subject: The 18-200mm Canon Lens - One Lens For Your Canon Digital Slr Camera [print this page] If you own a Canon Digital Rebel or one of the Canon xxD digital SLR Cameras, the 18-200mm Canon Lens is deserving of a peek from you.
Its formal name is Canon EF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS telephoto lens. How would you like to have to live up to a name like that?
As we examine the name, we see EF-S. This means the lens is made for Canon's lower end cameras, such as the Canon Digital Rebel sequence and its 50D digital SLR (along with the earlier xxD models). That means that you can not use this all-in-one lens on the more expert models such as the Canon 7D and the full frame models.
Benefits of owning a Super Zoom Lens
Thanks to the super focal variety of these types of Super-Zoom lenses, you can keep them on your camera a good deal of the time. This makes them fantastic as travel or holiday getaway lenses..
With the 18-200mm Canon lens you hardly ever have to stop to switch lenses. You are just about certain to have the right lens for each and every shot.
In fact, having to change lenses is one of the blessings AND the curses of digital SLR owners. We actually buy the cameras so we can change the lens, then we are frustrated when we have to.
There are several other benefits worth mentioning.
First, as pointed out is the focal range, which is 11x. Taking into consideration the monumental variance in range, the image quality is exceptional.
Also, there is IS (image stabilization) which is supposed to give you an additional 4-stops of aperture without having to use a tripod. This is important because the widest aperture is only f/3.5, and it increases from there to a max of f/5.6. This is typical of the super-zoom lenses, whether Canon or some other manufacturer.
One more benefit is the bokeh that is produced when using a wide aperture. Photographers are always comparing bokeh. Briefly, it is when you try to get the main subject of your photo in sharp focus and have the other areas of the photo in a pleasingly blurred focus. The 18-200 does a pretty good job with this, but it is not considered the best.
The last benefit has to do with a comparison to the "kit lenses" that Canon promotes. Sometimes new buyers purchase the 18-55mm starter lens and an additional 55-250mm lens for the mid-range focal lengths. These two lenses are not bad as far as image quality goes, but they are not high quality construction.
The Canon 18-200mm lens is far better constructed than the kit lenses.
The Down Side
There are some issues to consider. You will find this true of most super-zooms, whether they are Canon, Nikon, Sigma, or Tamron lenses. There is a compromise in image quality to be able to get the wide focal range. Most will have barrel distortion at the wide angles and chromatic aberration issues at both the shortest and the longest focal lengths.
This is not to say that the images are bad - the lens produces really good images. If the problem areas were not pointed out, many would not even notice them. Nevertheless if you are seeking for the pixel-perfect image, you will either need to fork out more money or use a more specific focal length lens.
What about third party lenses.
Third party manufacturers have produced some excellent lenses that fit Canon digital SLR cameras. If the positive aspects and problem areas are identical, why don't you think about saving some money for one of those? It's a thought.
