Canon 10-18 vs 10-22

Wide-angle lenses can show more of the subject or landscape, keeping everything in sharp focus. As Canon releases lenses with varying focal ranges, which one can hone your craft? We’re comparing Canon 10-18mm vs 10-22mm to know the best time to use them.

Canon 10-18mm vs 10-22mm General Overview

Both the Canon 10-22mm and 10-18mm can help photographers capture the essence of any space or scene. However, they still differ in some features and elements, which would let you see which is more valuable for your images.

Canon 10-18mm

Introduced in 2015, the Canon 10-18mm was constructed using the experience and knowledge gained from the 10-22mm. It packs an ultra-wide angle of view and optical excellence in a compact and lightweight body.

Its wide aperture and image stabilizer features compensate for motion shake during handheld shooting. This small yet fast-focusing lens is suitable for photographers and videographers using EOS cameras with APS-C sensors or entry-level DSLR cameras like the Rebel T5i.

Canon 10-22mm

The 10-22mm was the first EF-S wide-angle zoom Canon released in 2004 for its APS-C DSLRs. It received high praises because of its image quality and ultra-wide-angle coverage, almost the equivalent of a 16-35mm lens.

The new version is significantly smaller and lighter at nearly half the original cost. Compared to the other lenses in the EF-S, it boasts faster optical speed and manual focus override, making it hot stuff for beginners and professionals alike.

Comparing Canon 10-18mm and 10-22mm

You’ll see a number of similarities between these lenses as you go over the specs. These should also help you analyze the benefits of these wide-angle lenses.

Similarities

At first glance, these wide-angle lenses look almost similar in terms of build. More than that, they share some features that every Canon user would need to take quality photos, whether for a hobby, work, or documenting personal milestones.

• Maximum angle of view: Both lenses capture greater areas at a smaller angle of 10mm. This displays a field of view that makes subjects appear closer or bigger, letting you provide more context.
• Sharpness: These wide-angle lenses have neck-to-neck performance in sharpness, which may also depend on the exposure settings. They have high center sharpness, especially at 10mm.
• Deep depth of field: These are both fast lenses, so you won’t have much trouble with motion blur. As the lens captures more light, you can also experiment more with the depth of field. This is perfect if you want to show a sense of grandeur in objects or focus on the foreground and background.
• Distortion: It’s common for wide-angle lenses to have some geometric distortion in images. You may notice about 1% of barrel distortion in the corners when shooting at 10mm. As you zoom in, the distortion significantly decreases.
• Compatibility: As EF lenses, they are more compatible with Canon APS-C cameras, except for the EOS 10D, D60, and D30. You can also attach them to Canon mirrorless units using a mount adapter.

Differences

These contrasting features can further help you analyze which lens would be more beneficial for your photography needs.

• Minimum angle of view: This refers to the narrowest field of view at the longer end of the lens. If you need a more zoomed-in perspective without repositioning yourself or a tripod, then the 10-22mm has 4mm more tele-coverage for you.
• Optical zoom: This refers to the subject’s perceived closeness as you zoom in or increase the focal length. The 22mm will be a better fit if you need more flexible focal coverage because of its 2.20x optical zoom.
• Aperture: The 10-22m lens has one more spherical glass than the other lens, making it one-stop faster at f/3.5 in contrast to the 10-18mm’s maximum aperture of f/4.5. This enables the first lens to gather more light for night photography and long-exposure shots.
• Shallow depth of field: While you can use both lenses to blur background distractions, the bigger maximum aperture of the 10-22m lens creates a better background and foreground separation. However, this still depends on the subject and background distance.
• Focus operation: Both lenses work in seconds to focus from a minimum distance to infinity. However, the Ultrasonic Motor of the 10-22mm lens has smoother manual focusing, ideal for landscape and still photographers. Meanwhile, the 10-18mm’s Stepper Motor technology provides a quieter and faster autofocusing for split-second scenes.
• Image stabilization: Only the 10-18mm lens comes with image stabilization. This is a valuable feature if you need assistance shooting sharper pictures while handheld, with slower shutter speeds, or in darker lighting.
• Chromatic aberration: The 10-22mm suffers less from chromatic aberration because of its extra UD glass that corrects aberration to improve optical performance. However, you can easily apply lens profile corrections in post-processing.
• Dimensions: The 10-22mm is 0.6 inches longer and 0.47 pounds heavier than the 10-18mm. While there’s only a slight difference, the 18mm is preferable for a walk-around lens. However, the first lens has a reasonable weight because it has more spherical elements and higher aperture values for gathering light.
• Filter size: The filter thread of the 18mm is 10mm smaller, so this is an asset for photographers looking for cheaper and more types of filters. These filters can minimize glare and reflections for interiors, enhance colors for travel pictures, or reduce light for event photography.

Major Distinguishing Factor

The main distinguishing factors between the two lenses are the aperture, the minimum angle of view, and dimensions. While they are both fast lenses, the 10-18mm is more compact and much more affordable. You can fit more of the subject in the composition even if there’s 1.6x cropping on APS-C cameras.

On the other hand, the 10-22mm can zoom in more while less prone to vignetting. However, the difference in focal length may prevent you from entirely framing the subject, depending on your shooting location.

When to Use the Canon 10-18mm

It’s best to use the Canon 10-18mm when you want sharp autofocusing for nearby and faraway subjects. This is a good starter lens for newbie photographers or those who want to practice wide-angle shooting before trying high-end ones.

Whether for landscape, architecture, real estate, or travel photography, you can get a wide view of the environment and well-exposed images without much distortion.

When to Use the Canon 10-22mm

You can use the Canon 10-22mm to fit larger subjects into a composition. This is an excellent option if this isn’t your first time using wide-angle lenses, yet you don’t want to reach prime lenses like 24mm.

It’s wide enough for interiors, landscape, and street photography. Additionally, it has a zooming power and manual focusing for portraits, products, and low-light photography.

Which Canon Lens Is Better?

The 10-18mm lens will be a better option if you’re looking for a cheaper and lightweight lens with image stabilization and more filter options. This is a good training lens if you need a deeper depth of field or you usually photograph more than five subjects or objects in clear focus.

Meanwhile, the 10-22mm is ideal if you want a faster aperture, longer zoom, and minimal chromatic aberration. This is a handy lens for showing a story between the subject and the environment while maintaining a respectable distance.

Final Verdict

A wide-angle lens is worth investing in, especially if you want to enhance creativity in visual space manipulation. A single shot can encompass a lot of movement and a greater field of view. Whichever you choose, you can bring more foreground interest, context, and story to your photos.