Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM

Canon
87 Overall Score
vs
Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR

Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR

Nikon
91 Overall Score

What Buyers Say

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 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 Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR

No customer feedback yet

Scores

Budget
Canon
94
Nikon
90
Video Cinema
Canon
78
Nikon
92
Professional
Canon
69
Nikon
92
Portrait
Canon
78
Nikon
87
Street
Canon
80
Nikon
84
Wildlife Sports
Canon
71
Nikon
82
Macro
Canon
68
Nikon
82
Travel
Canon
74
Nikon
81
Landscape
Canon
74
Nikon
81

Specifications

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STMNikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR
Optics
Typetelephotozoom
Focal Length Min55 mm16 mm
Focal Length Max250 mm50 mm
Elements1512
Groups1211
Aspherical Elements02★
ED Elements11
CoatingSuper Spectra coating—
Aperture
Max Aperturef/4f/2.8
Min Aperture4-5.6f/2.8
Constant✗✓★
Diaphragm Blades79★
Build
MountCanon EF-SNikon Z
FormatAPS-CAPS-C
Weather Sealed✗✓★
Weight0.38 kg0.33 kg★
Filter Thread58 mm67 mm
AF & Stabilization
AF TypeSTM★Stepping Motor
Stabilization✓✓
Stabilization Stops4 stops4.5 stops★
Focus
Min Focus Distance250 mm67 mm★
Max Magnification0.29x★0.24x

Pros & Cons

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM

  • Strong stabilization (93rd percentile)93rd %ile
  • Strong versatility (92nd percentile)92nd %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile
  • Strong social proof (81st percentile)81st %ile

Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR

  • Strong stabilization (95th percentile)95th %ile
  • Strong bokeh (89th percentile)89th %ile
  • Strong aperture (86th percentile)86th %ile
  • Strong af (85th percentile)85th %ile

Pricing

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM is $699 cheaper (4.5x less).

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM0.438score per dollar
vs
Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR0.101score per dollar

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM offers 4.3x better value for money

Verdict

★ Winner: Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR

Scores 91 overall, wins 8 of 9 usage categories and 7 of 22 specs.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 IS STM Better at:

Budget

Nikon NIKKOR Z DX 16-50mm f/2.8 VR Better at:

MacroStreetTravelPortraitLandscapeProfessionalVideo CinemaWildlife Sports

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