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, it's much lighter than my 70-200mm, and less expensive too.
2. Compact - By comparison, it isn't 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. It's 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. I'm 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 can't 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 don't 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 isn't a very fast focus either. This is because it is using a micro motor for focus and this isn't 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 isn't 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 isn't 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. I've 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. I've 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 doesn't 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 you're good there. I think the T4i was the first in Canon's 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 can't recommend it over the IS STM version, or 70-300mm IS II I've 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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Compare with similar items
 | Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 is STM | Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 is STM Lens for Canon SLR Cameras (Renewed) | Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras, 6473A003 (Renewed) | Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS II Telephoto Zoom Lens (Renewed) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Customer Rating | (3425) | (2488) | (4084) | (698) | (471) | (83) |
| Price | $169.00 | $299.00 | $199.00 | $224.99 | $177.99 | $203.99 |
| Sold By | SKR camera store | Adorama | Dodd Camera | Global Camera USA | Global Camera USA | Global Camera USA |
| Item Dimensions | 4.25 x 2.76 x 2.76 inches | 4.37 x 2.76 x 2.76 inches | 4.8 x 2.8 x 2.8 inches | 4.4 x 2.8 x 2.8 inches | 8.9 x 5.35 x 5.4 inches | 4.25 x 2.76 x 2.76 inches |
| Item Weight | 0.86 lbs | 0.83 lbs | 1.06 lbs | 0.16 ounces | 1.10 lbs | — |
| Lens Type | zoom | Telephoto | Telephoto | Telephoto | Telephoto | Telephoto |
| Maximum Aperture | f/5.6 | f/5.6 | 5.5 | 1.4 millimeters | f/4.0 | f/4.0 |
| Maximum Focal Length | 250 millimeters | 250 | 300 millimeters | 250 millimeters | 300.00 millimeters | 250 millimeters |
| Maximum Aperture Range | F4.0 - F5.6 | F4.0 - F5.6 | F4.0 - F5.6 | — | — | — |
| Maximum Format Size | APS-C / DX | APS-C / DX | 35mm full frame | APS-C | Full Frame | APS-C |
| Minimum Aperture | 32 | 32 | f/0 | 22 | f/45.00 | — |
| Minimum Focal Length | 55 millimeters | 55 | 75 millimeters | 55 millimeters | 75.0 millimeters | 55 millimeters |
| Minimum Operating Distance | 1.1 meters | 0.85 meters | 1.5 meters | — | — | — |
| Photo Filter Thread Size | 58 millimeters | 58 millimeters | 58 millimeters | — | 58.0 millimeters | — |
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This is my lens for shooting nature. Love it.
M. Symonds
Good price to quality ratio, but overall mediocre
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2017
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!Pros1. 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, it's much lighter than my 70-200mm, and less expensive too.2. Compact - By comparison, it isn't 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. It's 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. I'm 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 can't 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 don't 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.)Cons1. 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 isn't a very fast focus either. This is because it is using a micro motor for focus and this isn't 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 isn't 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 isn't 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. I've 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. I've 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 doesn't 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 you're good there. I think the T4i was the first in Canon's 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 can't recommend it over the IS STM version, or 70-300mm IS II I've 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!
Reviewed in the United States on February 3, 2017
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Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 3, 2017
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, it's much lighter than my 70-200mm, and less expensive too.
2. Compact - By comparison, it isn't 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. It's 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. I'm 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 can't 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 don't 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 isn't a very fast focus either. This is because it is using a micro motor for focus and this isn't 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 isn't 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 isn't 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. I've 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. I've 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 doesn't 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 you're good there. I think the T4i was the first in Canon's 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 can't recommend it over the IS STM version, or 70-300mm IS II I've 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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Good price to quality ratio, but overall mediocre
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 3, 2017
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...Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on February 3, 2017
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, it's much lighter than my 70-200mm, and less expensive too.
2. Compact - By comparison, it isn't 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. It's 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. I'm 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 can't 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 don't 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 isn't a very fast focus either. This is because it is using a micro motor for focus and this isn't 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 isn't 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 isn't 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. I've 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. I've 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 doesn't 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 you're good there. I think the T4i was the first in Canon's 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 can't recommend it over the IS STM version, or 70-300mm IS II I've 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!
Images in this review
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I found this lens used in very good condition and I could not be more impressed! It's been very versatile. I can't wait to bring it our next trip, but for now I've added some photos not far from home.
Images in this review
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