Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM

Canon
87 Overall Score
vs
Sigma DC DN 30mm F 1.4 DC DN 30mm

Sigma DC DN 30mm F 1.4 DC DN 30mm

Sigma
79 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 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 DC DN 30mm F 1.4 DC DN 30mm

82 out of 100 high confidence 245 reviews

The Sigma 30mm f/1.4 DC DN Contemporary lens is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, fast f/1.4 aperture, and beautiful bokeh, making it a favorite for low-light and portrait photography on APS-C cameras. Users consistently highlight its solid build quality and excellent value for money. However, some reviewers report inconsistent autofocus, particularly at longer distances, and occasional chromatic aberration or vignetting wide open. A few copies have exhibited noisy or unreliable AF motors, especially in video mode.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Fast f/1.4 aperture
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Solid build quality
  • Excellent value for money
Cons
  • Inconsistent autofocus at distance
  • Chromatic aberration wide open
  • Vignetting wide open
  • Noisy AF motor in some copies
  • Soft corners at f/1.4
👍 Image quality 45
🤔 Autofocus performance 30
👍 Build quality 28
👍 Low light performance 25
👍 Value for money 22
👍 Bokeh 18

Scores

Budget
Canon
94
Sigma
74
Portrait
Canon
78
Sigma
88
Street
Canon
80
Sigma
87
Professional
Canon
69
Sigma
83
Video Cinema
Canon
78
Sigma
78
Macro
Canon
68
Sigma
74
Travel
Canon
74
Sigma
66
Landscape
Canon
74
Sigma
63
Wildlife Sports
Canon
71
Sigma
61

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STMSigma DC DN 30mm F 1.4 DC DN 30mm
Optics
Typetelephotoprime
Focal Length Min55 mm30 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm30 mm
Elements159
Groups127
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements15★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingSuper Multi-Layer Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/1.4
Min Aperture4-5.6f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SCanon RF
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg0.27 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm52 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★HSM
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm★300 mm
Max Magnification0.29x1:7.14★

Pros & Cons

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 (81st percentile)81st %ile

Sigma DC DN 30mm F 1.4 DC DN 30mm

  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong build (87th percentile)87th %ile
  • Strong optical (78th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Verdict

★ Winner: Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM

Scores 87 overall, wins 4 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM Better at:

BudgetTravelLandscapeWildlife Sports

Sigma DC DN 30mm F 1.4 DC DN 30mm Better at:

MacroStreetPortraitProfessional