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
Rokinon IO2470AFZ 70mm

Rokinon IO2470AFZ 70mm

Rokinon
37 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

Rokinon IO2470AFZ 70mm

5 out of 100 medium confidence 12 reviews

This lens has received overwhelmingly negative feedback due to severe build quality issues. Multiple verified buyers report that the lens mount breaks off within days or months, often due to tiny screws stripping plastic threads. Users also criticize Rokinon's poor customer support, with some unable to get replacements or repairs. A few Q&A responses note decent optical quality, but the structural failures make this lens unreliable.

Pros
  • Decent optical quality
  • Good value for money initially
Cons
  • Lens mount breaks easily
  • Poor build quality with plastic threads
  • Terrible customer support
  • Screws strip and fall out
  • Lens falls off camera
👎 Build quality 8
👎 Customer support 4
👎 Lens mount failure 7
👎 Screw quality 4
👎 Warranty issues 2
🤔 Optical quality 3

Scores

Budget
Canon
90
Rokinon
43
Travel
Canon
85
Rokinon
47
Street
Canon
81
Rokinon
41
Portrait
Canon
80
Rokinon
39
Wildlife Sports
Canon
78
Rokinon
42
Video Cinema
Canon
77
Rokinon
43
Landscape
Canon
74
Rokinon
57
Professional
Canon
68
Rokinon
53
Macro
Canon
62
Rokinon
55

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STMRokinon IO2470AFZ 70mm
Optics
Typezoomzoom
Focal Length Min55 mm24 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm70 mm
Elements1517
Groups1214
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements13★
CoatingSuper Spectra coatingUMC Coating
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/22
Min Aperture4-5.6f/2.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SSony E
FormatAPS-Cfull-frame★
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg★1.10 kg
Filter Thread58 mm82 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★LSM (Linear Sonic Motor)
Stabilization✓★✗
Stabilization Stops4 stops★—
Focus
Min Focus Distance850 mm350 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x1:3.7★

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)

Rokinon IO2470AFZ 70mm

  • Strong optical (94th percentile)94th %ile
  • Strong versatility (81st percentile)81st %ile
  • Below average user sentiment (0th percentile)0th %ile
  • Below average social proof (5th percentile)5th %ile
  • Below average aperture (22nd percentile)
  • Below average bokeh (25th percentile)

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is $501 cheaper (3.5x less).

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM0.435score per dollar
vs
Rokinon IO2470AFZ 70mm0.052score per dollar

Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM offers 8.4x better value for money

Verdict

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

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

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

MacroBudgetStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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