Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
What Buyers Say
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens is widely praised for its excellent sharpness, fast and silent autofocus, and lightweight design, making it a fantastic value for amateur photographers and wildlife enthusiasts. Many users highlight the impressive image quality at the long end and the effective image stabilization, though some note softness beyond 200mm and noticeable vignetting at full zoom. A few reviewers experienced quality control issues like blurry images or a non-functional focus ring, but the overwhelming consensus is that this lens delivers outstanding performance for its price point.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness for the price
- Fast and silent STM autofocus
- Lightweight and compact design
- Effective image stabilization
- Great value for money
Cons
- Softness beyond 200mm
- Noticeable vignetting at full zoom
- Plastic build quality
- Electronic manual focus requires camera power
- Slow maximum aperture (f/5.6 at 250mm)
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
The Tamron 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD lens is widely praised for its sharpness, versatile zoom range, constant aperture, and effective stabilization, making it an excellent all-around lens for APS-C cameras. Users appreciate its solid build quality and value for money, though many note it is noticeably heavier and larger than typical kit lenses, which can feel unbalanced on smaller camera bodies. A few reviewers mention minor issues like chromatic aberration at the longer end and noise from the aperture blades at certain settings, but overall sentiment is very positive.
Pros
- sharp image quality across zoom range
- constant f/2.8 aperture
- effective image stabilization
- fast and quiet autofocus
- versatile 17-70mm focal range
Cons
- heavy and large for APS-C body
- chromatic aberration at 50-70mm
- aperture blade noise above f/5.6
- short zoom throw initially stiff
- no aperture ring on Fuji version
Scores
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 17 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 70 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 16 |
| Groups | 12 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0 | 3★ |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | Fluorine Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/2.8 |
| Min Aperture | 4-5.6 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.38 kg★ | 0.54 kg |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 67 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM★ | RXD |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm | 190 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x | 1:4.8★ |
Pros & Cons
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong versatility (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average macro (33rd percentile)
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
- Strong optical (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong versatility (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
- Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
Pricing
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
No current pricing available
Tamron Di III 17-70mm f/2.8 Di III-A VC RXD
Verdict
Scores 97 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.
