Canon 18-200mm IS
$699, October 2008.
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Canon EF-S 18-200m f/3.5-5.6 IS. enlarge. I get my goodies at Ritz, Amazon and Adorama. It helps me keep adding to this site when you get yours through these links, too. Thanks! Ken.

August 2008      More Canon Reviews

Introduction

Intro   Specs   Performance     Recommendations

Three years after Nikon's 18-200mm VR, Canon finally has one for its consumer DSLRs. With all respect to Canon, Canon has had the world's first 28-135mm IS lens for film and full-frame cameras since the 1990s, for which Nikon had no equivalent until the crummy Nikon 24-120mm VR of 2003.

Compatibility: The EF-S 18-200mm IS only works on Canon small-format 1.6x digital cameras, like all the digital Rebels and 20D, 30D, 40D and 50D. It won't even mount on film, 1.3x or full-frame cameras. It will not mount on the older D30, D60 or 10D either.

Specifications        top

Intro   Specs   Performance    Recommendations

Focal Length: 18-200mm. When used on a Canon 1.6x camera, it gives angles-of-view similar to what a 29-320mm lens does when used on a film or full-frame camera.

Optics: 16 elements in 12 groups. 2 UD (magic) glass and 2 aspherical elements. 5-group helical zoom.

Auto Focus: Canon says gear-driven, which suggests no instant MF override, but I'll wait to see.

Close Focus: 1.5 feet (0.45m).

Maximum Reproduction Ratio: 1:4.2.

Diaphragm: Canon claims round.

Filter Size: 72mm.

Size: Canon specifies 6.40" (162.5mm) long (maximum) by 3.1" (78.6mm) diameter. I'm unsure what Canon means my maximum length: they might mean overall (not flange) length at 18mm, or might mean length set to 200mm.

Weight: Canon specifies 21.0 oz. (595g).

Announced: 26 August 2008.

Available: October 2008.

Canon Item Code: 2752B002.

Price: $699 USA, 89,000 Yen (Japan).

Performance  back to top

Intro   Specs   Performance    Recommendations

I don't have one yet.

Canon's MTF curves suggest mediocre sharpness, but I'll wait and see. Canon has yet to make any junk.

My concerns are:

1.) It looks like the wide end of the zoom range is cramped together on the zoom ring, which will make precise wide angle composition a pain.

2.) It may not have instant manual focus override, which would be horrible if true.

Deployment

I'd leave a 72mm Hoya Super HMC UV on the lens at all times. I would leave the hood at home.

If I was going to use this as part of a larger pro system, I'd attach a 72->77mm step-up-ring to convert this to today's pro standard of 77mm, and use a 77mm Hoya UV filter for protection. This is what I really do; I just put on a step-up ring when I get a lens like this and treat it as if it's a 77mm filter thread len as long as I have it.

I'd pitch the flat Canon cap that came with this lens new, and get a superior "pinch" type Nikon cap in 72mm (or 77mm), too. I'm not kidding: I really do use Nikon caps on my Canon lenses because they are much easier to use in the field.

If I was working in nasty, dirty areas, I'd forget the cap, and use an uncoated 72mm Tiffen UV filter instead (or in 77mm). Uncoated filters are much easier to clean, but more prone to ghosting.

Recommendations   back to top

Intro   Specs   Performance      Recommendations

If I shot 1.6x Canon, I'd have wanted one of these since 2005.

I'll let you know as soon as I get to try one.

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