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

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I am very happy with this lens. I bought this lens because I wanted a decent telephoto lens for taking pictures of my children, either playing sports or just playing. That being said, I did not need a professional lens, nor did I want to spend the money for one. What I did want was a good-quality lens that takes sharp pictures from a reasonable distance. And that, this lens delivers. I have been pleased with the photos I have taken with the lens and would absolutely recommend it to others.

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I got this lens a few weeks ago. I have wanted one for a long time. I got money back after returning an external drive. Which took MONTHS to work out. So, I got this. I knew my mom, step dad and I were going to the Baltimore Zoo. I tested them out at home first. I collect stamps. I took pictures of some of the stamps. They looked really good. The lens is easy to control. Depending on if your camera is on manual focus or not. Simple to use. Took nice looking pictures. Really let me get close to that which I wished to. I had added some pictures. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a low cost, beginner lens.

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I bought this after researching at length. I wanted a zoom for soccer games, nature photography, and other times when I want to get in closer outdoors. Im a relatively experienced amateur photographer and my camera is a T5. This lens has excellent quality and the autofocus motor isnt just quiet, it is absolutely silent from what my ears can hear. That and the superior optics (according to review) are what convinced me to pay $100 more than the discontinued-but-still-widely-available IS II version of this lens from Canon. The reviews are right--perfect choice to complement the 18-55mm kit lens that likely came with your camera body. It picks up where that one leaves off. The only downside is that youll wish your 18-55mm was as quiet as this one.

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The operative words here are "entry-level." If you have a Canon DSLR, chances are it came with the 18-55mm "kit lens," which by itself is a fairly sold kit offering, especially for outdoor photography with ample light. The next logical choice is a telephoto lens to reach out and pull in your subject a bit more. The 55-250mm is a logical choice as it is of the same build quality is the 18-55 kit lens, comes with image stabilization and autofocus, and doesnt break the bank. Canon also deliberately built this lens to pick up where the 18-55mm kit lens left off, so the two together give the user 18-250mm with no overlap, which is where most photography is done. If youre an amateur photographer looking to explore longer focal lengths this is a good starter. It seems also a widely sold lens, so there are a lot of white box and refurbished options saturating the market, so buying a cheap, lightly used 55-250 is easy to do. Be careful not to set your expectations too high - in fact, keep them on par with the 18-55 kit lens. This lens has a relatively limited aperture for its focal range, and what that means is that youll need ample light for clear shooting, or a stable platform from which to shoot (monopod, tripod, etc.). The IS function helps but cant do all the work. Indoor usage will probably warrant a flash, and Ive even had my camera tell me to use a full flash with this lens outdoors on a cloudy day. This is due to its limited aperture, which is fine. The rule of thumb I follow is for telephoto, I do not exceed a f-stop number higher than f/4, and for standard and wider lenses, f/2.8. This lens fits that rule at its widest but as you zoom, it will decrease its aperture and require more light or manual tweaking of shutter/ISO settings. Accessories are relatively cheap too - you owe it to yourself to protect the front with a 58mm filter and/or hood, but be advised that finding the right hood might be difficult because this lens extrudes as you torque it through its zoom range, so finding a hood that will work with that might be tricky. The real benefit of this lens is its value. For what you pay, you get a great entry level plastic telephoto lens on par with kit lenses. This will allow the amateur a way to grow in skill and explore more options. Ive used this lens for portrait work in the 100mm range and it worked well with an old Canon 300D. Ive even been lucky using this lens on a tripod pointed at a backyard bird bath during sunrise to capture all sorts of birds with pretty good results as far as beginning photography is concerned. Your money can go a long way with this lens. If you can master this lens with an older camera, it will prepare you for moving into more robust equipment. This lens combined with an older camera will give the amateur a lot to learn without spending a wheelbarrow of cash. Keeping your expectations for this lens realistic will help you learn the basics and provide you with the experience to know whether youre ready to step up to a lens of better build quality and performance. Its a great extension to your starter kit and highly recommended for beginners.

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Arrived in time and well packed. I got it through Amazon deal with SL1 camera. Excellent bundle saving offered by Amazon ( Order quickly with Bundle savings of $150, offer till 01 March 2014 on Amazon). Lens is light weight (377g instead of 391g) with advantage of super quite STM motor which is especially helpful in video making. The auto focus is quitter than previous version and also the front element do not rotate when zooming or focusing (helpful for using polarizing filters). This version also have manual focus override function (no need to change between AF and MF switch to do manual focus). Also close focus distance is decreased to 0.85m from 1.1m. Would highly recommend to buy this version over the previous version (IS II version) because of weight, faster autofocus, quite STM technology, manual override function and sharper images(IMO). Do not loose the opportunity to take advantage from Amazon bundle deal for this excellent lens, just order it and you will not regret IMO. Good value of money.

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This is a versatile lens and comes in handy in a variety of situations. My only complaint would be that it is effective down to about 10-15 ft and I wish it was more like 5. However that of course would be a complaint about which one you choose and not about quality. This is a QUALITY product. Consider a 35-135mm or a 35-250mm (if you can find it) when using an APS-C sensor. Good buy though!

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The sharpest cheap zoom you can buy. SHARPEST. SHARP SHARP SHARP. I said how amazing the sharpness is??? Well, IT IS AMAZING. The Image stabilization is also great, you can achieve very low shutter speeds handheld, even at the long end. And its light for the focal length it provides. The other option is the new 75-300 IS nano-USM, which I dont own, but reviews are great for that one also.

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Sharp shots. I love this lens. Highly recommend. Great for the price.

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So far i really love this lens. I do event photography and was hesitant about buying this lens for semi-professional work because its a kit lens, but it works great. Make sure you buy a lens hood, preferably get a reversible bayonet hood for convenience, or you may get bad contrast in your photos if light comes into the lens outside the scene, but that may also be a look you are going for.

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For the price, owners of APS-C sensor Canon cameras really cant beat this lens. As most reviews mention, youll need good light to shoot anything thats moving - anything below f/8, you wont get sharp action, and really f/10 is the sweet spot. But as an entry level telephoto, it produces excellent (even outstanding) results. As a bit of a side bonus, it does pretty decent macros all the way out at 250mm. Ive been using mine for almost a year now. Its incredibly versatile with it being an 88-400mm equivalent on crop sensors (which is the only place this works - wont match up with a full frame). I use it for long-throw landscapes, wildlife, macros, you name it. Auto focus is fast and nearly silent, as with all the new STM lenses. Cons: Sharp action shots are off the table in anything less than full light. With experience, you can compensate a bit, but its a tough proposition. Also, barrel creep may be a problem over time. After 10 months, mine will slowly extend out on its own when I walk around with it for a while. Thats about the worst thing I can say about this lens. Pros: Excellent sharpness in good light. Fast and easy to use, smooth action. IS will help those with less steady hands. Price is fantastic for what you get. Light. Travels well. Extremely versatile with a lot of reach.

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