Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Meike 12mm f/2.8 12mm
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)
Meike 12mm f/2.8 12mm
This Meike 12mm f/2.8 ultrawide lens delivers impressive build quality and value for its price, especially for manual lens enthusiasts. However, users report several issues: the focus ring may feel loose or focus beyond infinity, sharpness can be soft at edges, and the f/2.8 aperture seems darker than expected. While some praise its solid construction and good color saturation, others have encountered defects like a misaligned hood, cheap plastic build, or even the focus ring detaching. Overall, it's a decent budget option for mirrorless cameras but requires careful handling and realistic expectations.
Pros
- Solid build quality
- Good value for money
- Smooth focus and aperture rings
- Well controlled flare
- Good color saturation
Cons
- Focus ring may detach
- Soft resolution at edges
- f/2.8 aperture seems darker
- Focus beyond infinity issue
- Misaligned lens hood
Scores
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Meike 12mm f/2.8 12mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 12 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 12 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 12 |
| Groups | 12 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | Multi-Layer Nano Coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/22 |
| Min Aperture | 4-5.6 | f/2.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Micro Four Thirds |
| Format | APS-C★ | micro-four-thirds |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | — |
| Weight | 0.38 kg | 0.36 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 72 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm | 100 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x★ | — |
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)
Meike 12mm f/2.8 12mm
- Strong macro (91st percentile)91st %ile
- Strong build (67th percentile)
- Below average user sentiment (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
- Below average bokeh (25th percentile)
Pricing
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 1.3x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 86 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.
