Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II vs Canon EF-S 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS USM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonEF 50mm f/1.8 II | CanonEF-S 18–135mm f/3.5–5.6 IS USM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | December 1990 | March 2016 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Prime | Zoom |
| Focal length | 50 mm | 18–135 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/1.8 | f/3.5–5.6 |
| Minimum aperture | f/22 | f/22–36 |
| Optical construction | Six elements in five groups; Gaussian optical design | 16 elements in 12 groups |
| Special elements | – | One UD and one aspherical element |
| Coatings | – | Super Spectra coatings |
| Aperture detail | – | Minimum f/22–36 with one-third-stop increments; f/22–38 with half-stop increments |
| Diaphragm | Five blades | Seven blades with a circular aperture |
| Angle of view | Full-frame diagonal 46°; vertical 27°; horizontal 40° | – |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon EF | Canon EF-S |
| Image circle | Full frame | APS-C |
| Compatibility | Canon EF mount for full-frame, APS-H and APS-C cameras (DPReview) | Canon EF-S mount APS-C cameras |
| Adaptor support | – | Canon UK supports EOS M cameras with an EF-EOS M mount adaptor |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.45 m | 0.39 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.15× | 0.28× |
| Optical stabilisation | No | Yes |
| Autofocus detail | DC micromotor autofocus (DPReview) | Nano USM; Canon claims up to 4.3× the STM predecessor's focus-lens driving speed when focusing from minimum distance to infinity at 135 mm through the viewfinder |
| Focus distance detail | Switch to MF before turning the focusing ring; do not touch rotating parts during autofocus | Electronic manual focusing requires an awake camera; manual override in One-Shot AF requires a half-pressed shutter and enabled electronic manual focusing (The Digital Picture) |
| Magnification detail | 0.15×; 240 × 160 mm field of view at 0.45 m according to Canon | Maximum 0.28× at 135 mm |
| Stabilisation detail | No optical image stabilisation (DPReview) | Four-stop optical Image Stabilizer with automatic panning detection |
| Video features | – | Optional PZ-E1 power zoom adaptor attaches beneath the lens (The Digital Picture) |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | – | No |
| Filter diameter | 52 mm | 67 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 68.2 mm | 77.4 mm |
| Length | 41 mm | 96 mm |
| Weight | 130 g (better) | 515 g |
| Controls | AF/MF switch and focusing ring; no distance scale (The-Digital-Picture) | Focus and zoom rings; AF/MF, stabiliser and zoom-lock switches (The Digital Picture) |
| Zoom design | – | Extends towards longer focal lengths; zoom lock retains the retracted position (The Digital Picture) |
| Weather resistance | – | No full weather sealing or mount gasket (The Digital Picture) |
| Filter detail | One 52 mm front filter; with the optional hood, mount the filter on the hood adaptor | – |
| Dimensions detail | Length measured from the mount surface to the front of the lens, excluding caps | 77.4 mm maximum diameter × 96 mm length according to Canon Camera Museum |
| Weight detail | Approximately 130 g lens only | – |
| Lens hood | Optional ES-62, requiring its supplied screw-in hood adaptor; reversible for storage | Optional EW-73D; optional LP1116 pouch (The Digital Picture) |
| In the box | Front and rear caps according to DPReview; accessories may vary by region | Lens, E-67 II front cap, Lens Dust Cap E and user manual |
| Release detail | Marketed in December 1990 according to Canon Camera Museum | Marketed in March 2016 according to Canon Camera Museum |
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