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

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

Canon
84 Overall Score
vs
Sigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS

Sigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS

Sigma
68 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

Sigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS

85 out of 100 high confidence 118 reviews

Reviewers consistently praise the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Sports Lens for its stellar image sharpness, fast autofocus, and excellent build quality, often calling it a fantastic value compared to pricier OEM alternatives. Many users highlight the internal zoom and solid magnesium construction as standout features. The most common and significant drawback is the lens's heavy weight, which can cause fatigue during extended handheld use. A few users also note a tight zoom ring initially and incompatibility with some filter systems.

Pros
  • Exceptional image sharpness
  • Fast and accurate autofocus
  • Excellent build quality
  • Great value for the money
  • Internal zoom mechanism
Cons
  • Heavy weight
  • Non-removable tripod collar
  • Tight zoom ring initially
  • No front filter threads
  • Limited button customization
👍 Image quality 38
👍 Autofocus performance 32
👍 Build quality 28
👍 Value for money 24
👎 Weight 26
👍 Stabilization 12

Scores

Budget
Canon
93
Sigma
68
Travel
Canon
81
Sigma
61
Portrait
Canon
80
Sigma
51
Street
Canon
79
Sigma
51
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Sigma
64
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Sigma
71
Macro
Canon
62
Sigma
74
Landscape
Canon
70
Sigma
72
Professional
Canon
67
Sigma
65

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMSigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min55 mm70 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm200 mm
Elements1520
Groups1215
Aspherical Elements03★
ED Elements110★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingSuper Multi-Layer Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/22
Min Aperture4-5.6f/2.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades711★
Build
MountCanon EF-SSony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg★1.34 kg
Filter Thread58 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★HSM
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops4 stops7.5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm650 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:5.2★

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 (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile
  • Below average macro (32nd percentile)

Sigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS

  • Strong optical (100th percentile)100th %ile
  • Strong stabilization (100th percentile)100th %ile
  • Strong versatility (80th percentile)80th %ile
  • Strong social proof (71st percentile)
  • Below average build (20th percentile)20th %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is ¥107,861 cheaper (2.4x less).

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

Sigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS

Verdict

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

Scores 84 overall, wins 7 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 22 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelPortraitProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

Sigma Sports 70-200mm f/2.8 DG DN OS Better at:

MacroLandscape

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