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
Nikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm

Nikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm

Nikon
74 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 35mm f/1.4 35mm

85 out of 100 low confidence 5 reviews

Users praise this 35mm f/1.4 lens for its sharpness, character, and value, especially for low-light and portrait work on Nikon Z cameras. While it shows some chromatic aberration and softness wide open, these imperfections are easily corrected in post and add a desirable "3D pop." The build quality is considered adequate, and autofocus speed is satisfactory. Overall, it is highly recommended for those seeking a lens with character rather than clinical perfection.

Pros
  • Sharpness
  • Character and 3D pop
  • Great value for money
  • Excellent for low light
  • Good autofocus speed
Cons
  • Chromatic aberration wide open
  • Softness at f/1.4
  • Not as sharp as S-line lenses
  • Plastic build feel
  • No weather sealing
👍 Sharpness 4
👎 Chromatic aberration 3
👍 Character and rendering 3
👍 Value for money 2
🤔 Build quality 2
👍 Autofocus speed 2

Scores

Budget
Canon
93
Nikon
72
Portrait
Canon
80
Nikon
88
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Nikon
82
Travel
Canon
81
Nikon
55
Street
Canon
80
Nikon
75
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Nikon
59
Professional
Canon
67
Nikon
77
Landscape
Canon
70
Nikon
61
Macro
Canon
61
Nikon
57

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMNikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm
Optics
Typezoomprime
Focal Length Min55 mm35 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm35 mm
Elements1511
Groups129
Aspherical Elements01★
ED Elements12★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingSuper Integrated Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/1.4
Min Aperture4-5.6f/1.4
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SNikon Z
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg★0.41 kg
Filter Thread58 mm62 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★Silent Wave Motor
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm270 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x★0.18x

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)

Nikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm

  • Strong bokeh (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong aperture (97th percentile)97th %ile
  • Strong social proof (77th percentile)
  • Strong build (77th percentile)
  • Below average versatility (34th percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is MX$5,011 cheaper (1.7x less).

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM0.011score per dollar
vs
Nikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm0.006score per dollar

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 1.8x better value for money

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

Nikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm

Verdict

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

Scores 84 overall, wins 6 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelLandscapeWildlife Sports

Nikon NIKKOR 35mm f/1.4 35mm Better at:

PortraitProfessionalVideo Cinema

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