Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II Telephoto Zoom Lens

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To start, I would have to guess that most people come across this lens the same way I did; I bought a new camera and this lens came with it. With that in mind, I have used it quite a bit over the years, and have the following things to say about it... Keep in mind this is an older version of this lens. The latest version is the EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM, and it has some important upgrades. For some more info about that, see my notes about it at the end. Let’s pro/con this thing! Pros 1. Good Zoom Range - 55-250mm gives you a lot of options, especially once you take crop factor into account (1.6x on Canon, so 88-400mm). I have used this lens to get pictures of landscapes, birds, and various other things. It has a fairly narrow aperture though (F4-5.6), so it requires good light conditions to get good shots (more on that in the cons). In any case, even after stepping up to the 70-200mm F2.8L, I still kept this lens handy, as it was a good secondary walk-around lens by comparison (I have since sold it along with my older camera). Plus, its much lighter than my 70-200mm, and less expensive too. 2. Compact - By comparison, it isnt much bigger than the 18-55mm lens that also comes with almost every new Canon Rebel. I often carry it in my hoodie pocket for quick swap outs with my 10-18mm wide angle lens. Its light too, thanks to being made out of plastic. 3. Good Quality Photos - This is probably the most important thing for a lens to do. It does a good job of taking pictures, so long as you have good lighting to compensate for its aperture of F4-5.6. Im not typically blown away by these photos, but for anyone that is in the amateur to low-level enthusiast category, this is an acceptable lens for the price. To compare, I mentioned the 70-200mm L-series lens that I also have, and the 55-250mm just cant compete. But that lens is 1100 USD MORE than this lens, and needs a pretty good understanding of photography in general to make it work to its full potential. This lens can get a starting, or even mid-level photographer on their way to getting some good shots on a budget. You can learn a lot from this lens before stepping up to a more serious one. Or not if this lens does what you need, which it probably can. Just be realistic about what you expect. 4. IS - Comes with image stabilization. IS is probably as misunderstood as variable aperture by new photographers. Let me be clear, IS is NOT for freezing motion on a subject. To do that, you have to use a fast shutter speed, like 1/500 sec or faster. (At 1/500 sec, IS is useless on this lens.) IS is for helping the camera stay stable from a handheld shot that is at a slower than needed speed, which is dependent on the focal length you choose. I dont use it often on this lens, as I typically use a tripod when I get that slow, or I am shooting fast enough that it doesn’t matter. But it is nice to have, and is more important on a telephoto like this, as the barrel length makes hand-shake worse. However, the light weight of the lens makes it easy to hold on subject for longer periods of time than some of the more expensive models. 5. Price – Last I looked, this lens can be bought for around 130 USD. For the money, you could do a LOT worse (75-300mm I am looking at you). If this lens came with your camera, then all the better. Take into account the IS, the ease of use, and ability to get good photos; this pushes the price to value ratio pretty high. It might not be the stand out the more expensive lenses are, but it really is a good value if it is all you can afford. (Keep in mind that this model is discontinued for the newer STM version, which I talk about later in the review.) Cons 1. Made of plastic - So, remember I said it is light, and that is due to the plastic design? That is both good and bad. Plastic casing makes it feel cheap, and weak, and on several occasions I have actually seen the barrel wobble a little at full extension. Putting on the hood is a chore if you have one (I suggest Promaster hoods), as it often moves the end of the lens in a way that feels like I am going to break it off, and even pushes it back in if the lens is extended at all (a really bad thing if you are in autofocus mode, as it can damage the gears). Even the mount at the base is plastic, which isn’t too big a deal since the thing is so light, but I still worry what will happen if I drop it. I worry that the lens will eventually be useless to me; due to its cheap plastic design not being able to protect the lens if it gets jarred to hard. 1 star off - not because of the all plastic design, but because of how shaky it feels at full extension (seriously, it wobbles sometimes). 2. Auto focus is iffy - I have had mixed results with this. When zoomed in, it does an ok job of finding the focus. Zoomed out it seeks a lot more often, especially if I am using Live View. It isnt a very fast focus either. This is because it is using a micro motor for focus and this isnt the fastest, or even smoothest focus (The latest version of this lens has STM, which is fairly fast, and much more smooth and accurate). Also, the barrel rotates as it focuses, which makes using certain filters more of a challenge. Specifically, a circular polarizer or graduated ND filter. If you are using either of these, be sure to set the focus first, and then rotate the filter to get the effect you are going for. 1 star off for the micro motor focus and barrel rotation during focus. I know these are listed features of this lens, but there are just too many newer options that do not have this drawback anymore that are also fairly affordable. See my recommendations. 3. Variable aperture – This is one of those things that can be a little confusing to newbies, and can be overlooked by the unsuspecting. Once you get into lower light situations, this lens starts to drop in performance. It has to be zoomed out at 55-70mm to keep it at F4, and that isnt a lot of zoom, or even allowing a lot of light either. It just keeps getting worse as it zooms in, which is the nature of the variable aperture. As the elements move further from the sensor, less over all light gets on it, and even though the aperture itself is the same physical size, it has the same effect as getting closed down. This is to be expected on a lens of this price, and is a listed rating of the lens, so it is not worth a star off, but is worth a mention. 2. Crop only – Not so much a con, but I see a lot of people ask “will this work on my camera?” This is an EF-S lens, which means it can only be used on APS-C “crop” sensor cameras. This is all the Rebels, the mid-range models from the 20D to the 80D, and the 7D. It will not work on the full frame 35mm sensor cameras; the 1D, 5D, and 6D. It can be adapted the M series with the EF EOS M adaptor. It can also be adapted to the EOS R with any of the adaptors available for that. Other than these points, I would say this isnt the worst lens ever. It is, however, my least favorite of the lenses in my bag. Before I had my 70-200mm, this lens was the necessary evil, as it was the only option I had for telephoto. That being said, I have gotten some good shots with it over the years, so long as I had good conditions to shoot in. Ive used it for some interesting landscape shots, such as on rivers and streams, to focus in on a specific detail that is more interesting that way. Ive gotten a bird in flight with it, albeit with some blurry wings flapping (which in some ways looks kind of cool) and a lot of luck. It doesnt come out of my bag too often anymore (actually not at all now that I sold it), but as long as I have it and I have room for it, it will remain in the bag. Its lightweight nature makes it useful to me in given scenarios. If you have it, use it. If not, and you need a telephoto, here are some recommendations (wouldn’t be a WOFG review without recommendations). 1. EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM – Ok, so it seems I am recommending the same lens that I just reviewed, but I assure you I am not. This is the latest version of this lens, and it has some important upgrades. To start, it has STM focus, which replaces the out of date micro motor DC focus the IS II has. STM is faster and smoother, and more accurate, and also is silent if used on a camera that supports the silent focus. I also has improved optics, providing more clarity (like a lot more), more vibrant color, and also less aberrations. It also has rear focusing so that the barrel no longer rotates. It still has the same variable aperture and all plastic design though, but it feels a little more robust. These upgrades come at a cost though, it’s 300 USD, but you can bundle it with most new cameras for 200 USD (which I recommend over the 75-300mm). In my opinion, this is the best telephoto you can get for under 1000 USD. Keep in mind this is EF-S and can also only work on the cameras listed in the review. 3. EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS II USM – This is another updated lens that Canon has put out recently, and it is another good update over its predecessor. I would say it compares well to the 55-250mm IS STM, with almost the same image quality, same variable aperture, and same IS. The biggest differences are the 50mm of additional reach and the nano-USM focus (better for action shooting and still silent for video shooting). It’s also 500 to 550 USD, depending on current rebates. So I guess it would come down to if those two advantages matter enough to cost that much more. Note – the older version of this lens is still available, but really there is little point to getting it over the new one now. The price of the new one is only 50 dollars more than the older version, and is superior in all ways. For that money, it is better to just get the new version or the 55-250mm. One other point here, the 70-300mm models are EF, and therefore will work on all EOS cameras, from crop, to full frame, to even the older film cameras. So there is that if it matters to you. 4. EF 70-200mm F4L USM – Ok, full disclosure, I really don’t suggest this lens to anyone anymore. This is because it is all but replaced by the other two suggestions I have made here. I really only bring it up since I know it is still popular amongst togs, and can be found used for a pretty good price (I have seen them for under 300 USD). The build quality is better than the other lenses here, and a used copy will hold up for a long time (L lenses are built like tanks). It also has the best overall image quality of these three suggested lenses, but not by so much you will likely see the difference (they are all about the same in the center, but the 70-200mm is better in the corners). For 600 USD, I don’t feel that it does as much as the other two lenses here. They have image stabilization and silent video focusing, and are also 100-300 dollars less. This is why I suggest them over the 70-200mm F4L, but this is also still a good “first good lens”. A note on the EF 75-300mm – This is another lens that likely will be bundled with a new camera. I personally do not like this lens. But, it is also the cheapest lens you can get with the range that it has, and more times than not it either adds nothing to the price of your camera, or 50-100 dollars. If you have a tight budget, you can make this lens work. Otherwise I suggest seeing if you can bundle the 55-250mm instead, either the IS II that I just reviewed, or the IS STM version for a little more money (it’s worth the added cost over the 75-300mm). A note about STM - not all cameras support STM in video mode, so be sure yours does if that is what you want it for. As far as I know, they all support STM in photo mode, so youre good there. I think the T4i was the first in Canons lineup to support STM in video mode, for smooth, continuous focus. Otherwise, as I said before, you can do a lot worse than the 55-250mm IS ii lens. I personally cant recommend it over the IS STM version, or 70-300mm IS II Ive mentioned, but to be fair, those lenses are more expensive. I know not everyone wants to drop a lot of cash on their camera, or even can. If all you can afford is this, then with some practice you will learn how to get some very good shots with it. Just look at the ones I’ve added to the review. All that is left is to check out the sample images. Thanks for reading my review!

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Yes, its a kit lens. But, that doesnt mean it makes crappy pictures. Ive got 20x30 prints on my wall that impress friends and family that prove otherwise. Its got its compromises, but if youre on a budget, its better to have a lens you need than none at all. A lot of people whine about the plastic body, but thats never been a problem for me because I dont drop-kick my gear. For me, the biggest drawback may be the minimum f4-5.6 aperture, which, coupled with my camera, means I have a very limited aperture range contained within the lens sharpness (avoiding diffraction) and my camera sensors limitations. If youre a casual amateur photographer, this lens may be all you need. If youre an advanced amateur, consider this lens as a placeholder while you get the funds for something better. If youre making money regularly with your photography, youre not even reading this review. :)

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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.

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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!

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As a former professional photographer I know how important it is for pros to own the best. Thats why Canon can ask and get $1500+ for their bestselling L-series zoom. Those who need pro-quality lenses should expect to spend that amount and far more. Those non-pros who have the money and just want the best, should definitely buy Canon L-series--why not? When I decided to sell my dated professional cameras (the "D" was on the other side of the model number) I did a lot of soul searching and researching before I decide where to go next. My lenses were still top quality and fit the newer EF bodies, but lacked modern technological advances like IS. I no longer saw a reason to spend $1000+ on a camera body and $1500+ on a lens. I didnt need video capability. Most of what I take goes up on the Internet, so 10-12 megapixels provides all the cropping room I need. I wanted light weight, good picture quality, and a reasonable price. I found it in the lowly but capable Canon XS (read my review elsewhere). I have no problem with the 18-55 kit lens, but I frequently used my older 28-105 USM lens instead, because it focused faster and was slightly sharper. In anticipation of an upcoming hiking excursion on Kauai, I decided to pick up a new longer-zoom lens with image stabilization and I again set about doing my due diligence. What I found was that there just wasnt any good reason to go to Canons middle ground when it comes to lenses. A wide array of testing and reviews showed that Canons S-series 55-250 was not that far removed from anything short of an L lens -- except in price of course. I was almost embarrassed and feeling a little cheap when I ordered this lens. But now that Ive had it for a couple weeks, there is no question in my mind that I made the right choice. I love the size and light weight. The stabilization works like a dream. Ive always be a stable base for hand-holding a zoom lens, but Im now shooting at 250mm 1/200 sec and getting tack sharp results. There is no question that his lens is worth far more than what I paid--thank you Amazon. What do I wish this lens had that it doesnt? I suppose a metal attachment flange would make me feel more secure. A stop or two more speed, sure. But my only real complaint is the exterior focusing movement that I didnt have to deal with in my older EF USM lenses. The front of this lens moves around a lot, and even if you set your zoom and focus first, using a circular polarizer is a royal pain. For the same reason, I cant use a tulip hood, which is far and away preferable to the ET-60 "Dice Cup" Canon designed for the 55-200. (I did, however, just order one--what choice did I have?) Is the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS Telephoto Zoom Lens perfection? Absolutely not. Does it perform far above this old ex-pros expectations? You bet it does, and for a price that is, in my opinion, way below its worth. Addendum: I forgot to put in my two cents re: the noise mentioned by other reviewers. Noise levels may vary depending on the lens you get--I cant speak to what others are experiencing. However, my lens makes no more noise during focusing than any autofocus lens Ive used or been around. The stabilization mechanism makes a mild, almost humorous crackling sound--kinda like paper being wadded up--but on my lens, there has to be dead silence around me in order to hear it. I never notice it under typical shooting conditions--and believe me, no one is more sensitive to noise than I am.

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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!

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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!

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This is a good lens for those wanting to step up from an 18-55mm kit lens. It feels nice in hand and is easy to hold and switch out. The base is plastic, which isnt a big problem unless youre really throwing your camera around. I used this lens with an old Canon Digital Rebel (300D) and had no problems with it. The stabilization is great, but sometimes the focusing is a little slow. I havent missed any shots because of it, and at last resort, you can put it in manual focus and go from there.

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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).

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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.

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