Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
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)
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
The Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS lens is widely praised as an excellent all-in-one travel and walkaround lens for APS-C E-mount cameras. Users consistently highlight its sharpness, compact size, light weight, and versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range. While many note it is not ideal for low light and some report significant vignetting at the wide end, the overall sentiment is very positive, with most considering it a great value kit lens upgrade.
Pros
- Sharp image quality
- Compact and lightweight
- Versatile 27-200mm equivalent zoom range
- Effective optical image stabilization
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Significant vignetting at 18mm wide end
- Not ideal for low light photography
- Variable aperture limits brightness at telephoto
- Some copies may have quality control issues
- Slight autofocus lag compared to premium lenses
Scores
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 18 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 135 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 16 |
| Groups | 12 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0 | 1★ |
| ED Elements | 1 | 2★ |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | — |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/4 | f/3.5 |
| Min Aperture | 4-5.6 | 3.5-5.6 |
| Constant | ✗ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 7 | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Canon EF-S | Sony E |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.38 kg | 0.33 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 55 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM | Linear motor★ |
| Stabilization | ✓ | ✓ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm | 450 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x | 0.29x |
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 (80th percentile)80th %ile
- Below average macro (32nd percentile)
Sony E 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 OSS
- Strong af (98th percentile)98th %ile
- Strong versatility (96th percentile)96th %ile
- Strong social proof (90th percentile)90th %ile
- Strong stabilization (81st percentile)81st %ile
Pricing
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 1.6x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 91 overall, wins 9 of 9 usage categories and 5 of 22 specs.
