Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens Reviews
Posted on December 18, 2007
Compact and lightweight, the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS offers the longest zoom range in the EF-S series to date. The 88-400mm equivalent focal length opens up new framing possibilities for owners of EF-S mount cameras shooting wildlife, sports and travel photography. Optical quality is assured through a UD element, which minimizes chromatic aberrations that could otherwise cause reduced contrast and color fringing.
Reviews
The one great feature the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens has beyond just the basics is a 4-stop Image Stabilizer with vertical and horizontal auto-panning detection. With IS switched on, A half-press of the camera shutter release results in a much less jittery view through the viewfinder.
Technically the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is a tiny lens with a great performance potential. The resolution is very good across the range. Chromatic aberrations are basically a non-issue. The level of distortions remain moderate. The most obvious flaw is, unsurprisingly, vignetting at large apertures. The build quality is fine for a lens in this class and it is one step up from the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS that we’ve seen here recently.
Where to Buy
First off, consider going to your local camera store (and I don’t necessarily mean Wolf Camera at the mall). By going to your local camera store, you’re supporting your community and you just might build a lasting relationship with people you can rely on when you need some help or answers. If you’re buying online, I recommend sticking with Amazon, B&H Photo and Adorama. These three vendors are reliable, trustworthy and generally have the best (legitimate) prices.
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15 Responses to “Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS Lens Reviews”
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Is this available anywhere in the US yet? the only place i can find it is on ebay http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&Item=280188022278&Category=152380
That’s the only place that I’ve seen it too. $400 seems a little steep though, especially considering what Nikon’s similar 55-200 VR zoom costs.
$400 on ebay is not that bad considering it retails at Henry’s ( a Canadian retailer) for $350 + tax and shipping. Compared to Canon’s 70-300mm IS it it about $300 dollars cheaper for almost the same focal range. this one is plastic thou
Can you please let me know where you can get the 70-300mm IS for about $300?
vilimio,
I think he was saying the 55-250mm lens is $300 cheaper (that’s not quite accurate, but what I think he was saying nonetheless). I think the 70-300mm is hard to find for less than $500.
Good news is that the new 55-250mm lens is $299 in the US now.
The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is available at Digital Rev (link edit - ed.) for $288 AU and also for UK, US, Canada and the rest of the world.
Cheers
Can anyone tell me whether or not this lens would be good for sports photography in low light. I photograph the high sxhool football team and sometime they have night games. I am new to the dslr game and every dealer i talk to just confuses me more. Help..
Mary - While this lens has a nice zoom range, it wouldn’t work very well for sports at night. In fact, I wouldn’t choose it for sports photography at all.
First, low light photography needs a large aperture - that’s the “f” number that you see after the length measurement. You would need something like Canon’s 70-200mm f/2.8, which runs about $1000. There is also an “IS” version that’s about $1500. Sigma has a good 70-200mm f/2.8 that runs about $800, which I have and love. Canon also has a prime lens that is fixed 200mm f/2.8 for about $650.
Second, this lens does not have an internal USM autofocus motor like the more expensive models that I referenced above. This will hurt your AF tracking on moving subjects, resulting in less keepers. This is the reason that I would not choose it for sports.
Since you’re new to the DSLR game, let me recommend some books on this page. Particularly, take a closer look at Understanding Exposure by Bryan Peterson. This book is one of those that will make you a better photographer.
Good luck and feel free to ask more questions along the way.
Eric:
thank you so much for your input. its nice to get advice from someone who isnt trying to sell me something. Unfortunately, I am on a lmited budget and can’t afford a lens in the $1,000.00 to $1,500.00 range. I saw the feedback above and just had to ask. I have a Fiji S9100 (9mp) that takes great sports pictures, but of course when I campared the pictures to the slr a friend of mine has, it clearly doesnt compare. He uses the Nikon D40 (6.1mp) and it blew my pictures out of the water. So I bought the canon Rebel XT. (8mp) it came with the 55mm is lens so now i need a telephoto lens as well. Since I take pictures for the high school football team, I am on the sidelines(not in the stands). but I really hate running up and down the field. (just lazy I guess) so now that I told you my life story. How about the EF 75-300 f/4-5.6 III USM. all the ads I see say its great for sports photography. i realize it doesnt have the image stabilizer. I will deal with the night games as I go. 8 out 10 games are during the day anyway. and I am going to buy that book and was thinging of taking a few classess at the community college as well. I really enjoy the sport photography and want to make my pictures better. what do you think about this lens? I could robably go up to $550.00 for a lens.
Mary,
At $550, you could probably find the 200mm f/2.8 L lens used. Additionally, you could grab the 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS lens or the 70-200mm f/4 L. Neither of these lenses will perform as well in low light due to the minimum aperture of f/4. You will have trouble getting a shutter speed that is fast enough to stop the action, which will result in motion blur.
However, we cannot pick and choose our budgets. If you’ve got $550 to spend, I would choose the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS (image stabilization). Paired with the Rebel XT, this is an effective lens. It will be great for daytime games. Hopefully, you can boost your ISO to 1600 and get reasonable results under the lights. The USM will help with autofocus and the IS will steady your image at those long telephoto lengths.
thank you once again. but you brought up another question. I know I’m being a pain. Please bear with me. You brought up the canon fixed 200mm f/2.8. what does it mean fixed. does that mean you are stuck at 200mm, as opposed to 70-300. Like I said with my Fuji I didnt have all these options. I used the shutter priority and took pictures..
whether or not you realize, you have explained many things to me that dealers did not. At least you put it in lamant’s terms so I understand. I really do want to thank you for all your help and I will try not to bother you so much.
Mary, it’s no bother at all. That’s why Photography Bay is here.
When you see focal lengths like 200mm or 70-300mm, those relate to field of view of the lens. Obviously, something at 300mm is going to appear a lot closer/bigger than something at 70mm.
You will hear several folks talk about “primes” and “zooms”. Primes are fixed focal length lenses, like the 200mm f/2.8 that I referenced above. Zooms will, as the name implies, zoom throughout a range of focal lengths. While there are many excellent zooms out there, some of which we’ve discussed, primes are often heralded has providing superior image quality.
Again, Bryan Peterson’s book will help explain some of these concepts. You may even consider reading it prior to making your lens purchase.
You are always welcome to comment as often as you like.
thank you once again. I am going to buy the book. Have a great day. You have really helped me.
I am buying the Canon Rebel xsi kit. Since the lens goes to only 55 mm I need another lens. I shoot travel, landscapes, and outdoor scenery and animals when I can see them. I’m looking at the new lens that Canon is coming out with this spring: the 55-250 IS. It’s an f4/-5.6…will that lens work? I don’t do much shooting at night. If anyone can recommend a better lens by Canon, Tamron or Sigma with the optical stabilization I would appreciate the help. I have the Peterson Understanding Exposure book and the two Kelby books on digital photography which are very helpful.
Thanks.