Recently I've decided to buy a new DSLR body (Canon 200D), and now I have to decide what lens to pair this with. For €18 on top of the body-only price I can get a Canon 18-55mm III lens, and for €94 I can get a Canon 18-55 IS STM lens.

I've compared the two, and even though the IS STM has a new optical design, it doesn't seem to score any higher (even a little bit lower) in [DxOMark][1] (the IS II should be optically the same as the III, so I used the IS II as a comparison). The online reviews I've read and watched also don't point out any big differences. So as far as I know, the only real advantages are the image stabilisation and the better focus motor.

I mainly use my DSLR for photography, but I want to experiment with video as well when I receive the 200D. As far as I know, the IS and better focus motor are only really useful when used in video, so I was wondering if the extra €74 is worth the upgrade from the III to the IS STM, even if there's a chance I will only use it a few times for video. And are there any advantages of the IS and better focus motor in photography besides the more stable handheld photography?


  [1]: https://www.dxomark.com/lenses/brand-canon/launched-between-1987-and-2018/mount_type-Canon_EF_S/focal-from-18-to-55/aperture_max-from-0.95-to-45/launch_price-from-0-to-13000-usd/lens_use_case-lens_medium-lens_wide-lens_superwide-lens_telephoto-lens_supertelephoto/lens_zoom-zoom/sensor_brand-Canon#hideAdvancedOptions=false&viewMode=list&yDataType=