Efs 18-135 3.5/5.6 is

[black]

Wanted a good quality Canon Lens to meet all my needs whilst reducing Bag weight & erasing potentially stressful lens changing in imperfect conditions-----Reviews are complimentary but have seen no comments here.
Would welcome your Expert views on what is a relatively new lens to the UK.
Thanks!
Terry.

[Nathaniel]

Re: Efs 18-135 3.5/5.6 is

Hello Black! I agree with your comments re imperfect conditions etc. I have no experience of the 18mm-135mm lens.I actually use two camera bodies,(450d & 550d) one fitted with a short zoom 18mm-55mm IS & the other one with a 55mm-250mm IS. This obviates the necessity of constantly changing lenses, which is the main cause of dirt and grit on the sensors. Since these two bodies are fairly light, I see not problem in carrying both cameras in my Lowepro camera bag. However, I only take both cameras when I go away on holidays. For just every day shoots, I assess the lens I might need and fit that on the camera, so I don't have problems of "imperfect" conditions to change lenses. Having said that it is not always possible to use just one lens all the time. The automatic sensor cleaners in the newer models are a great help.

[black]

Re: Efs 18-135 3.5/5.6 is

Hi Nathaniel,
Pleased you see where I am coming from & to a degree, your solution of a 2 camera system is a smart & can easily work with a one body system when @ home.When I had my 450D, I had 18-55 & 55-200 Lenses & found when I was @ home I never used my 55-200 lens &, when I went away I rarely used it.However,visiting Rome ,Paris etcetera & spending 8 + hrs with my kit I became a tad uncomfortable & decided to change to a lighter set-up with the Lowepro Sling 100 easily storing my kit, including my Monfrotto mono-pod, whilst giving me the shoulder option & ,key,a perfect shelf for my kit
if I am composing shots rather than shooting.This latter facility encourages "shooting" whereas I,previously,did not always shoot & left the kit in the back-pack particularly if the ground was wet!
Tests to date are good but a visit to Amsterdam in Autumn will prove whether I have @ last resolved my niggles & improved my composition skills due to the Eos Team.
Terry

[colin C]

Re: Efs 18-135 3.5/5.6 is

Hello Terry

I really can appreciate the desire to have one lens to cover all needs and the benefits of not needing to change lenses. But, (you knew there was a but coming didn’t you?) an 18 – 135mm lens is a 7.5x zoom and quality will suffer compared to more traditional zoom lenses. As a rule of thumb, 3 – 4x is the maximum you should be considering for a quality result. Anything more powerful and there are too many design compromises for it to be a really good performer. It should be said that all zooms have design compromises and if you are after the ultimate quality, you should only use prime lenses, but in the real world, some compromises are acceptable.

Sensor cleaning has always been a problem with DSLR’s. I used to clean my cameras every week, sometimes every day, but thankfully, since the introduction of self cleaning sensors, I count myself unlucky if I have to clean them once a year. I still exercise some care when changing lenses, but I change lenses a lot, sometimes in some fairly challenging conditions, without problem.

I would suggest that one of the main benefits of a DSLR is its ability to use different lenses for different situations. Most users keep their standard lens and their next purchase is either side of the standard. A more wide angle if you are interested in landscapes or architecture, or more telephoto if you are more inclined towards sport or wildlife.

If there is a one lens fits all solution, that still provides the quality that DSLR’s are capable of, I haven’t found it and neither have other members. Canon tried to cover it with the L series 28 – 300mm, but it was too big, too heavy, too expensive and for an L series lens, not quite what you wish for in quality.

The mere fact that you have a DSLR and have joined this Forum indicates that you are a bit keen, so the obvious solution of a bridge camera with a multi x zoom is not an appropriate solution for you. So if you want the quality and the versatility of the DSLR, it looks like the convenience has to suffer a little.

Purely as a guide, many Canon users with a 1.6 crop body start with the 18 – 55, then add the 55 – 250 and then add the 10 – 22mm.

Colin

[briansquibb]

Re: Efs 18-135 3.5/5.6 is

... or 24-105 and the 70-200 f4 is a good two lens option with the 1.6 crop

[black]

Re: Efs 18-135 3.5/5.6 is

Hi,
Thanks for the feed-back:really appreciated.
Reducing Kit weight was a prime factor for me together with a fair aperature range & the latest Canon EFS Zoom spec. which claims compromises have been reduced.A L-Series Canon 18-80 f2 would be
my perfect Lens but the cost(including development!) would be most probably prohibitive for me & A4 print-size image quality differences would be negligible.Previously,I posted in the Forum a picture that I believed was very good using my former kit-----imagine how confident (tongue penetrating left cheek) I now feel having become a Forum member fortunate to have the very latest non-pro kit but awaiting a multitude of skills starting with composition!
Terry