Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm
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 Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm
This Viltrox lens range receives overwhelmingly positive feedback for its exceptional value, sharpness, and fast apertures. Users consistently praise the image quality and build, noting it punches far above its price point. A minority report issues with chromatic aberration, noisy autofocus in video, firmware updates, and occasional defective units, but the general sentiment is that these are excellent budget primes.
Pros
- Excellent sharpness
- Fast aperture (f/1.2, f/1.7, f/1.8)
- Great value for money
- Solid build quality
- Fast and accurate autofocus
Cons
- Chromatic aberration in high contrast scenes
- Noisy autofocus in video
- Aperture ring moves too easily
- Firmware update process is cumbersome
- Occasional defective units
Scores
Specifications
| Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | zoom | prime |
| Focal Length Min | 55 mm | 15 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 250 mm | 15 mm |
| Elements | 15 | 12 |
| Groups | 12 | 10 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0 | 2★ |
| ED Elements | 1 | 3★ |
| Coating | Super Spectra coating | HD nano-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 | Nikon Z |
| Format | APS-C | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Weight | 0.38 kg | 0.18 kg★ |
| Filter Thread | 58 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | STM | STM |
| Stabilization | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 stops★ | — |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 850 mm | 229 mm★ |
| Max Magnification | 0.29x | 1:10★ |
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 (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Below average macro (32nd percentile)
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm
- Strong build (94th percentile)94th %ile
- Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
- Strong social proof (82nd percentile)82nd %ile
- Strong optical (81st percentile)81st %ile
- Below average user sentiment (30th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
Pricing
Viltrox Air AF 15/1.7 XF 15mm offers 1.7x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 84 overall, wins 6 of 9 usage categories and 2 of 22 specs.
