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Questions & Answers

MARY A : Pardon my ignorance, but looking at this lens for a gift for one who requested a 'wide angle' lens for his Canon t5i. Would this be appropriate? Thank you.ROBIN W : Most of the time, wide angle lenses are anything below 50mm (they are zoomed out more than what your eyes see), 50mm is considered "normal" (it matches what your eyes see), and anything above 50mm is called "telephoto" (that is, it's zoomed in more than what you see). However, the sensor size of the Canon t5i is a little different, so anything under maybe 40-45mm will be wide angle for his camera. This 18-135mm lens does cover the wide angle range AND normal AND telephoto. I use it as my go-to lens for when I'm traveling and don't know what to expect. It's very versatile. However, if he's just wanting a wide angle lens, I would check out the Canon EF-S 10-18mm (MSRP $300), 18-55mm (MSRP $200), or EF-S 24mm (MSRP $150). I'm assuming that since he has a t5i, he's more of a hobbyist or beginner, so he's not looking for professional grade lenses but something inexpensive for learning/experimenting/personal use, yeah? I'd go with the 18-55mm because it has a bigger range (unless his camera already came with it; it's a common "kit lens" as they call it). The 24mm is stuck at that zoom--you can't get closer or farther away. The 10-18mm is very wide, it's possible it could be wider than he's wanting. I hope this is helpful!MARY A : I want to thank everyone for their pretty much universal opinion. It was very helpful in my selection. I ordered the 10-18 stm. I hope he will be pleased with it.JAMES T : If I were asking for a "wide angle" lens I would not expect to receive (or choose, if I were buying it for myself. The lens above is a very nice lens. I use mine almost all the time for a "GO TO" utility type lens, but I wouldn't consider it in the place of a dedicated Wide Angle Lens.JAY P : Usually the T5i comes with a 18-55mm kit lens, in which case this lens is not going to be any 'wider' than the current lens. You probably want to buy the canon 10-18mm lens to get wider angle pictures.EVELYN J : I believe the t5i is a 1.6 crop sensor camera as is my Xsi. As such this means the 18mm becomes a 28mm lens. In my opinion this may not fit the needs of some wanting a true wide angle lens. My suggestion is to call Adorama and get their inpput or go on Canon's Rebel forum for more information. As for the 15-135 I love the lens. RJKEN S : On a t5i 18mm is pretty wide angle. Much wider than 17mm you would need to adjust the pictures on a computer afterwards so yes the 18-135 is great for wide angle (landscape type pictures) with little or no distortion. Its a good normal lens for walking around.RONALD G : This is a very good all purpose walk around lens. I like mine very much and have used a lot with very good success. If your donee merely wants an exclusive wide angle lens. I would also consider a Canon 10-18 mm STM. I am considering this lens for wide angle shots.KATHRYN H : This is a great all around lens, it's a wide angle and zoom lens. I bought this one foe my daughter who is just starting out in photography. I recommend canon lens first even if they are refurb. I havent had any problems buying refurb products from this company, they stand behind their products. When in doubt give them a call, very helpful.RALPH N : Although the lens is 18mm at the widest, on the T5i, I think it would be in reality a 28mm because of the smaller sensor of the camera.ADAM Y : I bought this lens at the time so I could subjects further away. This would not be good choice for wide angle needs. I do not have experience with wide angle lenses because I believe they are expensive. Really cheap wide angle lenses will have a lot of barrel distortion (like looking through a peep hole). Photoshop is pretty good at correcting this. Get the best wide angle lens you can afford and you can cut down on a lot of editing time.HAROLD J : No, the 18-135 mm lens is good for general photography and is a multi zoom purpose lens. If you want a wide angle budget lens, go for the ef-s 24mm f/2.8 stm lens which still takes amazing photos.
Shopper : is this an stm lens or would it have stated stm in the description?KEN P : I have this lens and it performs great. As for STM I don't recall as this is for my second camera. My backup. This IS my favorite lens for my Canon T3i!RONALD G : I'm not sure what you mean by STM but this is the hit lens. It has been very functional for me. I particularly have used for some sports. JAY P : It does not have STM. Yes, it would have "STM" in the description if it had STM.VIRGINIA E : Sorry, I have no idea what you are asking!PATRICIA P : I don't think so because I understand this a new technology in the Canon lenses, here is an explanation of the term STM that I got at a photography forum. ======================================================== "STM stands for Stepper Motor and is a applied to a new range of Canon lenses which feature a new design of focus motors which, along with a new iris mechanism are designed to eliminate (auditory) noise during video recording. "Canon haven't revealed any information about how the new design works but it's probably the same type of motor used in mirrorless camera lenses. It's a more precise version of a regular DC motor but still has the same direct connection to the lens focus group, which means manual focus has to be implemented using a focus-by-wire arrangement whereby moving the focus ring by hand sends a signal to the motor to move the focus group." In comparison an ultrasonic motor (like Canon's USM) consists of a pair of concentric rings which vibrate at high frequency to rotate back and forth, an arrangement which permits the user to move the focus ring to directly move the lens element, achieving full time manual focus without damaging the motor. "Stepper motors are better at producing smooth, precise incremental movements, such as those required by contrast detect AF, and AF during video. Ultrasonic motors are better at jumping to the right focus point as part of a phase detection system. See What is the practical difference between phase-detect and contrast-based autofocus?"KRYSTAL C : I just read from someone asking the same question that this does not have STM because its an older model. I agree it works very well and has done me good.KRYSTAL C : I have this lens but I don't know what that is. Is there a way I can tell if it has it?
ROBERT M : The Overview info says this is a "new" lens. When did it first come out?ROBERT M : Thank you. I did not realize the lens was so old.ROBERT M : Thanks you for your helpCAROLE M : The lens was introduced in October of 2009 and sold for $450.00EVELYN J : One review I read on this lens indicated it was announced in London September 1, 2009.MARCUS B : The lens was first announced by Canon on September 1, 2009

Reviews about this item

Review Summary

2021-09-01T11:36:48

Rated 5 out of 5

Canon quality, without the price!!!

As expected Canon didn't disappoint! I bought this after buying an off-brand lens that didn't impress. The sharpness and clarity are great at any focal length or aperture. I was hesitant with buying a used lens but I am glad I took a chance on Adorama. The lens was in great condition hardly any signs of use. There was a little dust on the inside but I seriously don't regret my purchase. There was a little issue with shipping because I paid for next day and didn't get it the next day. However customer service was great and fixed the issues.

Kristi D.

2017-09-17T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great value for price - minor drawbacks

I've got L glass but wanted something a bit cheaper for a carry around lens. Now bear in mind I'm comparing this to a 200-400mm f/4.5 and a 17-35mm f/4 lenses. The sharpness of the efs 18-135 is phenomenal for the price. The lens does have a drawback in that when it's at full range there is significant vignette if one uses a filter/polariser which means that you have to crop out the vignette. A pain and Canon should have accounted for this. There is minor chromatic aberration but this is easily fixed in POST or using on camera settings e.g. On a T5i etc. The lens produces very sharp images and I would say very close to the L glass that I have. It's significantly lighter and has ultrafast and accurate focussing. This is my go-to lens and I've done some remarkable large pan landscape s using it. Highly recommended for value for what you get. Even though it's an EFS which means you can only use it on crop-factor cameras, it's still worth the price !!

WelshGuy

2016-10-12T20:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good lense, sharp images but

I got this lense along with the 70-300. I have now owned it for app 5 years now. While the images are sharp and clear, I am expecting issues soon as the lense barrel and the zoom mechanics is getting "sloppy". Lense creep is increasing as is the amount of movement between the barrels. I am currently looking at a new lense so I can retire this one. I would recommend this lense as a beginner lense but expect to replace in 5-7 years. The reason I am hard on this is I STILL use my FTb-QL, F1(n) and New F1 and FD lenses and these items are still very tight.

donbutl10

2016-08-14T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Features-Professional Lens 4 Beginner Pros.

I have had mine for over a year and a half & been very Happy with it.

FinestFotos

2016-06-14T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Very much worth owning!

Great lens overall. I have used it for storm,northern lights,family photos,action shots and more and it has done a great job with all I ask of it!

Maryann

2016-05-27T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Fantastic Delivery

My husband bought the Rebel T6S for me as a gift and this lens was part of the bundle. It delivers sharp, crisp photos each time. I have never had a problem with it. It has now become part of my favorite camera arsenal. Love it.

Deardeb

2016-04-28T20:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great Entry Level Digital

I bought this camera for my husband a couple of years ago. It takes great pictures and is pretty easy to use. The only reason I didn't give it 5 stars is that is has no viewfinder so when you are trying to take pictures on a sunny day, the suns glare on the display doesn't allow you to really make sure you are getting a great picture.

Julesr

2016-02-12T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Versatile Lens

Great focal range and a sharp lens for APSC cameras. Features Image Stabilization and a modern design.

Rene

2016-01-08T19:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Long term use

I purchased this lens with a 7D. I found it to be a great range, as I did not use the 10-24 a lot even while shooting scenery in Alaska for the summer. However, I am now faced with a large repair or replacement cost, as it does not focus smoothly and will change the zoom range when focusing. I owned an FTb and an A1 with canon lens and never had a problem with their function, so I would conclude this lenss is not as good quality (reliability) as the older equipment.

Jon

2015-12-21T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great lens

I just received the lens today and using on both cameras I have T5i and T3i, The auto focus is fast and the zoom movement is smooth and quick, works good on both of my cameras, I had my T5i for over a year now, the lens is lighter than the 18-200mm I have, this lens replaces 2-3 lenses in my collection, I do RECOMMEN this lens!!!

Sparkdawg068

2015-11-26T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Versatile Use on a Budget

Have had this lens for over a year and it is my go to lens. For indoor and outdoor, it a lens that offers the user a great range with sharp image quality in a well built, sturdy housing. If you are starting out and want a more versatile lens than the Canon 18-55mm, I highly recommend this lens.

H L.

2015-08-09T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Daily Workhorse

This is an exceptionally versatile lens producing thousands of images as needed from extreme wide angle shots to great close ups. The 18mm wide-end beats other standard zooms by 10mm, important when shooting close to the subjects, like waterfalls or close in to street scenes. It's a lens for those who shoot daily for mixed variety images. Purchased my most recent lens "used" based on Adorama's rating system and again got exactly the product I needed and expected.

STEPHEN M.

2015-01-29T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Lens

Friends of mine talk me into getting this lens with the 60D body. I am glad they did. It does everything you would need for normal shooting for close and far objects.

CHMac

2015-01-22T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Great Kit Lens

I got the lens when I purchased my Canon 60D. For being a kit lens this thing is a great value. Images are sharper than most other kit lenses I have used. The only negative thing I have to say about the lens is the amount of dust that can get inside of this lens is amazing.

DOHCHP

2014-12-15T19:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Not For Anyone but the Pure Amateur

I purchased this lens in a kit along with my first Canon DSLR, the 60D. Just starting off, the lens satisfied me - its focal range is ideal but I wasn't quite sure what to look for quality-wise. As I have continued to use the lens, its low quality has started to become more and more apparent. The build is a bit weak; the focus ring has become loose and the silver design taping has begun to peel off. Additionally, the auto-focus speed isn't quite up to par. In post-processing especially, the low image quality stands out. There is a good deal of vignetting and warping around the edge of the image, noticeable aberration, and the images are of sub-optimal sharpness. In addition, zooming in to 5.6 can be painful in anything less than broad daylight. On the positive side, the IS makes this lens ideal for documentary-style filming, which I've done a good deal of. Anyone who considers themselves more than an amateur should consider investing more in a different lens for higher image quality and build.

Boin L.

2014-11-13T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

A grat and timely purchase

I purchased a Canon 7D Mark II with this lens. I went to a surf contest the next weekend and shot well over 2000 pics for the day and both lens and camera performed flawlessly and I am very pleased with the pictures taken. A great purchase!!

The D.

2014-05-25T20:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good Starter lens

This lens has a good focal range but with a constant vignetting problem. The auto focus works well in daylight, however searches too much in less adequate outdoor and indoor lighting situations. The lens is built well despite the other issues and would make a good starter lens. I like how this lens and other canon starter kit lenses have metal connection points to the lens bayonet, it increases durability when compared to lenses that have cheap plastic connection points.

Gphoto

2014-05-07T20:00:00

Rated 3 out of 5

Nice on clicking

Nice to have it in my bag for my Canon 60D. Can able to use for portraits and landscape.

mh

2014-01-06T19:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

i'm pretty much an amateur user but like to take a lot of pictures. I have a Canon T4i. Have used a number of lenses in the past and find it a hassle to be constantly changing lenses. This gives me about the most versatility I could want. The focus is very fast and quiet. Have taken a few movies and seems to work very well. No problems at all so far. Arrived quickly and price was OK. Accessories work as expected.

Steve

2013-11-25T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

My Favorite Canon Lens

I have seven Canon lenses and this is my favorite. 18 - 135 covers 95% of my photography. I also have the 18 - 200 but prefer the 18 - 135 for the lighter weight. In situations where 135 is not as much zoom as I'd like, I simply crop the photo to get the area I wanted to zoom in on. With an 18 megapixel T4i I can crop and expand a surprisingly small area and still have amazing quality in the finished photo. I travel a LOT, and this camera and lens go with me everywhere. I feel it is the best choice for a one lens travel kit. Lightweight but no compromise in picture quality. I have done extensive testing comparing my T4i with the 18-135 lens against a 5D Mark II with the 24 -105 L lens. Very little difference. You really have to crop and expand very small areas to find a difference.

Bud

2013-07-08T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good replacement for kit lens

I'm a casual amateur photographer. I photograph my children, landscapes and animals. The lens is a bit expensive, but it gives me greater range than the kit lens which I need for even casual photography. The lens is light and easy to use. It seems to focus quickly and accurately, but I've not used it indoors or in low light conditions. I've only had this lens a few weeks but I have not found anything I dislike. I gave it four stars simply because of the price. (It cost more than the camera.)

PEYRE L.

2013-07-07T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Love it!

I couldn't be happier with this purchase! Bought it referb and if I hadn't known, I would've thought it was brand new. Only had it for a few weeks, but so far so good.

RAFAEL D.

2013-06-24T21:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Great Standard use lens

Love this lens, it's a wonderful everyday lens eliminates the need to swap out lens. I bought this one as a used lens, and haven't had any issue with it so far (D quality). The lens arrived in the stated condition. I've only been using it for a week, I replace my 18-55 lens, with this one. I shoot mostly outdoors, gives me everything I need and more out of a lens.Thanks Adorama!

PHILIP C.

2013-05-28T20:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Mostly satisfied

I like the 18-135 mm range, it covers most normal scenarios. It is fast focus and reliable. However, when taking pictures in low light, does not performes well. Ex: museum with low light, old paintings etc...

Joe

2013-05-27T21:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good all around lens

I was looking to go with one lens on my EOS 40D and this fits the bill. Good range from wide to tele,good price since it was a demo and sharp. Wish it was an L but I guess those are for full frame cameras.

clhnstev

2013-05-04T20:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

It was fuzzy? No... That was my fault.

I read many reviews before I wrote this to try and figure out what I should say. First of all my pictures were slightly fuzzy and the focus was slow... Um hello self, have you checked your cameras settings? No? Maybe you should. Now that I have checked them, the fuzzy shots with lots of graininess are completely gone. So anyone who reviewed this lens as being anything but sharp needs to fiddle with their camera settings some more and read the manual or another how to book.

Beliven

2013-03-23T20:00:00

Rated 4 out of 5

Good lens

Good lens, Good quality pictures... The stabilizer works well

Eddythepixer

2013-02-01T19:00:00

Rated 2 out of 5

Bad quality images

The power that gives you the lense's range in great. Images are not that great. Seen lot of color aberration, not sharp as wanted images.

X-san

2012-12-12T19:00:00

Rated 5 out of 5

Happy with this lens

This was a used lens. Adorama said it was in perfect condition, and it is. A little heavy, but I knew that and bought it anyway.

ANTONIA Z.

2012-11-09T19:00:00

Rated 2 out of 5

An Average Lens, Barely, Barely Acceptable

I purchased this lens to use with my 50D. I wanted a lens that had a good zoom range, which this lens has. However, the lens has issues which doesn't make it a good buy for the price Canon is asking. First of all, I'm not at all happy with the sharpness of this lens; it just isn't there, no matter what shutter speed/f-stop you use. The first one I received was returned for not being sharp, and the second one I received wasn't any better. There just absolutely isn't any 'snap' to the images. When taking portraits, it looks like a mild soft focus filter was used, with facial features not being very well detailed. Various images taken with both lenses, never rendered colors very accurately at all. This was still showing to be the case even with camera settings at their defaults. I tried all the white balance settings, and still nothing reproduced colors accurately as was showing in my original scene. I could go on about the terrible auto focus and its noisy working mechanisms constantly heard inside the barrel while focusing, and the jerky image shifting that occasionally occurs while focusing. The barrel also drops constantly on its own when pointed downwards, very annoying. Bottom line, don't buy this lens. You'd think Canon would make a better lens, considering the popularity of this zoom range!

Emily J.

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Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS EFS Specifications

  • Construction

    12 groups /16 elements

  • Angle of view

    74° 20' - 11° 30'

  • F stop range

    3.5-22

  • Closest Focusing Distance

    1.50 ft./0.45m

  • Filter Size

    67mm

  • Dimensions (Length x Diameter)

    4.0" x 3.0" / 101 x 75.4mm

  • Weight

    16oz. / 455g

  • Notes

    Zoom System: 5-groups helical zoom (rotational angle 80°)

12 Accessories for Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Auto Focus Lens - Refurbished

  • All Accessories (12)
  • Filters (5)
  • Bags & Cases (3)
  • Covers & Caps (1)
  • Lens Caps (1)
  • Extension Tubes (2)

About Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS EFS

FEATURED REVIEWS

Best Non L I have ever used

By NPT

I purchased this lens for my 40D and am amazed by the quality. I have the 24-105 L which I use on my 1D so I have been able to compare the 18-135, 24-105 L & the 70-200 F4L I compared the 18-135mm & 24-105mm at F5.6 and the sharpness is the same on most images. The 18-135 was actually sharper on a couple of images. I compared the lenses at 24, 50, 70 & 105. The color was on pair with both L lenses. The 70-200 F4 was a little sharper than the 18-135 but not much. The picture quality was so ...

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Excellent Universal Lens

By Larry

I have Canon XSi and have evaluated the 18-55mm IS great for indoors/parties; 55-250mm IS great for sports and recently the 28-200mm good travel lens but heavy, no IS and insufficient wide angle for landscapes. This 18-135mm IS lens fits my ideal all round travel and universal lens. The 18mm provides the required wide angle for landscapes and the range to 135mm provides adequate zoom for portraits and close ups. The macro feature is also adequate for clean hand held close up nature shots. Als...

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Covering a range from 29mm-216mm in 35mm format, Canon's new EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS offers a winning combination of size, range and features and is a perfect complement to APS-C cameras. With high-quality optics, dedicated image stabilization and more, this new lens promises to be a favorite for EOS users.

Canon 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS EFS Features

  • Adorama Camera Valuable Bundle. Kit Includes.
  • Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens

Key Features

  • 18-135mm Wide Angle to Telephoto Zoom SLR Lens
  • 67mm Digital Circular Polarizer Filter
  • Universal Lens Cap Tether
  • Cleaning Kit

What's in the box:

  • Lens Cap E-67
  • Lens Dust Cap E
  • Adorama 90 Day Refurbished Warranty