New Lenses Trial Report
New Ultra Wide-Angle Lenses Made for Travel

The newly launched Canon EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Full-Frame Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom Lens and EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Compact Ultra Wide-Angle EF-S Zoom Lens, both equipped with optical Image Stabilizer (IS), have been well received in the market. Two veteran users from DCHome, DLBB and franso, have released their first-hand reviews of the new lenses on the online forum earlier. To help our readers understand the lenses’ performance better, Canon has talked to them about their personal experience toward the new lenses.

Professional EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM Full-Frame Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

DLBB conducted a trial shooting in Alaska, U.S. using EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM on an EOS 5D Mark III DSLR camera. Photos taken on a sunny day, rainy day and with slow shutter speed were shared.

DLBB gave the new lens a very high rating after trying it out in Alaska with unstable weather. In DLBB’s opinion, EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM delivered superior image quality and was perfect for landscape photography as it can meet the high demand for excellent quality at the image corners. Image quality at the lens’ f/5.6-f/11 aperture was comparable to a L-series prime lens, making it easy to create stunning images on a bright, sunny day. Besides, in order to capture the scenic waterfalls and forests in Alaska, as well as to maintain high image quality by using a low ISO on a cloudy day, shooting with slow shutter speeds became necessary. To this end, lenses with built-in optical Image Stabilizer (IS) can ensure a higher chance of successful hand-held capture. DLBB said, “This lens performs well even when shooting hand-held at 1/4 sec. It is surprisingly easy and convenient to capture flowing river or forest in low light environment using a hand-held camera without tripod.” In addition, benefited from the lens’ reliable dust and water resistance design, he managed to shoot even on a rainy day.

Overall, DLBB thought that EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM had done a very good job and was the perfect travel shooting companion with its professional and durable design.

Compact EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Ultra Wide-Angle Zoom Lens

The compact EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra wide-angle zoom lens was tried out by another user franso on an EOS 100D DSLR camera in Cingjing, Taiwan.

franso recalled that it was a morning when he arrived Cingjing farm. Under two favorable conditions – being able to shoot with front lighting and a sunny sky, the lens performed well and maintained high image quality from the image center to periphery, impressing franso with plants clearly captured. He also tried hand-held shooting to test the lens’ optical Image Stabilizer (IS) performance. He took photos in two low light scenarios – during sunrise and while visiting the night market, and discovered that photos remained sharp and clear even at slow shutter speeds down to 1/15 sec. or 1/5 sec. This proved that the IS has done a good job to counteract handshake. “This ultra wide-angle lens with IS is a gift to those lazy people who don’t want to bring a tripod,” joked franso.

“The compact EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM has a very high performance-cost ratio, especially that it delivers high image quality at the image corners. This makes a nice lens choice for EOS users using APS-C format cameras,” concluded franso.

The performance of EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM ultra wide-angle zoom lens and EF 16-35mm f/4L IS USM full-frame ultra wide-angle zoom lens have been highly praised by many users. Combining excellent performance, compact and durable design with wide-angle coverage, both lenses are the perfect choices for travel shooting.