Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L USM vs Canon EF-S 18–55mm f/4–5.6 IS STM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonEF 200mm f/2.8L USM | CanonEF-S 18–55mm f/4–5.6 IS STM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | December 1991 | April 2017 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Prime | Zoom |
| Focal length | 200 mm | 18–55 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/2.8 | f/4–5.6 |
| Minimum aperture | f/32 | f/22–32 |
| Optical construction | Nine elements in seven groups | 12 elements in ten groups |
| Special elements | – | Aspherical lens element |
| Coatings | – | Super Spectra coatings |
| Diaphragm | Eight blades according to Canon Camera Museum | Seven blades with a circular aperture |
| Angle of view | 12° diagonal, 10° horizontal and 7° vertical according to Canon's original-model manual | Horizontal 64°30′–23°20′; vertical 45°30′–15°40′; diagonal 74°20′–27°50′ according to the exact Canon manual |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon EF | Canon EF-S |
| Image circle | Full frame | APS-C |
| Compatibility | Canon EF full-frame and APS-C cameras | Canon EF-S compatible APS-C cameras; 29–88 mm equivalent field of view |
| Teleconverter support | – | Canon extenders cannot be used |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 1.5 m | 0.25 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.16× | 0.25× |
| Optical stabilisation | – | Yes |
| Autofocus detail | USM; full-time manual focus after One Shot AF while holding the shutter button halfway according to Canon's manual | Lead-screw STM; electronic manual adjustment after One-Shot autofocus while the shutter button remains half pressed, subject to camera settings |
| Focus distance detail | – | Manual focusing is unavailable with the camera off or lens asleep; internal focusing with a non-rotating front element according to both reviews |
| Magnification detail | – | Maximum 0.25× at 55 mm; EF12 II gives 0.82–0.66× at 18 mm and 0.55–0.23× at 55 mm; EF25 II is incompatible at 18 mm and gives 0.91–0.51× at 55 mm |
| Stabilisation detail | – | Four-stop CIPA claim at 55 mm using an EOS 7D Mark II; automatic panning compensation; Canon recommends switching IS off on a tripod to conserve power |
| Design | ||
| Filter diameter | 72 mm | 58 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 83 mm | 66.5 mm |
| Length | 136.2 mm | 61.8 mm |
| Weight | 790 g | 215 g (better) |
| Zoom design | – | Barrel extends when zoomed to 55 mm according to The Digital Picture |
| Controls | AF/MF switch, focusing ring, distance scale and infrared index according to Canon's manual | – |
| Dimensions detail | 83 mm diameter × 136.2 mm length according to Canon Camera Museum; measured from the mount surface to the front, with caps adding 21.5 mm according to the manual | 66.5 mm maximum diameter × 61.8 mm retracted length; dimensions and 215 g weight are lens only, excluding caps |
| Weight detail | 790 g for the lens only according to Canon's original-model manual | – |
| Lens hood | Built-in sliding hood; pull it out from the front of the lens according to Canon's manual | EW-63C sold separately; exact manual and Canon Japan list LP1014 optional case, while the UK overview lists LP1016 |
| Release detail | Canon Camera Museum records December 1991 marketing; this is the original version with a built-in hood | Canon Japan's exact support specification gives first sale on 7 April 2017; Camera Museum gives April. The day is the Japanese release, not a separately confirmed UK day. |
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