Canon Canon RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Review

The Canon RF-S 18-150mm is a superzoom that scores a 70.2/100 overall, and its numbers tell a clear story. It's a lens built for reach and convenience, not for speed or shallow depth of field. The 29-240mm equivalent range is its main event, letting you go from wide-angle to a solid telephoto without changing lenses.

Where it really shines is in optical quality and stabilization, landing in the 94th and 89th percentiles respectively. That means the images you get across that huge zoom range are sharp and steady, which is the whole point of a lens like this. It's a 309g package that covers a lot of ground, but you trade off a lot of light-gathering ability to get there.

Performance is a mixed bag, but the highs are very high. That 94th percentile optical score is legit. For a superzoom with 17 elements in 13 groups, including a UD and two aspherical elements, it delivers sharpness that punches above its weight class. The 5-stop image stabilization (89th percentile) is a game-saver for handheld shots at the long end.

Now, the trade-offs. The aperture range of f/3.5-6.3 puts it in the bottom third (38th percentile) for light gathering. You'll be cranking the ISO indoors or in low light. Autofocus lands at the 47th percentile—it's fine for general use but not class-leading. Its macro score is a respectable 77th percentile with a 1:2.7 max magnification, so you can get decently close, but it's not a dedicated macro lens.

At $569, this lens asks a lot for what is essentially a kit lens with a huge zoom. You're paying a premium for the RF mount and that excellent optical/stabilization combo. For that price, you could get two or three fast prime lenses from third-party brands like Viltrox or Meike, which would give you much better low-light performance and bokeh. The value is really only there if you absolutely need that one-lens-does-it-all convenience and are willing to sacrifice aperture speed to get it.

Compared to fast primes like the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7 or Meike 55mm f/1.8, the Canon loses badly in low-light and portrait shooting (its weakest area at 53.2/100). Those lenses have apertures over three stops faster, putting them in a different league for background separation and indoor use. But they can't zoom. Compared to other superzooms, the Canon's optical and stabilization scores are likely its key advantage. You're choosing between the Canon's all-in-one sharpness and reach versus a collection of primes that offer superior speed and specialty performance for similar money.

This is a specialist lens for a specific user: the APS-C shooter who values zoom range and image quality above all else and doesn't mind the slow aperture. The 94th percentile optics and 89th percentile stabilization make it a top-tier travel or walkaround lens. But for $569, that slow f/6.3 aperture at the long end is a hard pill to swallow when so many great, fast primes exist. If you live in good light and hate changing lenses, it's a great pick. If you shoot indoors, love bokeh, or are on a budget, look at those third-party primes first.