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
Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

Nikon
72 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

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

78 out of 100 high confidence 74 reviews

The Nikon 24mm f/1.4G ED is widely praised for its exceptional sharpness, beautiful bokeh, and outstanding low-light performance, making it a favorite among professionals. However, a significant number of users report autofocus issues, particularly at distances beyond 30 feet or at wide apertures, which can be inconsistent across copies. Despite its high price, most agree it delivers superb image quality, though some note it is slightly soft wide open and heavy.

Pros
  • Exceptional sharpness
  • Beautiful bokeh
  • Excellent low-light performance
  • Fast aperture f/1.4
  • Good build quality
Cons
  • Autofocus issues at distance
  • Inconsistent AF across copies
  • Soft wide open at f/1.4
  • Heavy weight
  • High price
👍 Image quality 30
👎 Autofocus performance 15
👍 Low light performance 12
👍 Bokeh 10
👍 Build quality 8
🤔 Value for money 7

Scores

Budget
Canon
90
Nikon
66
Portrait
Canon
80
Nikon
86
Travel
Canon
85
Nikon
50
Street
Canon
81
Nikon
70
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Nikon
79
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Nikon
56
Professional
Canon
68
Nikon
78
Macro
Canon
62
Nikon
75
Landscape
Canon
74
Nikon
64

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMNikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min55 mm24 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm24 mm
Elements1512
Groups1210
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements12★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingNano Crystal Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/1.4
Min Aperture4-5.6f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SNikon F
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg★0.62 kg
Filter Thread58 mm77 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★Silent Wave Motor
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm250 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:5.55★

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)

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

  • Strong aperture (98th percentile)98th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong optical (78th percentile)
  • Strong macro (75th percentile)
  • Below average user sentiment (32nd percentile)
  • Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
  • Below average stabilization (34th percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is ¥171,687 cheaper (3.2x less).

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

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm

Verdict

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

Scores 86 overall, wins 5 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.

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

BudgetStreetTravelLandscapeWildlife Sports

Nikon NIKKOR AF-S NIKKOR 24mm f/1.4G ED 24mm Better at:

MacroPortraitProfessional

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