Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Meike 25mm f/1.8 25mm
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 25mm f/1.8 25mm
This manual lens is praised for its solid metal build, smooth focus and aperture rings, and excellent value for money. Users find it ideal for landscape, astrophotography, and video work where manual control is acceptable. However, some report the de-clicked aperture ring moves too easily, depth-of-field markings are inaccurate, and the lens cap is loose. Overall, it delivers impressive image quality for the price, especially when used with a tripod and focus magnifier.
Pros
- Solid metal build quality
- Smooth focus and aperture rings
- Excellent value for money
- Sharp image quality when focused
- Great for astrophotography
Cons
- De-clicked aperture ring moves too easily
- Inaccurate depth-of-field markings
- Loose lens cap
- Focus past infinity on some samples
- Not sharp wide open
Scores
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Meike 25mm f/1.8 25mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | wide-angle |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 25 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 25 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 7 |
| Groups | 12 | 5 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | multi-layer nano optical coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | 4-5.6 | f/1.8 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7★ | — |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.38 kg | 0.19 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 49 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm | 250 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x★ | — |
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 (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong social proof (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Below average macro (34th percentile)
Meike 25mm f/1.8 25mm
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong macro (78th percentile)
- Strong social proof (74th percentile)
- Below average af (13th percentile)13th %ile
- Below average bokeh (28th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Verdict
Scores 84 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.