Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM
What Buyers Say
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
The Viltrox lenses are overwhelmingly praised for their exceptional value, delivering sharp image quality, solid build, and fast autofocus at a fraction of the cost of name-brand alternatives. Many users highlight the impressive performance for portraits, landscapes, and street photography, with particular acclaim for the 135mm f/1.8 and 16mm f/1.8 models. A few isolated complaints mention autofocus struggles in low light, vignetting, and minor quality control issues, but the overall sentiment is highly positive.
Pros
- Exceptional value for money
- Sharp image quality
- Solid build construction
- Fast and accurate autofocus
- Lightweight and compact design
Cons
- Autofocus struggles in low light
- Vignetting at wide apertures
- Minor chromatic aberration
- No weather sealing
- Autofocus noise audible
Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 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)
Scores
Specifications
| Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm | Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | wide-angle | telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 14 mm | 55 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 14 mm | 250 mm |
| Elements | 12 | 15 |
| Groups | 9 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 2★ | 0 |
| ED Elements | 4★ | 1 |
| Coating | HD multilayer nano coating | Super Spectra coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/16 | f/5.6 |
| Min Aperture | f/4 | 4-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Sony E | Canon EF-S |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.17 kg★ | 0.38 kg |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM | STM |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 4 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 130 mm★ | 250 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.23x | 0.29x★ |
Pros & Cons
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm
- Strong build (95th percentile)95th %ile
- Strong social proof (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong optical (84th percentile)84th %ile
- Below average bokeh (30th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
- Below average stabilization (35th percentile)
Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
- Strong versatility (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong social proof (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
Pricing
Viltrox Air AF 14/4.0 FE 14mm offers 1.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 79 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.
