Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm
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)
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm
The Viltrox 56mm f/1.7 is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, lightweight design, and outstanding value for money. Users consistently highlight its impressive image quality, with sharp details and pleasing bokeh, often comparing it favorably to much more expensive lenses. While the autofocus is generally reliable for portraits and stills, some users note it can be noisy and not as fast as native Fuji lenses. A few isolated concerns about dust ingress and the plastic build have been mentioned, but overall sentiment is overwhelmingly positive.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Lightweight and compact design
- Excellent value for money
- Pleasing bokeh
- Good low-light performance
Cons
- Noisy autofocus (some users)
- Autofocus slower than native lenses
- Plastic build
- Dust ingress reported
- No physical aperture ring
Scores
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 56 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 56 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 11 |
| Groups | 12 | 9 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0★ | — |
| ED Elements | 1 | 4★ |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | high-definition nano-multilayer coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/16 |
| Min Aperture | 4-5.6 | f/1.7 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 9★ |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | — |
| Weight | 0.38 kg | 0.17 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 52 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM | STM |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm | 550 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x | 1:9.09★ |
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 (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average macro (33rd percentile)
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm
- Strong build (88th percentile)88th %ile
- Strong af (86th percentile)86th %ile
- Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Strong optical (71st percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox AF 56/1.7 XF 56mm offers 2.0x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 84 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 3 of 22 specs.
