Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS SLR Lens

I purchased this lens two days ago, and since I have already I've pulled about 200-400 images through that thing. Though it's not a "wide-angle" lens, it certainly clearly captures down at 17mm and it's pretty darn wide.

I'd have to give this thing two thumbs up. For speed. For weight. For image quality.

Definitely one to keep in the camera bag.

I bought this lens to replace the original kit lens of my XTi. Based on reviews, it is supposed to be optically better than its predecessor. I like the IS and the pictures are somewhat sharper than with the previous lens. It was inexpensive and I'll be selling the other lens on Ebay so overall, I'm glad I made the investment. If it was more expensive, I don't think I would have switched.

The 28-135 IS lens came with my Cannon EOS 40D camera. Good lens, but somewhat heavy. Also, did not provide enough of a wide angle. I take mostly outdoor landscape pictures and most of them are taken when I am on vacation. This 18-55 IS lens is very lightweight and produces very good pictures. After purchasing it, I am finding that I use it about 75% of the time and the 28-135 lens that came with the camera only about 25% of the time.

This lens is the best kit lens on the market right now, and likely best standard zoom under $300. It has no obvious flaws, takes sharp pictures, and has fantastic image stabilization. I can take 1/10 shutter speed and even the occasional 1/4 with sharp results. Build quality is not like a $500 lens, but this was designed for the Rebel series. It seems to have a similar quality and finish to my Rebel XS and I don't think it feels "cheap". There are more detailed reviews and tests elsewhere on the internet, so I won't spout off for 2 pages. But, the bottom line is that this is a great lens, especially for the money, and will serve you well for general photography. If you need a longer zoom too, I would recommend the canon 55-250 IS to mate with this lens.

I've owned the old 18-55 non-IS and this new IS version. I purchased it when I first bought my 40D. You can't beat the bang for the buck for this new version, and the lens gives you a nice wide angle zoom range. On the downside, the lens can feel a bit in build, and has noticeable distortion at 18mm. The next step up with this zoom range and IS is the 17-85IS which is at least $300 more than this lens so this is a good bargain! For anyone who has owned the older non-IS version of this lens, let me assure you that it is a nice step up!