18-55mm IS vs 18-135mm IS

If you forget about the extra reach how these two compare IQ wise? I am trying to get 18-55 IS for my niece but I have 18-135mm that I can take from my friend's kit (and pay him of course ). She's a big girl so weight etc. is not an issue. Thanks

It'll go on a 20D. No interest in video.

With i think she would enjoy the 18-135 a little better the the 18-55. It would be a little better walk around lens for her.

How old is she?

She's about 13.

This is what I had at the back of my mind but she mostly enjoys taking family sort of pics, portraits etc. and stays on wide angle side.

What lens does she have right now? Given her age the 18-135 would give her something to grow into and wouldnt really limit her in anyway. If she ever wanted to she could always do longer range portraits with it and get a decent BG blur.

well right now she has the earliest (?) digital rebel with 28-xx kind of lens which is pretty crappy. I can't remember which one exactly. She finds 28mm not wide enough and is almost never hitting the longest end of the zoom.

alpha_1976 wrote in post #10589520
If you forget about the extra reach how these two compare IQ wise? I am trying to get 18-55 IS for my niece but I have 18-135mm that I can take from my friend's kit (and pay him of course ). She's a big girl so weight etc. is not an issue. Thanks

It'll go on a 20D. No interest in video.

most of the lens review sites like www.photozone.de show the 18-55IS being sharper but to a 13 year old the wider focal range may be more important

It funny how in your OP you said forget about the reach and thats the first thing i said! hahahaha(im not the sharpest tool in the shed!)

The 18-55 might be easier to hand hold for her.

The 18-135 is supposed to have UD elements and should make it a pretty sharp lens....i guess thats not the case though.

watt100 wrote in post #10589908
most of the lens review sites like www.photozone.de show the 18-55IS being sharper

Not only sharper, the 18-55mm IS suffers from less aberations than the 18-135mm. The 18-55mm IS also focuses closer. And it's less expensive.

Really, the only reason to get the 18-135mm over the 18-55mm would be for the extended range of focal lengths.

aah..OK..seems like 18-55 IS is the one to get then. I am sure people can have lot of fun between 55-135mm but she is most likely not going to do it now may be later.