Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Canon
86 Overall Score
vs
Sigma Art 270101 70mm

Sigma Art 270101 70mm

Sigma
72 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

82 out of 100 high confidence 331 reviews

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)
👍 Image quality 45
👍 Autofocus performance 30
👍 Value for money 35
🤔 Build quality 20
👍 Image stabilization 18
🤔 Sharpness at long end 25

Sigma Art 270101 70mm

85 out of 100 high confidence 34 reviews

The Sigma 70mm f/2.8 Art macro lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional sharpness, image quality, and value. Users praise its compact, lightweight design and versatility for macro, portrait, and product photography. While autofocus speed is a common criticism, especially at macro distances, most reviewers find it acceptable given the lens's price and optical performance. Some minor issues include focus hunting, lack of image stabilization, and a firmware bug affecting focus retention.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Great value for money
  • Compact and lightweight
  • Versatile for macro and portraits
  • Beautiful bokeh
Cons
  • Slow autofocus
  • Focus hunting at macro distances
  • No image stabilization
  • Lens extends when focusing
  • Firmware bug with focus retention
👍 Image quality 20
👎 Autofocus speed 15
👍 Value for money 12
👍 Build quality 8
👍 Versatility 7
👎 Focus hunting 5

Scores

Budget
Canon
90
Sigma
62
Travel
Canon
85
Sigma
40
Portrait
Canon
80
Sigma
83
Macro
Canon
62
Sigma
82
Street
Canon
82
Sigma
69
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Sigma
52
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Sigma
71
Landscape
Canon
74
Sigma
49
Professional
Canon
68
Sigma
70

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMSigma Art 270101 70mm
Optics
Typezoommacro
Focal Length Min55 mm70 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm70 mm
Elements1513
Groups1210
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements13★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingSuper multi-layer lens coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/2.8
Min Aperture4-5.6f/2.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SL-Mount
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✗
Weight0.38 kg★0.53 kg
Filter Thread58 mm49 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★Coreless DC motor
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm258 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:1★

Pros & Cons

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

  • Strong stabilization (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong versatility (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong social proof (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average macro (31st percentile)

Sigma Art 270101 70mm

  • Strong bokeh (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong optical (84th percentile)84th %ile
  • Strong af (78th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Sigma Art 270101 70mm

No current pricing available

Verdict

★ Winner: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM

Scores 86 overall, wins 6 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM Better at:

BudgetStreetTravelLandscapeVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Sigma Art 270101 70mm Better at:

MacroPortrait

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