# ...three questions pertaining to the EF-M 18-150mm/M6 (or M5) pairing



## josephandrews222 (Oct 24, 2017)

1. How does this combination 'handle ' (i.e. feel in your hands while shooting)?

2. The images that result--how are they? Contrasty enough for you?

3. When using the 18-150mm with the M6/M5, do you have/use the (optional with M6) viewfinder?


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## dak723 (Oct 24, 2017)

josephandrews222 said:


> 1. How does this combination 'handle ' (i.e. feel in your hands while shooting)?
> 
> 2. The images that result--how are they? Contrasty enough for you?
> 
> 3. When using the 18-150mm with the M6/M5, do you have/use the optional viewfinder?



Well, the answers to 1 and 2 are just personal opinion...but my opinions, owning only the M5 are:

1) Feels good in the hand. Lens not too heavy. Since I replaced the 18-55mm with the 18-150, I haven't used the 18-55 once.

2) Images are very good. Contrast seems similar to the other M lenses, but I haven't actually done any side-by-side comparisons. Personally, as DR has increased over the years, I find I need to add more contrast in post production most of the time regardless of camera or lens.

3) Only own the M5 so only use the built in viewfinder.


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## ejenner (Oct 28, 2017)

1. great for the FL range. Sure, it's not like a small camera with a fixed 22mm or something, but the lens gives you something to hold onto.
2. my copy is great. I'm happy with it. For reference I own lenses like the 100L, 135L and 70-200 f2.8 II. I wouldn't be comparing it to Zeiss micro-contrast though.
3. not usually. I have the M6 and use the EVF for video and with a x2TC+400 DO II (the M6 does better than my 7DII on some subjects at f8 because of the contrast AF that I can move anywhere I want). Otherwise I find the IS good enough and the camera easy enough to hold still.


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## Act444 (Oct 28, 2017)

josephandrews222 said:


> 1. How does this combination 'handle ' (i.e. feel in your hands while shooting)?
> 
> 2. The images that result--how are they? Contrasty enough for you?
> 
> 3. When using the 18-150mm with the M6/M5, do you have/use the (optional with M6) viewfinder?



I have the M6.

1. Bit front-heavy, but manageable at the end of the day. 

2. Personally, it is OK at the wide end but towards the tele end, images are soft and lack contrast. Need moderate to significant PP to bring up to my standard. Should note I do have high standards however...

3. No - do not own the viewfinder piece.


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## AlanF (Oct 28, 2017)

I just posted this on another thread about relying on just one testing site. I had rejected the 18-150mm as the IQ on TDP is just dreadful on the TDP site 

https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=1134&Camera=812&Sample=0&FLI=1&API=1&LensComp=1114&CameraComp=812&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=3&APIComp=0

There are very few other reviews but this pair suggests it isn't too bad.

http://www.photographyblog.com/reviews/canon_efm_18_150mm_f_35_63_is_stm_review/conclusion/

https://www.digitalkamera.de/Zubeh%C3%B6r-Test/Testbericht_Canon_EF-M_18-150_mm_3_5-6_3_IS_STM/10403.aspx


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## josephandrews222 (Oct 28, 2017)

AlanF said:


> I just posted this on another thread about relying on just one testing site. I had rejected the 18-150mm as the IQ on TDP is just dreadful on the TDP site
> 
> https://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=1134&Camera=812&Sample=0&FLI=1&API=1&LensComp=1114&CameraComp=812&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=3&APIComp=0
> 
> ...



Thanks for the responses and suggestions.

Might I suggest the English translation of the .de link above:

https://translate.google.com/translate?sl=auto&tl=en&js=y&prev=_t&hl=en&ie=UTF-8&u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.digitalkamera.de%2FZubeh%25C3%25B6r-Test%2FTestbericht_Canon_EF-M_18-150_mm_3_5-6_3_IS_STM%2F10403.aspx&edit-text=

In particular, thanks for the digitalpicture link...I'm glad I'm not the only one who's noticed what you're referring to (regarding the 18-150mm lens). My own peeping (using the same site) tells me that the 'first-generation' EF-M lenses (the 22mm, the 18-55mm, and even the 55-200mm version) are superior to all of the other EF-M lenses...with the 11-22mm also quite good.

Specifically the 15-45mm not as good as the 18-55mm (in terms of image quality), and the 18-150's image quality seems to be lesser than the 55-200.

The thread where you talk about relying on 'one testing site'...can you supply a link to it?

Thanks.


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## bholliman (Oct 29, 2017)

josephandrews222 said:


> 1. How does this combination 'handle ' (i.e. feel in your hands while shooting)?
> 2. The images that result--how are they? Contrasty enough for you?
> 3. When using the 18-150mm with the M6/M5, do you have/use the (optional with M6) viewfinder?



I have an M5, answers to specific questions below:
1. Overall, good. Its a little front heavy, but very comfortable to use.
2. I'm very happy with the IQ of the 18-150mm! Last spring I owned all the EF-M zooms (18-55, 55-200, 18-150) and did extensive side-by-side testing. Overall, I felt the IQ was close enough that I didn't need to keep the 18-55 and 55-200. I found my copy to be as good as the other zooms (in combination) between 18 and 100mm, with the 55-200 having a slight advantage in sharpness and contrast between 100-150mm.
3. I use the EVF probably 60% of the time and it works well. I tend to use the tilt screen quite a bit for down-low and over the head shooting.



AlanF said:


> I just posted this on another thread about relying on just one testing site. I had rejected the 18-150mm as the IQ on TDP is just dreadful on the TDP site


Fortunately, I didn't see the TDP results until after I already owned a 18-150, or else I probably would not have purchased one. My copy of the lens is *considerably* sharper with better contrast than the copy TDP tested. From other comments on-line I get the impression TDP had a bad copy rather than mine being unusually good.



josephandrews222 said:


> My own peeping (using the same site) tells me that the 'first-generation' EF-M lenses (the 22mm, the 18-55mm, and even the 55-200mm version) are superior to all of the other EF-M lenses...with the 11-22mm also quite good.
> 
> Specifically the 15-45mm not as good as the 18-55mm (in terms of image quality), and the 18-150's image quality seems to be lesser than the 55-200.



In my experience, the 15-45 is the only poor performer in the EF-M ranks. I have not tried the 28mm macro, but among the other EF-M lenses, I've found 22/2 and 11-22 to have the best IQ followed by the 55-200, 18-150 and 18-55 in that order. There is a considerable drop off from these lenses to the 15-45, which brings up the rear.


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## dak723 (Oct 30, 2017)

Dustin Abbot did a review:

https://dustinabbott.net/2017/01/canon-ef-m-18-150mm-f3-5-6-3-stm-review/


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## Act444 (Oct 30, 2017)

I think I'd rate the 11-22 as the best EF-M lens. Better than the EF-S variant, and even holds its own with the full-frame L wide zooms. I don't say that lightly!

The 22mm isn't bad either, but I've found the EF primes (non-L) in the approximate range to be a bit crisper. Still, compared to other EF-M lenses it's good. 

Then we've got the zooms. The 18-55 when I had it was actually quite good - especially for its class. The 55-200 is above average - the EF-S version is better, but the EF-M can squeeze into a much smaller bag. 

The 18-150 is close enough to the 18-55 in the equivalent range that I decided to give up the latter lens when I got it. However, in the 100-150mm range, the 55-200 is noticeably better, even if neither lens is particularly knocking it out of the park. I consider the 18-150 to be a "convenience lens" and use it as such - but at the long end it is too slow and IQ is not good enough to replace my 55-200, so I've kept them both. 

Then, at the bottom of the pile is the 15-45mm. I mean, the center sharpness is OK, but what kills this one for me is the _atrocious_ corner performance. And I'm not talking just at 100% - the corner quality is so poor that you can even see it in 6MP crops...anyway, this lens is now only for work use (where IQ isn't a concern). Otherwise I'll find the first opportunity to unload this one.


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