seeing is on the watch itself.

Mechanical Quality

Canon 18-135mm IS USM. bigger.

It's well made out of mostly plastic.

Optional Hood

Plastic bayonet EW-73D.

Front Bumper

None.

Filter Threads

Plastic.

Hood Bayonet Mount

Plastic.

Front Barrel

Plastic.

Focus Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

Zoom Ring

Rubber-covered plastic.

Rear Barrel

Plastic.

Identity

Printed around front of lens, also printed on top of barrel.

Internals

Plastic.

Moisture Seal at Mount

No.

Mount

Dull chromed metal.

Markings

Paint.

Serial Number

Laser engraved in black-on-black on bottom of barrel.

Date Code

None found.

Noises When Shaken

Almost no clunking.

Made in

Taiwan.

Sharpness

It's super sharp at almost every setting, although in the lab it's just a little softer wide-open at 135mm. As you can see at the , for actual picture taking it's still super sharp wide-open at 135mm, and it gets even sharper stopped down.

The only limitation to picture sharpness will be your skill as a photographer.

MTF wide-open (black) and at f/8 (blue), at 10 cyc/mm (bold) and 30 cyc/mm (light). Sagittal (solid) and meridional (dashed).

Image Stabilization

It locks-down the hand-held image and lets me shoot at very slow speeds, eliminating any need for a tripod except for astronomical use.

Sunstars

With a rounded diaphragm, the Canon 18-135mm Nano USM makes sunstars only at the smallest apertures. Click any to enlarge:

Click any to enlarge.

Usage

Canon 18-135mm IS USM. bigger.

AF - MF Switch

Leave this at AF, which is Auto Focus. You may move the focus ring at any time the AF system is active for instant manual focus override.

Use the MF, Manual Focus, position only if you want to lock the focus, or only use manual focus.

Stabilizer

Leave this on all the time.

Only turn it off if you're using a tripod.

Lock

This locks the zoom at the 28mm setting.

I don't use it.

Recommendations

Get one! This is the best all-purpose lens for any of Canon's APS-C cameras. It covers the perfect zoom range, focuses instantly and focuses super close, it's super sharp and lightweight and reasonably priced. You can't ask for better; it would weigh a lot more if more than just its mount was metal.

I never use a hood; it's not needed.

I use a clear (UV) protective filter instead of a cap at all times. I throw it in my bag or luggage this way, and I shoot right through it. I don't want to miss pictures fumbling with caps.

The very best protective filter is the Hoya multicoated HD3 67mm UV which uses hardened glass and repels dirt and fingerprints.

For less money, the B+W 67mm 010 is an excellent filter, as are the multicoated version and the basic multicoated Hoya filters, but the Hoya HD3 is the toughest and the best.

Filters last a lifetime, so you may as well get the best. The Hoya HD3 stays cleaner than the others since it repels oil and dirt.

I got my 18-135 at B&H. I'd also get it at Adorama, at Amazon, or at Crutchfield.

This all-content, junk-free website's biggest source of support is when you use those or any of when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. Canon does not seal its boxes in any way, so never buy at retail or any other source not on since you'll have no way of knowing if you're missing accessories, getting a defective, damaged, returned, , store demo or used lens. I use the stores I do because they ship from secure remote warehouses where no one gets to touch your new camera before you do. Buy only from the for the best prices, service, return policies and selection.

Thanks for helping me help you!

Ken, Mrs. Rockwell, Ryan and Katie.

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What is a Canon EF

For landscapes, portraits, sports videos and everything in between, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM provides great versatility with its magnificent optics, comprehensive zoom range and premium design. It's an impressive complement to the EOS 80D camera, or any EOS camera with an APS-C size sensor.

Is EF

As a Canon EF-S lens, this 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 STM works only with Canon's mini-format (1.6x) digital SLRs. It is useless for 35mm, full-frame and 1.3x cameras; it won't even mount on them. Canon calls this the CANON ZOOM LENS EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM.

Is the 18 to 135mm sharp?

It's super sharp at almost every setting, although in the lab it's just a little softer wide-open at 135mm. As you can see at the Sample Images, for actual picture taking it's still super sharp wide-open at 135mm, and it gets even sharper stopped down.

Is Canon 18 135 lens good for portraits?

Providing a focal length range equivalent to 29-216mm in 35mm format, the EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS covers both wide enough angles for landscape photography and is narrow enough for portraiture and sports photography.