Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
What Buyers Say
Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm
The Pentax 50mm f/2.8 macro lens is widely praised for its sharpness, color reproduction, and value for money. Users find it excellent for macro work, general photography, and digitizing documents or artwork. Common criticisms include autofocus hunting in live view and a focus ring that rotates continuously, which some find unusual. Overall, it is considered a compact, high-quality lens that performs well above its price point.
Pros
- Exceptional sharpness
- Great color reproduction
- Excellent value for money
- Compact and lightweight
- Versatile for macro and general use
Cons
- Autofocus hunts in live view
- Focus ring rotates continuously
- Plastic barrel instead of metal
- Narrow depth of field at wide aperture
- Learning curve for close-up focusing
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)
Scores
Specifications
| Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm | Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM | |
|---|---|---|
| Optics | ||
| Type | macro | zoom |
| Focal Length Min | 50 mm | 55 mm |
| Focal Length Max | 50 mm | 250 mm |
| Elements | 8 | 15 |
| Groups | 7 | 12 |
| Aspherical Elements | 0 | 0 |
| ED Elements | 0 | 1★ |
| Coating | smc | Super Spectra coating |
| Aperture | ||
| Max Aperture | f/32 | f/4 |
| Min Aperture | f/2.8 | 4-5.6 |
| Constant | ✓★ | ✗ |
| Diaphragm Blades | 8★ | 7 |
| Build | ||
| Mount | Pentax K | Canon EF-S |
| Format | full-frame★ | APS-C |
| Weather Sealed | ✗ | ✗ |
| Weight | 0.26 kg★ | 0.38 kg |
| Filter Thread | 49 mm | 58 mm |
| AF & Stabilization | ||
| AF Type | Autofocus | STM★ |
| Stabilization | ✗ | ✓★ |
| Stabilization Stops | — | 4 stops★ |
| Focus | ||
| Min Focus Distance | 150 mm★ | 850 mm |
| Max Magnification | 1:1★ | 0.29x |
Pros & Cons
Pentax smc P-D FA smc DFA 50mm f/2.8 Macro 50mm
- Strong macro (87th percentile)87th %ile
- Strong build (78th percentile)
- Strong social proof (75th percentile)
- Below average aperture (5th percentile)5th %ile
- Below average bokeh (6th percentile)6th %ile
- Below average versatility (33rd percentile)
- Below average stabilization (34th percentile)
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)
Pricing
Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 3.4x better value for money
Verdict
Scores 86 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 4 of 22 specs.
