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
Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS

Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS

Sony
69 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

Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS

82 out of 100 high confidence 128 reviews

The Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS lens is widely praised as a versatile, sharp all-around zoom for full-frame E-mount cameras, ideal for travel and everyday use. Users love the focal range, image quality, and stabilization, though some note it's heavy and pricey for an f/4 lens. A few report focus issues or a squeaky zoom ring, but overall it's considered a top choice for a do-it-all lens.

Pros
  • Versatile focal range
  • Sharp image quality
  • Effective OSS stabilization
  • Great for travel
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
  • Heavy weight
  • Expensive for f/4
  • Intermittent focus issues
  • Squeaky zoom ring
  • No sunstars
👍 Image quality 45
👍 Versatility 30
👎 Weight 12
🤔 Value for money 15
🤔 Autofocus performance 10
👍 Stabilization 8

Scores

Budget
Canon
90
Sony
72
Travel
Canon
85
Sony
82
Street
Canon
81
Sony
57
Landscape
Canon
74
Sony
81
Portrait
Canon
80
Sony
50
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Sony
63
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Sony
71
Professional
Canon
68
Sony
70
Macro
Canon
62
Sony
62

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMSony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min55 mm24 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm105 mm
Elements1517
Groups1214
Aspherical Elements04★
ED Elements13★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingNano AR and Fluorine Coatings
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/22
Min Aperture4-5.6f/4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SSony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg★0.66 kg
Filter Thread58 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★Direct Drive Super Sonic Wave AF Motor
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm380 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x0.31x★

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)

Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS

  • Strong optical (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong social proof (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong versatility (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong stabilization (79th percentile)
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (25th percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is €506 cheaper (2.4x less).

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM0.246score per dollar
vs
Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS0.081score per dollar

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 3.0x better value for money

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

Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS

Verdict

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

Scores 86 overall, wins 6 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Sony FE 24-105mm f/4 G OSS Better at:

Landscape

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