18-55 & 18-55USM???

I juat got an email with three different EOS20D kit options from a local store, there was the standard 20D + 18-55, and the 20D + 17-85IS, but for $100NZ more than the standard 18-55, you could get a USM version of the same lens.

I thought there was only one version of the 18-55!

Anyone else heard of this?

yep there is a USM version of the 18-55mm kit lens. Adorama has it for $150. My kit lens focuses fast enough so the only thing I think you gain is full time focus ? I would love to hear form someone who has one.

JZ

I didn't know you could get that either. The kit lens is reasonably quick compared with my Tamron 28-75, I guess USM would make it a bit faster and enable full time manual. If you're going to keep and use the kit lens it's probably worthwhile, otherwise don't bother.

Now I have the Tamron i'll only use the kit lens for wide angle shots.

I just read its Micro USM, NOT Ring USM so it doesn't have full time manual focusing, only faster auto focusing..

JZ

Take my advice and forget it!

After using heaps of consumer zooms (i deal in camera gear) i can tell you that micro usm is a ripoff.The small or short zooms are plenty fast and quite at focussing and the usm versions are very little better.In fact i've seen some that are slower than a comparable micro version!
The ONLY time i would ever recommend usm in a consumer zoom is for something like the 75-300 series where the focus is just too slow for anything that moves.The small increase in speed with usm on that model is worth it for the few extra shots it gets of sports,etc. -iIt will still miss heaps of shots but at least you'll get *some*

Now ring USM is another story alltogether