Digital Camera World - UK (2020-03)

K i t Z o n e

tandard zoom lenses

cover most eventualities

for day-to-day shooting,

so it pays to have a good

one. You can buy most

Canon and Nikon SLRs

as complete kits with a

standard zoom. In the APS-C format

camp, the most popular option is a

light and fairly unassuming 18-55mm

lens. The main full-frame kit zooms

are the Canon EF 24-105mm IS STM

and the Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4

ED VR. They’re all solid performers,

so why would you need to upgrade?

Some kit zooms feel like they’re

built down to a price. Only the Nikkor

24-120mm features a nano-structure

coating, weather-seals and a focus

distance scale, while both of the

Canon and Nikkor 18-55mm

lenses have plastic rather

than metal mounting plates.

If you decide to shift up to a more

exotic standard zoom, you can expect

premium or fully pro-grade build

quality, faster aperture ratings

and, hopefully, better overall

performance. Let’s see how

they stack up. Matthew Richards

S

The contenders

1 Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM £214/$106

2 Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM £690/$799

3 Canon EF 24-105mm f3.5-5.6 IS STM £579/$599

4 Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM £1,740/$1,599

5 Nikkor AF-P DX 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6G VR £209/$247

6 Nikkor AF-S DX 16-80mm f/2.8-4E ED VR £989/$1,067

7 Nikkor AF-S 24-120mm f/4 ED VR £1,045/$1,097

8 Nikkor AF-S 24-70mm f/2.8E ED VR £1,799/$2,399

120 DIGITAL CAMERA^ MARCH 2020

Stick or twist? Here’s how basic standard

zoom lenses from Canon and Nikon

ƬȒȅȵƏȸƺژɯǣɎǝƺɴȒɎǣƬɖȵǕȸƏƳƺȒȵɎǣȒȇɀ

Standard

ɿȒȒȅژǼƺȇɀƺɀ