Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Canon has a truly immense selection of telephoto lenses. Under $1000, you have your pick of a number of variants and if you have an APS-C camera (Rebel, 60/70D, 7D, etc)this new EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 STM will give you the best combination of focal range and image quality. It is stunningly sharp throughout the range, incredibly quiet, quick focusing, and the front element is stationary during focus What other options do you have that are IMO not as desirable? 70-200mm f/4L - Good optics, but lacks Image Stabilization which is key for long telephotos. Focal range starts off a bit too long for APS-C. 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS USM - Good from 70-200, but is soft from 200-300mm and the front lens moves during focus. Also noisy as it MicroUSM. Focal range starts off a bit too long for APS-C. 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III - Overall a pretty terrible lens compared to any of the above, stay away from this one 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS - Relatively sharp, though not nearly as good as the new 55-250, has front focusing, and is much slower/noisier in focusing. So overall under $1000 this lens is your best bet. The only disadvantage I can think of is that the mount is plastic instead of metal, though given the light weight of the lens I dont think that will be too much of an issue over time. Another negative is that the hood (ET-63) is sold separately for $25 and it is all plastic, does not even have felt lining like the inside of most Canon hoods. Overall though, this lens is your best bet under $1k if your camera is APS-C/EF-S mount.

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Pixel peepers may disagree, but I would argue that there is no significant difference between the image quality output of this sub-300 dollar lens and a "professional grade" lens priced at or north of 1000 dollars when mounted on an APS-C body with apertures set equivalent. I think people who own APS-C bodies (Canon Rebels, 70D, 7D, etc) often assume a common fallacy when they begin to covet expensive lenses such as the Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II: that "professional" glass will consistently yield significantly sharper images. I know I did until I did some testing and found that for the majority of use cases this is simply not true. Most of your pictures will be viewed by others at a resolution and size where the human eye simply cannot objectively discern a difference in sharpness between pictures taken with this lens vs. a professional lens (stopped down to the same aperture and mounted on the same camera body). So please APS-C camera body owners, do not go down the gear acquisition rabbit hole of buying expensive lenses without truly assessing where the value resides. Understand that what this lens does not provide is the ability to shoot at low apertures. That is the primary gain of mounting a more expensive EF professional lens on your crop body. Low apertures are beneficial for low light situations and subject isolation (fyi. even f5.6 produces really good shallow depth of field at 200+ mm that would satisfy most non-commercial applications which the Canon 55-250mm IS STM can do). But if low light photography and fancy super blurry backgrounds is really your thing, then instead spend those big bucks towards a full frame camera. Your APS-C body with that expensive lens is the wrong combination for that application. Of course others will praise the build quality/ruggedness and weather sealing as other values of a more expensive, professional lens.... whatever... I feel a lot less nervous taking this cheap lens on rugged adventures, knowing at most Im out a few hundred bucks vs. thousands in the unlikely event that I damage my gear. So if you have a legitimate need to shoot 70-200mm at f2.8 or even at f4 then by all means pay the extra thousand bucks for a fancier lens than this one. Please understand that its not a significant image quality gain, but instead it is actually a gain in versatility. Otherwise know that the Canon 55-250 IS STM lens will give you brilliant, sharp images within its very reasonable aperture limitations at a price that is affordable.

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The EF-S 55-250 4-5.6 IS STM is a petite and ultra lightweight 4.5x telezoom aimed at hobbyists and light packers. It’s an EF-S lens and thus compatible only with APS-C (1.6x crop) DSLRs such as Rebels, 70D, 80D, etc. BUILD is light duty and, at a slender 2.8” x 4.4,” similar in size to a typical Micro Four Thirds telezoom. Fit and finish are very good with quality plastics, sturdy switches, smooth turning rings and a wobble-free nested barrel. The weak point is probably the plastic mount. OPTICAL QUALITY: This lens is sharp across the frame and compares well to my EF 70-200 4L IS USM, a four times more expensive lens! Yes, it exhibits slightly more light falloff and flares more easily than the L zoom, but is impressive nonetheless. FOCUS: A rear element focusing group is driven by a stepping motor (STM) and is peppy, accurate and sure-footed on my 70D and 80D. However, it’s less sure-footed on my SL1 in low light due to the lessor AF system of the Rebel (only one cross point). The front element doesnt rotate or extend during focusing, allowing easy use of polarizing filters. This zoom was designed with video in mind and the STM drive is silky smooth, just the right focus speed and perfect for pulls and movie servo. Focus is silent to camera mics as is the image stabilization (IS). The focus-by-wire manual focus (MF) works without switching out of AF mode: grip and turn the ring with the shutter button half depressed. ZOOM: The zoom ring is large, covered with ribbed rubber, well damped and doesn’t creep. It’s also very smooth when rotated. A nested barrel extends considerably—adding about 2 inches in length--when racked out to 250 mm. IMAGE STABILIZATION: Because this lens is so light, it’s tricky to hold steady compared to my EF 70-200 4L IS USM. Nevertheless, the IS feature insures I almost always get a sharp picture, even three stops below my normal hand held shutter speed at 55mm, e.g., 1/15 sec. At 250mm I can only squeeze out two extra stops, e.g., 1/60 sec. I do a stop or two better with my heavier EF 70-200 4L IS USM due to less bobbing around! LENS HOOD: Use a hood to protect this lens from stray light, doggie noses and raindrops. A hood is not included but the optional Canon ET-63 Lens Hood is pricey at 25 shekels. FINAL BLURB: This an ideal telezoom for travel and weekend sports shooters. Considering the cost and performance ratio, this is a truly excellent telezoom. I love the petite size, zoom range, AF speed/smoothness and sharpness of this lens. Coupled with my 80D, it makes a wonderfully versatile, nimble and lightweight travel combo. I feel confident to shoot in most situations and bring back sharp images and videos.

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Pictures are sharp all the way through focal range, and colors are true. Fast silent focusing. I would buy again and recommend to my friends. Using on a Canon 70d. The hawk photo was taken at 250mm, very over cast day, shutter speed 320, f8, and 1600 iso. The butterfly was taken at 250mm, shutter speed 400, f5.6, and 100 iso.

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Bought the lens from RizCamera, it turns out to be a great lens. Mounted on my 7-year-old xsi/450d, it focuses accurately and produces great photos. Compared with a number of different lens including the FF L lens and this is the only one with best image quality and reasonably priced. The only lens can beat this lens are Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 II L and Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 DI VC. However both of them are 5 times the price of this lens. If you know this lens and use only the optimal focal distance and aperture, you can make this lens really shine. Attached some samples, the lion shot is taken at 1/50 @ focal distance 250mm and was a mistake on my side, but the IS on this lens really works and turns out fine. Great lens, highly recommended.

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Im a photo enthusiast and this lens fits my needs well. I like a quiet, lightweight, and sharp lens and enjoy doing portraits, events, stills, and wildlife. The first thing you will notice is there is NO sound when focusing. None of the motor sound when you are focusing on your subject. Its one of those things where you have to try it to believe it. The image quality is also outstanding for this price point. I used it for a portrait shoot, and it delivered exceptional quality! Better than I was expecting and I was thoroughly impressed by the sharpness. This lens is also lightweight so it wont feel like you are carrying around a brick after doing a photo shoot for 1-2 hours. I would highly encourage those of you who are beginners, photo enthusiasts, or hobbyists, who are looking for a decent lens without breaking your budget, to buy this lens and the nifty 50mm f/1.8. Gives you the best bang for your buck!

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I REALLY love this lens. I found this used (new/returned) on amazon. Very noticeable difference when compared to the kit lens that came with my camera. (Rebel 6ti) Having a tripod definitely helps when shooting objects that are farther away. This is a great compliment to my nifty 50. This will absolutely do the job until I can buy a "L" lens and thrilled with the 3rd party I used.

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This version of the 55 250 joins the 50mm f1.8 "Plastic Fantastic" as the "Plastic Fantastic Zoom." IMHO this thing shoots way, way above its price and its silent to boot. Just dont expect plastic to take the abuse a pro lens will tolerate. Be careful with it!! There are online reviews that support my fine experience.

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Bought this lens after plenty of reading. Its a great lens for a APS-C camera. I use it on my 70D. You cant beat the price. Although if I would sell the pictures or use it as a business, I would invest in a more expensive lens. There are more sharper lenses in my opinion. This one is a bit dark on the edges, specially in 250mm. You do get great pictures! Lots of fun!

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Buying this lens as a manufacturer refurbished lens I saved over $140.00. Upon its arrival I inspected it very closely for any flaws in or on the lens as well as the complete exterior. I couldnt find a single scratch, ding, dent. The lens was free from scratches and I found no fungus or moisture in the lens. Additionally there is a 1 yr manufacturers warranty on the lens from the date of purchase. This lens is definitely a consumer grade lens its construction is entirely plastic including the mount. It came with both end caps but no hood, luckily happen to have a petal hood which fits. The STM is flawless not a whisper of noise, it focuses quite fast, and actually produced quite sharp photographs as long as you stay away from the long end of the lens where it loses some of its sharpness. I can only say I was impressed with the sharpness from 70 through 200 mm.

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