Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Review

August 21, 2013 | Mark Goldstein | Rating star Rating star Rating star Half rating star

Sharpness at 55mm

The sharpness tests for this review were carried out using a real-world subject rather than a test chart. The Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens was attached to a Canon EOS M body, which in turn was mounted on a sturdy tripod. Self-timer mode was activated. Slight tonal changes are due to slight changes in natural light during the session.

The full frameThe full frame at 55mm

Centre sharpness is only high through from f/11 to f/16, with f/22 and f/32 being adversely affected by diffraction. The edges aren't nearly as sharp as the centre, with f/11 to f/16 producing the sharpest results.

Aperture Centre Crop Edge Crop
f/5.6 f5_6.jpg f5_6.jpg
f/8 f8.jpg f8.jpg
f/11 f11.jpg f11.jpg
f/16 f16.jpg f16.jpg
f/22 f22.jpg f22.jpg
f/22 f32.jpg f32.jpg