Tired of juggling lenses on trips and missing shots? The Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 isn’t magic, but it covers wide-to-tele reach in one lightweight zoom for travel and video.

I personally field-tested this lens and pitted it against a couple of close rivals. I’m sharing what stood out in real shooting, from sunrise walks to crowded markets at night.

APS-C EOS R travelers will love its compact versatility. They’ll shave bag weight and swaps thanks to this lens’ long reach, stabilization and quiet AF, so you’ll miss fewer shots.

There’s a headline compromise: the aperture narrows toward the telephoto end. It’s also not weather-sealed, so think twice for wet trips; you’ll often need to boost ISO indoors at dusk.

I’ll share a simple trick that lifted low-light images and tightened composition; keep reading as I will reveal something shocking about this lens that might change your photo quality drastically.

Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3

All-in-one travel zoom for APS-C shooters, delivering flexible focal range, fast auto-focus, stabilized handheld performance, and sharp results from wide-angle to telephoto for everyday photography and video.

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The Numbers You Need

How It’s Built

The Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 is built as a compact, lightweight walkaround zoom with an internal focus design and RF mount. In my testing it feels mostly plastic on the outside with a solid-feeling metal mount and good glass inside coated with Canon’s Super Spectra finish. That mix keeps weight down and helps tame flare.

After using this lens I found the fit and finish surprisingly tidy for a budget-friendly zoom, with a smooth zoom ring and an internal barrel that stays put. The dual-function ring gives you manual control without a clutch, and the whole assembly feels tight rather than loose. There are no external switches and no weather gaskets.

Because it lacks weather sealing I’ll avoid using this lens in steady rain or dusty jobs. For beginners that means being careful—use an umbrella, a rain cover, or keep it in your bag until the weather improves. The upside is it’s light enough to carry all day and won’t slow you down.

What I really liked was how easy it is to carry and grab for quick shots on a hike or city walk. What could be better is proper weather protection and a quick AF/MF switch for fast changes in the field. Those additions would make this lens feel more dependable in tougher conditions.

In Your Hands

The Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 feels surprisingly compact and light in the hand, clearly aimed at walkers and travelers who want one lens for most day-to-day needs. Mounted on a mid-sized mirrorless body or an APS-C DSLR this lens balances predictably, never feeling tail‑heavy, so handheld shooting stays comfortable over long outings. The barrel finish has a modest, grippy texture that reads durable without adding unnecessary weight.

The zoom ring turns with a smooth, slightly damped action that inspires confidence, while this lens’ dual‑function manual focus/control ring is clickless and responsive for subtle adjustments in video work. You won’t find any external AF/MF switches on the barrel, so switching modes happens through the camera menu or the ring rather than via a mechanical clutch — practical, but if you prefer a tactile clutch you might miss a physical switch. Controls are intuitively placed so you can reach the ring without shifting your grip, which helps when composing quickly.

There is no mechanical zoom lock on this lens, but the internal construction keeps zoom creep to a minimum in day-to-day use, so you rarely fight unintended extension. You may notice modest focus breathing during close focus pulls, yet it seldom undermines stills or casual video projects. For travel shooters and hybrid creators these small quirks are largely academic, letting you concentrate on the shot rather than gear fiddling.

Autofocus & Image Stabilization

The Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 makes a clear first impression with its quiet, smooth AF behavior out of the box. In practice this lens delivers remarkably low operational noise thanks to its STM drive, which keeps focus chatter to a minimum during handheld shooting. That quietness is one of its main strengths for hybrid shooters.

Autofocus speed is more than adequate for everyday subjects and brisk street work, and accuracy is consistently reliable in good light. Expect it to be a bit conservative with fast-moving subjects or low-contrast scenes where it can hunt before locking. The tracking is steady but not engineered for high-speed action photography.

Stabilization feels effective and forgiving, giving you confidence to shoot telephoto frames handheld and smooth pans for run-and-gun video. It pairs well with in-body systems to extend usable shutter speeds, though it isn’t a replacement for a fast aperture in very dim conditions. A notable limitation is moderately noticeable focus breathing when racking focus, which can distract in tight cinematic pulls.

Overall video usability is high thanks to the quiet AF and smooth focus transitions, making this lens a go-to for travel and vlog-style shooting. The lack of a dedicated AF/MF switch is a practical drawback, forcing menu-based or camera-button workarounds for quick manual override.

Picture Quality Performance

The Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 shows variable sharpness that’s perfectly usable for travel and everyday work but stops short of class-leading optics. In the wide end the center is generally crisp while corners relax a bit, and mid-range performance is solid for most prints, web use and casual enlargements. At the telephoto end detail softens, especially toward the edges and when shooting wide open, so careful technique helps maintain usable results.

Distortion is present and follows the expected pattern with a bit of barrel character at the wide end and mild pincushion toward the long end. Vignetting can be noticeable in certain focal/aperture combinations and becomes more obvious in low-light and high-contrast scenes. Most users will tame both easily with in-camera corrections or a quick raw-file adjustment.

Chromatic aberration is controlled reasonably well thanks to the optical design and special elements, but thin color fringing can show up on high-contrast edges and is straightforward to remove in post. Coma is modest but visible if you push the lens for night-sky work, so this lens is not a first choice for astrophotography or very demanding starscapes. Sunstars are serviceable rather than spectacular, giving modest points rather than razor-sharp spikes compared with specialty glass.

Bokeh is pleasant in the mid-range and telephoto zones for casual portraits and subject isolation, though background highlights can take on a slightly busy, nervous look at times. Flare and ghosting are well managed by Canon’s Super Spectra coating, but very strong backlight will still produce some veiling, occasional ghosts and a slight loss of contrast. Overall this lens’s strengths are convenience and a generally pleasing rendering across a very broad zoom range, while its weaknesses include softer edges at the extremes, some vignetting and distortion, and only modest out-of-focus and sunstar quality.

How It Performs in Practice

This lens is light and small so it lives on the camera. The zoom range means you rarely change lenses during a walk. It feels like a true grab-and-go tool.

The zoom and control rings are smooth and quiet. Not having an AF/MF switch on the barrel is annoying because I have to dig into the camera menus sometimes.

Optical IS actually saves a lot of frames and lets you shoot slower shutter speeds handheld. On bodies with IBIS it gets even better and I can push to longer focal lengths without a tripod. Still, the aperture narrows at the long end so low light forces higher ISO.

At a small dusk festival I was on the sidelines at 120mm trying to catch kids dancing. The stabilization kept shots usable but the AF missed a couple of quick moves and I had to raise ISO to 3200. The final shots still had mood and enough detail to be useful.

It shines for travel, street, landscapes and casual wildlife where you want reach without weight. If you need very fast apertures, weather sealing or the last stop of sharpness, this lens will frustrate you.

The Good and Bad

• Very versatile 18–150mm range suitable for many shooting scenarios
• Includes optical image stabilization that pairs with in-body IS for strong shake reduction

• Narrow maximum aperture toward the telephoto end (f/6.3) limits low-light performance
• No weather sealing and no dedicated AF/MF switch or physical distance scale

Better Alternatives?

We’ve gone through what the Canon RF-S 18-150mm does well: a compact, all-in-one walkaround lens that’s light, stabilized, and quiet for both photos and video. It’s a great pick when you want one lens that covers most situations without carrying a bag full of glass.

If you want something different—better sharpness, more reach, stronger build, or a cheaper DSLR-based option—here are three real-world alternatives I’ve used and how they stack up against the RF-S 18-150mm.

Alternative 1:

Canon RF 24-105 mm f/4 L

Professional-standard mid-range zoom combining constant aperture, robust L-series build, and reliable image stabilization for crisp landscapes, portraits, and run-and-gun shooting. Smooth bokeh and consistent sharpness across the frame.

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I’ve used the RF 24-105mm L on shoots where I needed better image quality and a tougher body. Compared to the RF-S 18-150, it gives noticeably cleaner files, more consistent sharpness, and better control of flare and contrast. The constant f/4 means exposure and background blur feel more predictable when you zoom, which is handy for portraits and event work.

What it trades off is reach and weight. You lose the long end beyond 105mm that the 18-150 gives you, so you can’t get as close from far away. It’s heavier and more costly, and it’s more of a full-frame tool—on an APS-C body it’s still excellent, but it feels less compact than the RF-S 18-150. If you shoot in rough weather, the L-series sealing is another big plus the RF-S lacks.

This is the lens I’d pick if I was a working photographer who needs dependable image quality and build—wedding shooters, event photographers, and landscape photographers who don’t need extreme telephoto reach. If you want fewer compromises on image quality and weather resistance, this one beats the RF-S 18-150 in real shooting scenarios.

Alternative 2:

Canon EF-S 18-135 mm f/3.5-5.6

Versatile everyday zoom offering a broad focal range ideal for travel and family use, with responsive autofocus, compact design, and dependable image quality for photographers seeking convenience over frequent lens changes.

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I used the EF-S 18-135 on many trips when I shot with Canon DSLRs, and it feels like a true everyday zoom. Compared to the RF-S 18-150, the handling is very familiar and it’s slightly simpler in design. Image quality is solid for most uses, autofocus is reliable, and it’s a good balance of range and size—though it doesn’t quite reach 150mm.

The downsides vs the RF-S 18-150 are mount and modern conveniences. On mirrorless EOS R bodies you’ll need an adapter to use the EF-S lens, and you lose the compactness and some of the newer autofocus smoothness that RF lenses offer. It’s also not as modern-feeling in terms of control rings and video-suitable features. But it’s cheaper and often slightly lighter.

This is a great pick if you’re on a budget, coming from a DSLR, or want a familiar, dependable walkaround for family, travel, and everyday shooting. If you don’t mind using an adapter or you’re still shooting a Canon APS-C DSLR, it’s a practical alternative to the RF-S 18-150.

Alternative 3:

Sigma 18-300 mm f/3.5-6.3 Contemporary Macro

Super-zoom delivering enormous reach from wide-angle to super-telephoto in a single compact package, plus close-focusing macro capability, solid stabilization, and versatile performance for travel photographers craving one-lens simplicity.

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I’ve carried the Sigma 18-300 on trips where I wanted absolute reach without changing lenses, and that’s its real strength. Compared to the RF-S 18-150, the Sigma gets you a lot farther out at the long end—300mm covers subjects you’d otherwise need to move for or switch lenses to reach. It also gives you a bit of macro flexibility for close subjects.

The trade-offs show up in image quality and handling. The Sigma is heavier and not as sharp at the extremes compared with shorter, more focused zooms. You’ll notice more softness or less contrast at the longest or widest settings, and bokeh can be busier. It’s also bigger to carry, and AF can feel a touch less refined than Canon’s native RF STM lens in some situations.

If you’re a travel or wildlife hobbyist who wants one lens to do everything and hates swapping glass, the Sigma is a good choice. It’s for photographers who value reach and convenience above absolute sharpness or compact pocketability—think road trips, safari-style shoots, or anyone who needs a single do-it-all lens in the field.

What People Ask Most

Who This Lens Is / Isn’t For

If you shoot Canon APS-C EOS R cameras and want one compact lens to carry, this lens is made for you. Travel shooters, family photographers, street shooters, and hybrid stills/video creators will like how it covers wide to telephoto without swapping lenses. Its light weight, quiet autofocus and built‑in stabilization make handheld shots and run‑and‑gun video much easier, and the long zoom plus close focus gives you flexibility when you don’t want to carry a bag of glass.

Skip this lens if you need fast apertures for low‑light work or very shallow depth of field; the narrow long‑end aperture will force higher ISO or slower shutter speeds. Also pass if you demand weather sealing, the very best edge‑to‑edge sharpness, or physical AF/MF controls for studio and professional use. If you already prefer a small set of fast primes or you shoot professionally in harsh conditions, you’ll be happier with more specialized glass than this lens.

Should You Buy It?

The Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3 proves itself as a do-it-all travel zoom that delivers the kind of portability and operational calm I expect from modern walkaround glass. This lens is light in your bag, stabilized in use, and quietly focused for both stills and video. It makes shooting on the go effortless.

That convenience comes with trade-offs you’ll notice quickly. This lens tightens down at longer focal lengths, offers only middling optical resolution compared with higher-tier optics, and lacks weather sealing and tactile AF/MF controls. Those compromises mean it isn’t the tool for demanding low-light or weather-prone assignments.

In everyday practice the package works exactly as advertised: versatile reach, easy handling, and reliable stabilization for handheld shooting and run-and-gun video. This lens is especially compelling for APS-C EOS R shooters who want one lens to cover most scenarios without fuss.

Bottom line: if you value compact versatility, quiet autofocus and stabilized images over absolute glass performance or pro-level ruggedness, this lens is a smart, practical choice. If you need fast apertures, rock‑solid sealing or the ultimate sharpness, look elsewhere.

Canon RF-S 18-150 mm f/3.5-6.3

All-in-one travel zoom for APS-C shooters, delivering flexible focal range, fast auto-focus, stabilized handheld performance, and sharp results from wide-angle to telephoto for everyday photography and video.

Check Price