Compact, slightweight and a wide magnification range - this standard zoom lens features a wide focal length range from normal to telephoto equivalent to 29-320mm in the 35mm format. It features an Optical Image Stabilizer for up to 4-stops of effective correction even at full zoom. Since Canon's optical image stabilization system is in the lens, not in the camera, you can see the stabilized, steadier images through the viewfinder. And the circular aperture can give beautiful background blur effects. This new wide zoom ratio EF-S lens delivers excellent high-speed performance at an affordable price.
37Optical Image Stabilization equivalent to 4-stops of correction
Compact, lightweight, and wide magnification range
Equivalent to 29-320mm lens in the 35mm format
Excellent image performance at an affordable price
Pros: wide angle is good, good quality image, acceptable zoom level, great for beginners
Cons: lens needs to be locked when not in use, focus can be tricky at times
An amazing choice for an all purpose lens. This was my first lens along with the 60D model, and I found it to be very versatile and took all kinds of photos. Being a nature lover, I also enjoyed taking wide angle sharp images, without having to spend that much for an L series. Overall, its a good lens for general use, and it has a good zoom @ 200mm. The images are of good quality, I would recommend it for beginners till advanced amateurs level.
Cons: Poor build quality, zoom lock is poor design
Many great things about this lens, zoom, speed of focus, compact size verses zoom. Once in a while the auto focus get's confused on trickier shots, but the manual override can fix that when necessary. It's a heavy lens and the zoom slides out when pointed down if you don't have it locked, which wouldn't be terrible but the zoom lock is very poorly designed and cumbersome to use. Apparently a screw came out inside my lens, which I learned is a known issue. Canon will be repairing it at no cost to me. If all is well following the repair, I would rate this lens as a must have for the casual to semi serious photographer. It's a "one-lens" solution for me.
The lens is big and heavy but feels good and balanced on my 60D.......but my tripod wasn't strong enough to hold it up while i was shooting video of a model. The thing attracts dust like crazy and the 200 side isn't long enough. Autofocus is not bad and images are sharp but not great.
This is a nice lens but the locking mechanism for zoom is fragile. Mechanism will soon wear out and this will make it impossible to keep the lens in the retracted position while carrying the camera from place to place.