Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Zoom Lens (Bulk Packaging)

So Im not too keen on camera gear seeing as I just started to film my youtube videos with a canon 70d. I bought this lens separate and used for about 73 bucks. Im aware this is a kit lens but am amazed on how clear these lenses really are. My experience so far has been an interesting one to say the least. The design is straight forward, its about the size of a mini soda can and has ridges towards the middle of the body; this is for twisting and using the manual focus. The upper rim of the lens towards the wider opening moves as well and Im not sure why. Theres IS (image stabilization) that probably should be on at all times (its said you dont really need it when on a tripod but I cant see it hurting; professionals my say otherwise). There is another switch thats along side the stabilizer and thats the AF/MF (Auto Foucs / Manual Focus); use this according to what your camera and situation requires. I mostly use the AF because my camera has amazing auto focus. Lastly, you have the markings that display the millimeters to where the lens is set. Twist right to focus in and left to focus out. In essence the lens seems well built. The functionality that really stands out to me is the STM ability. This stands for Stepper Motor which allows your camera to auto focus without any auditory noise while recording video. Its very smooth and becoming a staple on most setups from what I can see. Obviously, you dont need this if youre just shooting stills or landscapes but I say,"why not have it for the heck of it". Keep in mind this is an EF-S lens which means its compatible with full from cameras as well. All in all I found this lens to be a great first buy for a beginner on a budget. The fact that I bought it used also speaks volumes and the reason for my 4 stars. When using the lens, and I dont know if this is indicative of the camera or lens, I receive and error stating the camera or lens are not reading correctly; error 1. Im not sure if its the camera or if its the lens so I give responsibility to both. Great lens. Very affordable, but make sure it works correctly. As of this moment I can still clean both the camera and lens and get them to work together but the question is how long. Time will tell. Hope this helps someone, and if you have any questions dont hesitate to ask. Thank you for your time, Axiom Brevity

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I wanted a really cheap decent lens to put on an old Rebel XT, and wanted a step up with STM and IS. The IS is really good, and will allow shutter speeds down to 1/15 sec or so verses the traditional 1/60 (or faster depending on focal length). Yes, the IS and the STM are very quiet when operating. The lens came double wrapped in plastic wrap, with English and Chinese labels on the inner bubble wrap packaging. The manual focus ring is really loose and rattles slightly--but does not spin freely. I get the impression that this lens maybe a 2nd quality (Im not sure what Canon would put on a new retail camera and what they would sell off as aftermarket). Yes, the manual focus ring does work, just fine. See my attached photos--which I enjoyed taking. Note, this lens has plastic bayonette mount vs. metal. Yes, a lens cap and mount cap are included, but nothing else. A basic purchase and a win-win for my 15 year old Rebel XT.

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This product is exactly what I expected, it was completely silent, great image quality, and great quality build. The manual focusing has trumps that of its predecessor the (non-STM model), the focus ring is rubber. If you leave the lens in auto focus (AF) mode it will not break the lens if you turn the focus ring at the same time. Although the focus speed is the same as its predecessor on my Canon T3i, it will go faster on a newer camera such as the Canon 70D. The seller was also awesome, he/she ship this item which seem to be a brand new white box (White Box, meaning it was part of a camera bundle but was taken out because the seller probably already had a lens or for other reasons.) shipped it in a box with appropriate packaging so that the product would be safe during its journey.

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This lens is grossly underestimated for quality landscape photos. The old models do not have Internal Focus (IF).. Circular polarizers/ Graduated ND filters can now be easily used with this version. A low cost alternative to take nice landscape photos due to the small (58mm) filters required.. 58mm vs 77/82 filters will knock off 50% or more in price. I notice a nice improvement in focus locking in w/o hunting compared to the older version. I ofton find myself using this lens due to being lightweight, compact & less expensive to replace. Dont let canon marketing mislead you..this is a lens which is very usable and performs much closer to more expensive models than given credit for

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Im certainly no photography expert, but this lens is now the main lens I use with my Canon D-40. Supposedly it doesnt compare with an "L" lens, and I wouldnt know - Ive never had an "L" because theyre crazy expensive. But compared to the 2 lenses that came with my D-40 (28-135mm zoom and 50mm fixed), this thing is more flexible, smaller and lighter than my other zoom, and still gives great shots. You can get a much wider view than you can with the other lenses I mentioned, and still get pretty good zoom. It will probably become your main lens unless your a pro.

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My rating is 3 stars because the top corners of the lens are EXTREMELY soft. It might be my copy, but it was no where this terrible on the old version. I know this is a beginner lens, but I got this to replace my overused and broken Canon 18-55. The new STM motor is great. It was so silent that I thought it wasnt working. Took me by surprise. Its good for the price I got it at. Much less barrel distortion at 18mm. Super loose focusing ring with rubber (unlike the old version). Great for those who want pretty much silent focusing during video on the T5i and so on.

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Five stars for its value and features. Much better than I expected. Considerably improved over previous versions. Internal focus(front element doesnt turn), practically silent focusing(even quieter than my 40mm STM), manual focus without flipping a switch(with shutter button pressed halfway), very good image quality for a budget general purpose lens. Havent had it very long yet but plan on using it a lot. Its so small and light its easy to carry around all day on my Canon 60D. The best is still the 17-55 2.8IS but it weighs a ton in comparison. Im very happy with it.

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I have an old Rebel T2i body and kit lens which stopped working a while back after tens of thousands of pictures of my kids. I finally realized it wasnt worth trying to get the old lens fixed and that the camera body was fine so I upgraded to this one and figured I would upgrade the body later. It works amazingly well. At first, I thought the autofocus was still broken it was working so silently, but sure enough, all my pictures are in focus. I just wish I had thought to replace the lens sooner! I missed a lot of nice shots this past year.

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I purchased this as a lens for my old Canon T2i camera which had been in a drawer for a couple years since I moved up to the full frame 5D mark III. Keep in mind this lens will work only for APC / cropped cameras and will not work on a full frame camera such as a 5D or 6D. Of course, if you have a 5D or 6D you are likely already "addicted" to the L-glass which works so well with them. I am delighted that my daughter is getting into photography and she could not do much with just the T2i body! Anyway, this deal seemed too good to be true and it is in one way. Item is a white box / gray market item and does not come with warranty card. That said, at less than 1/2 the usual price for this lens if we have to replace it and buy another one well still be ahead! The lens itself is typical kit lens, works well and is super silent with the "STM" designation, good for video. Mount is plastic which is not optimal but this is the type of lens which is left on the camera anyway. I would not recommend it if you intend to swap out to a telephoto or super wide angle lens frequently. Basically this is a good starter lens for a great price.

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Great little lens for everyday photography. My previous "everyday" lens was an old EF-S 18-55mm kit lens with NO image stabilization, and it has seen a LOT of action over the years...so lets just say this Canon EF-S 18-55mm IS STM lens is a big upgrade for me over that. The new focus system of the STM takes a little getting used to since its a ring that spins infinitely in either direction - but it was a quick and painless process, and I highly prefer the new focus system over the old. The focus ring is nice and "creamy" when youre operating it. Its excellent for shooting video with, too, since the autofocus motor is pretty much totally silent.

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