Make sure this fitsby entering your model number. Maximum aperture: f/4.0-f/5.6 Optics: 12 elements in 10 groups, UD glass element Canon EF-S Mount (not compatible with full sensor DSLRs)
This is my first telephoto lens and I am very happy that I get this one. I mainly use it to take pictures of backyard birds and it serves its purpose well. Im usually 3-4 yards away from the subjects. While 250mm sometimes seems not enough to get what I want in an image it is still a very nice buy. I already know its a 250mm, not a 400mm...so the rest of it comes to how the image shows when I take a picture.
AL
5
Im definitely an amateur photographer and really only semi-professional. I work at an event center where we host weddings, concerts, large-scale community events, etc. and Ill sometimes take photos to use on our website or in print. I just got this lens today, and I can already tell Im going to love it! It has a nice, manageable range for someone planning to use it for somewhat "everyday" use. Ill often take photos of performers up on stage or just strangers from afar while theyre attending an event, so I cant always get up close physically to get a nice shot. It also has a great ability to get soft, creamy bokeh (blurred background) to help the subject stand out. It can go as low as f/4, which is plenty small enough for a blurry background as far as what I need. A fixed 50mm that can go to f/1.8 is nice for macro or portraits, but when Im getting pictures of a choreographed jump rope routine, I dont want that narrow of a focus if theyre moving in and out of that range! If you want something thats a step up from your kit lens without feeling overwhelmed by the size or range of a lens, I think this is a great place to start!
Sarah H
5
Perfect. As described Canon EFS lens new in the box. I was debating between this lens, which has stabaliziaton (EFS) and the 300mm lense that doesnt (EF). While I would love a bit more zoom, the stabaliziaton is definitely necessary even at the 250mm zoom. For most photography purposes, this is enough. I like to photograph wildlife, and can fill the frame with a small animal like a bird from about 20 feet away at 250mm zoom. Excellent lens and I highly recommend, especially if youre between this and the 300mm zoom. Thanks!
Katie
5
5 stars for the image quality considering the price! If you are looking for an inexpensive zoom lens, this is the one for you! After much research, it seemed that this lens was the best in my price range. No, it is not as good more expensive L lenses, but I think that would be expected. If you want the best, you have to be willing to pay for it. But the 55-250 gives excellent performance for under $300! We have lots of wildlife where I live, but I have never been able to get decent shots with my 18-55mm kit lens or 50mm because they dont reach the distance needed. Since I will be using my zoom lens less often and as more of a hobby, my budget was low...especially since I am looking to buy a prime lens for portraits where I hope to make money. I was not expecting too much because I was not paying for an L lens, but after using the 55-250mm for myself, I am extremely happy with it (considering what I paid for it), and very pleasantly surprised! I bought it over the 70-300mm because of the IS, and honestly, the extra 50mm wouldnt be worth it unless you used a tripod. The IS allows for handheld shots, which makes it great for a walk-around lens. It is plastic, but that means it is lighter than most other lenses of this focal length. Images with this lens are very crisp, and the bokeh is beautiful. At 250mm, you can easily capture birds in the trees and amazing close-ups of plants. I know some people have complained about slow auto focus, but that has not bothered me because I manual focus 95% of the time. You will probably need to correct color slightly in Lightroom, Photoshop, or GIMP, but I always edit my photos slightly anyways. I look forward to shooting even more with this lens! Overall, this lens is the best bang for your buck!
rashhangover
5
I attached pics of an old smokestack where I work. Both are as they were shot, no alterations. First at minimum (55mm) zoom, the second at max (250mm) zoom. I was able to crop even more detailed images from the second pic. As this is an IS lens, they were clear, even though both were handheld shots. Third is a cropped pic of the Moon, again a handheld shot. Im kind of a noob, and cant compare it to other lenses from personal experience (except the Canon 18-55 kit lens that has its own merits), but I love this thing. I dont see how you can go wrong with this lens, especially at this price ($125).
Kitty
5
For the price, you absolutely cannot go wrong. Its a great lens for a great price. This is a really good lens that is going for less because it has been replaced by a newer model. Thats it. This lens was recommended to me by a couple of friends that have been using this one for a good couple of years now. This, at one time was an expensive lens. It beats out cold the cheap 75-300mm lens that comes with some of the kits. Now that is a cheap lens. There is no comparison. Again, for this type of lens, you cant beat it. This has the image stabilization and that makes a huge difference.
Kristin
5
I purchased this lens specifically for the image stability option. I love this and being able to take distance photos without needing to set up a tri-pod. I am just a beginner photographer, but for my purposes, this lens in great! I like to take photos of morning sky colors just before the sun comes up and this has allowed me to capture some great ones. I definitely recommend this lens for people just starting out. This lens also has auto focus. I have played with this a little bit and sometimes I use that option too, but more often I use the manual focus option. I just like being able to control it.
Amazon Customer
5
I’m a graphic designer and I don’t normally do photography jobs but I got offered to do one that I couldn’t refuse, which was for a football (soccer) team. I ordered this lens knowing I needed one with more zoom. It showed up quickly and in great condition. It worked so much better than I thought it would and the client loved the photos. For what started as an impulse buy is now a lens that is one of my favorites. The price is amazing and is perfect for beginners or one that is wanting to learn photography more seriously. I can’t wait to practice with this lens and work my way up to a lens with a bigger budget.
DandDee
5
This great lens arrived quickly and just as described by seller. It was new, in original packing and box, with both lens covers. I had been shopping for a zoom lens for quite some time, but just couldnt allow myself to part with enough of my money to pay the high prices Id seen advertised in stores. Id received a new Canon camera last Christmas, had been enjoying my standard lens, but knew I was missing lots of great shots without a zoom (I love bird- and wildlife-watching, as well as gardening). I didnt really need a lens that was going to get me close-ups of Mars (not yet, anyway), and was somewhat overwhelmed by all the zoom lens options out there. My son also did some research of lens options for me (he is well-versed in the camera world), and put me onto some listings in Amazon. I checked out several of the sellers of this product, and am very happy with this sellers quality and integrity. Sellers listed price was also extremely competitive. That was nice. Am I ever having a thrill getting those close-up shots you just cant get without the zoom lens! My hummingbird "cities" are none the wiser as I zoom in to catch them in so many glorious moments of grace! All my blooming and happy gardens have no idea how I stalk their delicate flowers and leaves from behind my zoom lens! I have even "out-foxed" the dens of foxes in my neighborhood by catching their antics from the "blind" of my front porch! The butterflies are clueless as to the super clear shots I can get of them now. I cant wait to play super-sleuth on the bald eagle nests we have just a few miles from our home. Farewell, blurry pictures of eaglets, vying for a snack from Mom or Dad. This year will be so wonderful catching brilliant and clear shots of those nests. The lens is just what I wanted and suits my needs perfectly.
AL AMIN
5
I have just started to take photographing little seriously. And got my self a t3i with 18-55 IS II lens. However, taking pictures of animals and birds are not that easy with 18-55 for its limited range, so I bought this one after a little research on other cheaper alternative, and I am glad that I went with this one. I am still experimenting with it as its been only two weeks so far. Without tripod I was able to frame a few good good pictures as the built in stabilizer did a very good job. I will keep you updated as I get more time with it. Please buy this item from a reputed seller, I will recommend to get it from amazon.com instead of market place seller, even though you will be paying a little extra but, I can guarantee that worth it as I heard many measurable stories of getting counterfeit lens and used one from the marketplace sellers. Update:(01/03/2013) Its been little more than two months since I bought the camera and the lens, because of the cold weather havent got much chances to shoot outside. However while shooting a few indoor photo found out the auto-focus was taking little time, same thing happened to the other lens too(18-55mm), therefore, I think its not the lens but the camera. I dont like to use auto focus feature as it doesnt give me the confident that I need. Over all I am still happy with the both camera and lens. I only regret that a few of my friends were able to buy the camera packaged with both lens only a month after I bought and saved more than 150 dollars. Well am still happy for them :P
