The processing quality is among the best and is my only true complaint. The 18-55 IS II is made largely of plastic and correspondingly light. While this meets the comfort during extended wear, but I see it here similar to good knives:
Only from a certain "basic weight" and a well-balanced center of gravity is a DSLR and lens comfortably in your hand. And just when the latter is absent my Canon 18-55 IS II. In addition, the focus in my opinion a bit too much play. All in all, not earth-shattering, a slightly better feel would have the overall product but much better standing and well-priced pulled no trees. Especially since you have actually carried out further savings in this regard compared to its predecessor, the 18-55mm IS.
Now to the more important, inner values. The imaging performance of the 18-55 IS II is a good idea to designate even as very good for the asking price. Especially with lighter dimming (F / 7.1 to F / 8) is the 18-55 IS II sharp and also quite strong vignetting at full aperture reduces to an acceptable level. The sharpness and distortion at 18mm focal length are not really be described as good. Who photographed often with such focal lengths, should possibly think about a wide-angle lens with fixed focal length. With the best Canon 18-55 IS like the middle focal length range of approximately 24-48 mm.
On the subject of chromatic aberration (CA, chromatic aberration): This is only in the lower extreme areas (such as aperture focal length) really noticeable - this is probably the "price of the low price."
The Auto Focus (AF) was one of the things that have impressed me. Although the Canon 18-55 IS II has no particularly high Fokusierbereich direction macro, it comes to him, however, contrary to the AF. The AF is precise and quick, rarely really engages the AF once next, especially when very close objects are to be focused - or as so often with rather low contrast scenes. The AF motor gets quite noisy but very noticeable, especially video recording use are probably more likely to grab a lens with ultrasonic focusing.
The optical image stabilizer is the advertised four aperture steps not just, for about 2.5 to a maximum of 3 but it should be enough. Not a bad result for a low-budget lens.
Conclusion: If you did not have too high demands on the quality of workmanship and haptics and not always the extremes of the Canon 18-55 IS endeavors should certainly be happy and get a lot of technology at a low price. Persons with slightly higher claims should rather look at other Canon, Tamron or Sigma lenses, Tamron SP AF example the 17-50mm f / 2.8 Di II VC or the Sigma 17-70mm f / 2.8-4 DC Macro OS HSM. However, the price-performance ratio of the Canon 18-55 IS is likely to be difficult to achieve.
