Canon EF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM

£195/$279 A budget-friendly own-brand lens

If you’re trekking through challenging terrain, the last thing you need is a bag of heavyweight camera kit. Remarkably compact for an ultra-wide zoom, this lens is much smaller and lighter than Canon’s older EF-S 10-22mm ultra-wide zoom, while adding four-stop image stabilisation.

Whereas the 10-22mm lens has a conventional ring-type ultrasonic autofocus system, the 10-18mm switches to STM (Stepping Motor) autofocus. This brings the same benefits as in the similar Nikon lens, but with the same lack of a focus distance scale.

Performance

This little Canon punches above its weight. The slick autofocus and effective stabiliser combine with good image quality. Sharpness across most of the frame is impressive even when you shoot at the widest apertures.