The EF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6 IS is Canon's latest zoom lens for APS-C format DSLRs, introduced as a companion to the EOS 50D. Its announcement in August this year came as no great surprise, as wide focal length range 'superzooms' are clearly popular amongst photographers seeking an all-in-one lens for travel and everyday shooting. The most obvious example of this is the runaway success of Nikon's AF-S 18-200mm F3.5-5.6G VR, and a Canon equivalent has almost certainly been the most-requested lens on our forums.
With its 11x zoom range, the 18-200mm becomes Canon's most ambitious consumer-level zoom to date; the company has previously shied away from producing relatively inexpensive superzooms, with its only previous foray into this sector being the 28-200mm F3.5-5.6 (USM) for 35mm SLRs from late 2000. And while it's this older lens that the 18-200mm most strongly resembles, Canon has managed to squeeze plenty more into the design in the intervening eight years. The zoom ratio has been stretched to a 35mm-equivalent range of 29-320mm, and the new lens incorporates Canon's latest compact image stabilization unit (as seen on the EF-S 18-55mm F3.5-5.6 IS and the EF-S 55-250mm F4.5-5.6 IS), which offers automatic panning detection and (according to the company) four stops of stabilization. All this has been achieved using a suitably complex optical design of 16 elements in 12 groups, including two UD glass elements and two aspherical elements which are designed to minimize chromatic aberration and ensure crisp corner-to-corner detail across the zoom range. Rounding off the specification is a minimum focus distance of 45cm/1.5ft at all focal lengths.
One design decision may however cause a degree of dismay; the lens uses a relatively unsophisticated micro motor system for autofocus, as opposed to the ring-type USM design more commonly seen on mid-range lenses such as the EF-S 17-85mm F4-5.6 IS USM. Consequently, potential buyers may struggle to find any obvious advantage over Tamron's recently announced 18-270mm F3.5-6.3Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) Macro, which sports a longer zoom range and Tamron's own optical stabilization system. Aside from this, Canon have produced a lens which is clearly designed to counter the undeniable buyer appeal of Nikon's popular 18-200mm VR head-on; so how does it match up to the challenge?
Headline features
- 29-320mm equivalent focal length range; F3.5-5.6 maximum aperture
- Optical image stabilization – 4 stops, automatic panning detection
- EF-S mount for Canon APS-C DSLRS only
Angle of view
The pictures below illustrate the focal length range from wideangle to telephoto:
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| 18mm (29mm equivalent) | 200mm (320mm equivalent) |
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Canon EF-S 18-200mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS specifications
| Street price | • $699 (US) • £550 (UK) |
|---|---|
| Date introduced | August 2008 |
| Maximum format size | APS-C |
| Focal length | 18-200mm |
| 35mm equivalent focal length (APS-C) |
29-320mm |
| Diagonal Angle of view (APS-C) | 74º - 8º |
| Maximum aperture | F3.5-5.6 |
| Minimum aperture | F22-36 |
| Lens Construction | • 16 elements / 12 groups • 2 UD elements • 2 Aspherical elements |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 6, rounded |
| Minimum focus | 0.45m/1.5ft |
| Maximum magnification | 0.24x at 200mm |
| AF motor type | Micro motor |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Image stabilization | • 4 stops • Automatic panning detection |
| Filter thread | • 72mm • Does not rotate on focus |
| Supplied accessories | • Front and rear caps |
| Optional accessories | • EW-78D Hood • Case |
| Weight | 600 g (21.2 oz) |
| Dimensions | 79 mm diameter x 102 mm length (3.1 x 4.0 in) |
| Lens Mount | Canon EF-S only |
| Other | Supplies distance information for E-TTL II flash metering |
* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area
Foreword / notes
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read some of our Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).
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