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

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

Canon
84 Overall Score
vs
7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm

7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm

7Artisans
78 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

7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm

92 out of 100 medium confidence 21 reviews

The Sony FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II lens receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its sharpness, fast autofocus, and excellent low-light performance. Users appreciate its lightweight design compared to alternatives and find it a reliable professional tool for both photography and video. A few Q&A entries note that internal stabilizer movement when powered off is normal, not a defect.

Pros
  • Sharp image quality
  • Fast and snappy autofocus
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Lightweight design
  • Great for video
Cons
  • Internal stabilizer movement when off
  • Not parfocal
  • Focus-by-wire system
  • Manufactured in Thailand (perceived quality concern)
👍 Image quality 5
👍 Autofocus performance 4
👍 Low light performance 2
🤔 Build quality 5
👍 Weight and portability 2
👍 Video suitability 2

Scores

Budget
Canon
93
7Artisans
68
Portrait
Canon
79
7Artisans
88
Street
Canon
79
7Artisans
88
Video Cinema
Canon
77
7Artisans
85
Travel
Canon
81
7Artisans
57
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
7Artisans
64
Professional
Canon
67
7Artisans
74
Landscape
Canon
70
7Artisans
50
Macro
Canon
62
7Artisans
55

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm
Optics
Typezoomstandard
Focal Length Min55 mm35 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm35 mm
Elements1511
Groups128
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements11
CoatingSuper Spectra coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/1.8
Min Aperture4-5.6f/1.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades711★
Build
MountCanon EF-SSony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✗
Weight0.38 kg0.18 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm62 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTMSTM
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm400 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x★0.1x

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 (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
  • Below average macro (32nd percentile)

7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm

  • Strong bokeh (96th percentile)96th %ile
  • Strong aperture (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong user sentiment (91st percentile)91st %ile
  • Strong build (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Below average social proof (10th percentile)10th %ile
  • Below average macro (30th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Pricing

Both products are similarly priced.

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

7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm

Verdict

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

Scores 84 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetTravelLandscapeWildlife Sports

7Artisans AF35mm F1.8 35mm Better at:

StreetPortraitProfessionalVideo Cinema

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