Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Canon
86 Overall Score
vs
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
Zeiss
48 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
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
No customer feedback yet
Scores
Budget
Travel
Street
Portrait
Wildlife Sports
Video Cinema
Landscape
Professional
Macro
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 50 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 50 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 6 |
| Groups | 12 | 4 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1★ | — |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | T* |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/1.5 |
| Min Aperture | 4-5.6 | f/1.5 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 10★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Leica M |
| Format | APS-C | full-frame★ |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | — |
| Weight | 0.38 kg | 0.25 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 46 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM★ | manual focus only |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm★ | 900 mm |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x★ | 0.0520833333 |
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)
Zeiss ZM 1407-218-L 50mm
- Strong bokeh (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
- Strong build (79th percentile)
- Below average af (15th percentile)15th %ile
- Below average optical (18th percentile)18th %ile
- Below average macro (24th percentile)
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
Verdict
Winner: Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Scores 86 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.