Canon EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Review
This lens lives on your camera. Its huge zoom range and great stabilization make it the perfect travel companion, even if its slow aperture holds it back in dim light.
Overview
Look, if you're buying a Canon APS-C camera and you want one lens to do almost everything, this is the one. The Canon 18-135mm IS STM is the ultimate 'glue' lens. It's not the fastest or the sharpest, but its 7.5x zoom range is ridiculously useful, covering everything from wide-angle shots to a decent telephoto reach. The one thing to know? You'll probably keep this on your camera 90% of the time.
Performance
What surprised me was how good it is for video. That 83.3/100 cinema score isn't a fluke. The STM motor is smooth and quiet, and the image stabilization is in the 91st percentile, which means handheld shots look impressively steady. For a kit-style zoom, that's a huge win.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Insanely versatile zoom range covers 90% of shooting situations. 97th
- Image stabilization is top-notch, especially for video. 91th
- STM autofocus is quiet and smooth, perfect for run-and-gun filming. 88th
- Optical quality is solid for its class, landing in the 90th percentile. 87th
Cons
- Autofocus speed is just average (48th percentile), not great for fast action.
- The f/3.5-5.6 aperture is slow, so low-light performance suffers.
- Forget about creamy background blur; bokeh is in the bottom third.
- Not weather-sealed, so keep it away from dust and rain.
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 18 |
| Focal Length Max | 135 |
| Elements | 16 |
| Groups | 12 |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | f/36 |
| Constant | Yes |
Build
| Mount | Canon EF-S |
| Format | APS-C |
| Weight | 0.5 kg / 1.1 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 67 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | Autofocus |
| Stabilization | Yes |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 390 |
| Max Magnification | 1:3.57 |
Value & Pricing
At around $380, it's a no-brainer if you need that all-in-one flexibility. You're paying for convenience and stabilization, and you get a ton of both.
Price History
vs Competition
The main competitor is the Panasonic 14-140mm f/3.5-5.6 II for Micro Four Thirds. It's a similar 'do-everything' concept, but on a smaller sensor. For Canon shooters, this 18-135mm is your best bet. Don't compare it to primes like the Viltrox 35mm f/1.7; that lens is for low light and blur, while this one is for having a single lens on your camera all day.
| Spec | Canon EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM | Meike Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF | Viltrox Air VILTROX 35mm F1.7 f/1.7 Air AF Lens for Fuji X | Tamron Di III Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD Lens for Sony | Fujifilm VILTROX 56mm F1.4 STM APS-C Frame Auto Focus | Sirui Sniper Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Lens (Sony E, |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 18-135mm | 55mm | 35mm | 17-70mm | - | 56mm |
| Max Aperture | f/3.5 | f/1.4 | f/1.7 | f/2.8 | f/1.4 | f/1.2 |
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Nikon Z | Fujifilm X | Sony E-Mount, Sony E-Mount, Sony E-Mount, Sony E-Mount, Sony E-M | Fujifilm X | Sony E |
| Stabilization | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | false | false | false | false | true | false |
| Weight (g) | 480 | 281 | 400 | 544 | 320 | 422 |
| AF Type | Autofocus | STM | STM | Autofocus | STM | Autofocus |
| Lens Type | Zoom | - | - | Wide-Angle Zoom | - | - |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | Af | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon EF 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM | 46.4 | 35.8 | 70.4 | 60.7 | 90.8 | 41.1 | 97.2 | 86.7 | 87.8 |
| Meike 55mm F1.4 Standard Aperture APS-C Frame AF STM Compare | 95.6 | 81.8 | 81.1 | 89.1 | 67.5 | 88.1 | 37.5 | 89.9 | 87.8 |
| Viltrox Air 35mm F1.7 f/1.7 AF Compare | 95.6 | 73.6 | 63.4 | 93.2 | 74 | 80.5 | 37.5 | 95.1 | 87.8 |
| Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 -A VC RXD Compare | 46.4 | 59.2 | 64.3 | 77.4 | 90.8 | 54.6 | 92.5 | 95.1 | 87.8 |
| Fujifilm VILTROX 56mm F1.4 STM APS-C Frame Auto Focus Standard Prime Compare | 95.6 | 81.8 | 88.8 | 85.3 | 34.6 | 88.1 | 37.5 | 86.7 | 87.8 |
| Sirui Sniper 56mm f/1.2 Autofocus Compare | 46.4 | 96.7 | 73.8 | 53.4 | 79.8 | 95.9 | 37.5 | 98 | 87.8 |
Verdict
If you own a Canon Rebel, 90D, or similar APS-C body and hate swapping lenses, buy this. It's the perfect travel and everyday lens. Just don't expect it to be a low-light or portrait champion. For that, you'll need a second, faster prime.