The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM and the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is the longer of the two lenses at 166mm. The Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM with a length of 62mm, is 104mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro also has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM's 67mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM weighs 215g, which means it is 705g (76%) lighter than the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro which has a weight of 920g.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro:
Lens Mounts
The Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM has the Canon EF-S lens mount whereas the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is also available in Nikon F (FX) and Sony Alpha mounts.
Focal Range
Canon EF-S 18-55mm F4-5.6 IS STM has a focal range of 18-55mm and
3.1X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
28.8-88mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.
On the other hand, the Tamron 180mm f3.5 LD Macro is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 180mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 288mm.
