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 Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm

Sigma Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm

Sigma
75 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 Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Budget
Canon
90
Sigma
69
Travel
Canon
85
Sigma
66
Street
Canon
81
Sigma
83
Portrait
Canon
80
Sigma
80
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Sigma
63
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Sigma
71
Professional
Canon
68
Sigma
75
Landscape
Canon
74
Sigma
53
Macro
Canon
62
Sigma
68

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMSigma Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min55 mm45 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm45 mm
Elements158
Groups127
Aspherical Elements0★—
ED Elements1★—
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingSuper Multi-Layer Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/2.8
Min Aperture4-5.6f/2.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades77
Build
MountCanon EF-SSony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg0.21 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm55 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★stepping motor
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm240 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:4★

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 Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm

  • Strong build (90th percentile)90th %ile
  • Strong aperture (88th percentile)88th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is £264 cheaper (2.0x less).

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM0.318score per dollar
vs
Sigma Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm0.141score per dollar

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 2.3x better value for money

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

Sigma Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm

Verdict

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

Scores 86 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.

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

BudgetTravelLandscapeVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Sigma Contemporary 45mm f/2.8 DG DN 45mm Better at:

MacroProfessional

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