Canon RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Hands-On Review

Canon launched its first two APC-S format cameras featuring the RF lens mount, the EOS R7 and EOS R10, in the spring of 2022 accompanied by two lenses, the RF-S 18-45mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM and RF-S 18-150mm f/3.5-6.3 IS STM. Of course, full-frame RF lenses could be used on the new cameras, but the clamour for dedicated RF-S lenses began before the new cameras even reached the shops.

The RF-S lens system is now up to four with the Canon RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM joining the RF-S 55-210mm f/5-7.1 IS STM that came out in early 2023.

Please note: Our hands-on preview featured a pre-production sample of the RF-S 10-18mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM.

Canon RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM Features

It’s not a feature as such, but this lens is tiny and weighs 150g, that’s roughly the same as six alkaline batteries. It’s an impressive piece of optical design. Fit the RF-S 10-18mm on the EOS R7 and it makes for a compact, very portable partnership.

With the 1.6x crop factor of Canon APS-C EOS R cameras, this 10-18mm lens gives a 35mm equivalent field of view of 16-29mm, making this lens a fine option for interiors, building shots and scenics.

While its maximum aperture is a modest f/4.5-6.3, the benefit is its compactness, low weight and economical 49mm filter thread. With the excellent high ISO performance of EOS R cameras using modest aperture lenses is not an issue for most enthusiasts.

With its low weight and competitive price, it’s no surprise that its mount is plastic, and you can see the lens is made in Malaysia.

Its STM motor gives slick quiet AF, and the built-in optical image stabiliser gives a 4-stop benefit on cameras without IBIS and 6-stops with IBIS-equipped cameras. There is no switch on the lens for OIS.

If you like to get close to your subject, you will appreciate this lens’ ability to get as 14cm in autofocus and if you switch to manual focus you can move in as close to 8.6cm giving a 0.5x or half-life-size magnification at the 10mm focal length.

The lens’s name is very subtly presented and the lens’ small size means there’s the benefit of a 49mm filter thread.

Canon RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM Key Features

• £379.99
• Sales start December 2023
• 12 elements in 10 groups construction
• 1xPMo and 2x UD lens elements
• Seven diaphragm blades
• Closest focusing AF 14cm, manual 8.6cm
• Maximum magnification AF 0.23x, manual 0.5x at 10mm
• 4-stop OIS benefit
• 6EV benefit with OIS and IBIS
• 49mm filter thread
• Combined focus/control ring
• STM focus motor
• Lightweight at 150g

Canon RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM Handling

Smooth-running focus and zoom barrels, as you would expect from Canon, make handling a breeze. It is a small lens, measuring just 44.9mm when fully retracted to its carrying position. Turn the camera on with the lens in its closed state and you get a warning to rotate the zoom barrel to its working position.

The difference between the locked and ready state is a reasonably positive click and there is no extra, physical lock. The upside of this is that you can quickly engage the zoom when you need to; the downside is that when zooming towards 10mm you can go past the click lock and you are back to the locked position. It was a pre-production sample tried here so that might be different with samples that go on sale.

You can see how compact the lens is on an EOS R7 above at its resting position, and it grows by around 15mm when extended ready to shoot. The lens above is shown set at 10mm but its physical length stays more or less constant through the zoom range.

There are no physical controls on the lens itself but there is a combined focus/control ring, which can be customised to suit via the camera. This ring is nicely click-stopped and positive in use.

I got to try the RF-S 10-18mm on an EOS R7 as well as a full-frame EOS R5 where the view automatically switches to the cropped APS-C format. I have to say that the lens (even a pre-production) sample handled well. There was no grittiness in the lens’s focus and zoom barrels, and the only thing I picked up on was how easy it was to go past the 10mm setting towards the locked position. This might be because it’s an early sample, and while a more positive lock would be nice it is no big deal, and it would probably push up the lens’s price.

The ability to focus close – in manual and AF modes – was fun and I think there is creative potential there. One of the skills of using an ultra-wide lens is getting in close to the subject to fill the frame and with this lens, you can certainly move in close.

The interior shots below were taken on a tripod-mounted Canon EOS R5 fitted with the RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM at the two extremes of the focal length range at each full f/stop. The Raws were colour-corrected in Adobe Lightroom. We can’t make a judgement on optical performance on a pre-production lens and these shots are promising, and we will be testing the lens as soon as samples permit.

Canon RF-S 10-18mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM Other sample images

Canon RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM Initial Verdict

Owners of Canon EOS R APS-C-format cameras wanting dedicated AF lenses don’t have much choice and for aspiring ultra-wide-angle shooters the choice is limited to just this lens, the RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM. The good news is that it has plenty of selling points. At 150g it is incredibly light, it can focus close, has integral OIS and its £380 price tag is very reasonable for the features on offer.

Visit our Equipment Database to see more images of the Canon RF-S 10-18mm F/4.5-6.3 IS STM along with specs.