Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM Lens review (Part I)

Part II will include comparisons vs Tokina 11-16 f/2.8 and Canon 10-22.Pros:Lightweight - 8.47 oz (240 g) & Compact (weighs just slightly more than the 18-55 and is shorter)Sharp with good colors, contrast and low to no Chromatic aberrationImage stabilization lets you shoot at SLOW shutter speeds (I handheld for 1 second with success)STM - smooth and silent autofocus during video with the Canon T4i, T5i and 70DCost -at $299 easy entry to exploring wide angle photographyCons:Widest aperture f/4.5 and you only have that at 10mm- Could be challenging in lower light and in situations where you want to isolate your subject/blur the background.Overall a great little lens and an excellent option for real estate, wide scenic landscapes and anyone that want's to explore wide angle photography. The 10-18 is $299 and shipping now from B&H. This is $300 cheaper than Canon's 10-22 f/3.5- f/4.5 and offers the same sharpness in a smaller and lighter package with Image Stabilization (IS) and Silent Stepper Motor (STM) for smooth and silent autofocus. Image stabilization seems good- with static subjects you can go to very low shutter speeds due to the wide angle AND the inclusion of image stabilization.Canon's manual (download below) confirms that this is the smart IS built into the 10-18 and offers automatic recognition of when you are panning. Screenshot 2014-06-11 13.01.40