Eos 250 D kit lens question.

Helen wrote:

jvc1 wrote:

I'm not sure why they're doing this, some kits come with the older 18-55 f/3.5 -5.6, others with the slightly smaller, newer f/4 -5.6. Both use the stepping motor and have very similar if not identical IQ.

Ah, but - the OP is in the UK, like me. Whilst you're right about the newer f4-5.6 version of the IS STM lens still being very good optically, that was introduced with the previous model (the EOS 200D aka the SL2) because it is smaller and thus a more suitable match for these compact bodies. Aside from the size reduction and slight maximum aperture reduction at the wider end, it retains all the advantages of the larger f3.5-5.6 original version of the IS STM.

However, in the UK, the choice seems to be between the 18-55mm f4-5.6 IS STM as mentioned above, and the older, cheaper 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 III - this is offered as the only option at large retailers such as John Lewis and Currys, and it has always irritated me immensely - it's just a way to get the price down whilst fobbing buyers off with an inferior lens and it's a real booby trap for the unwary - they did this with the EOS 200D/SL2 as well. The price saving is smaller than the difference between the two lenses warrants, and the functional cost of going for the III is very significant, especially considering the small saving. A real false economy.

The III, as the OP mentioned, isn't an STM lens - therefore, it is noticeably noisier to AF, and slower to do so too. Obviously the noise is very relevant in video, but the speed deficit is noticeable in stills shooting and it's still annoying to hear the noise then as well! Its one advantage over the original IS STM (with f3.5-5.6 maximum aperture) was that it was a little shorter and lighter, but the f4-5.6 IS STM more than answers that. Also, the III lens has no image stabilisation - that's a very important omission. Furthermore, the III has front-cell focusing instead of internal focusing, so it rotates and extends as it focuses closer, neither of which happen with the STM lenses, and also its focus ring spins as it autofocuses, so must not be obstructed - it could also be damaged if one tries too hard to turn it when the lens switch is on AF. The STM lenses don't do any of these undesirable things and as a result of their design they can also allow manual fine-tuning of the focus when in AF mode, if required. They're also both optically better performers than the III.

This,  The III was so bad I threw it at the floor until it smashed,

Terrible lens.