RADOJUVA

According provided by Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM Many thanks to German Vladimir.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM Optical Stabilizer Review

The Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM is a great, affordable telephoto lens for Canon EF-S mount cameras. because of crop factor cameras for which this lens is designed, its EGF will be 88-400 mm. To get approximately the same angle of view that the Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM gives, on full-frame cameras you will have to use the Canon Zoom Lens EF 100-400mm 1: 4.5-5.6 L IS USM :).

Canon has three 'EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS' class lenses:

• Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 ISwas released since November 2007.
• Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS II, was released since July 2011.
• Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM, available from September 2013.

While the first and second versions were practically the same, the third, 'STM' version, has a different optical scheme and a different focusing motor. The upgrade to the 'STM' version is most likely due to the need for high-quality autofocus when shooting video.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM. Mount side lettering 'Canon INC. Made in malaysia '

Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM weighs only 375 grams, which is a mere trifle for a telephoto. The light weight is due to the all-plastic lens barrel. It's a pity, but the bayonet mount is also plastic. In general, the lens is well assembled, without backlash and other shortcomings. The zoom ring is wide and rubberized. As I did not twist it in my hands, I did not find anything to complain about. Although the inscription 'Made In Malaysia', which is hidden near the microprocessor pins, is a little confusing.

When folded, the lens is not very large, I would say 'thin', it uses standard 58 mm light filters. Filters of the same diameter are used by a regular kit lens Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 18-55mm 1: 3.5-5.6 IS STM.

When changing the focal length, the rear lens moves inside the body and creates a very noticeable pump effect, driving air through the inside of the lens and camera.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM with covers.

Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM has internal focusing (the front lens is fixed when focusing), which is very good when using special light filters (gradient, polarizing etc.).

Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM belongs to the new line of Canon STM lenses. STM — STepper Motor is a stepper focusing motor that enables smooth, quiet and fast focusing. And, indeed, the lens focuses very fast and very quiet.

In addition, the lens supports focus mode FTM — Full Time Manual Focusing - a focusing mode with constant manual control. You can grab the focus ring at any time, press the focus button (usually the same button that is responsible for releasing the shutter) and adjust the focus manually. Switching to focus mode 'MF' is not necessary.

The focusing ring of the lens is electronic, focusing is possible only when the camera is turned on. The focus ring is plastic, not rubberized. During auto focus, the focus ring remains stationary. In manual focus mode, the ring very smoothly changes the focus distance, in order to move the lens from infinity to MDF, you need to rotate it a full 360 degrees. The focus ring rotates in any direction without restrictions.

The minimum focusing distance is only 85 cm, while you can get the maximum magnification factor for macro photography 1: 3.4.

There is a focus mode switch 'AF / MF' (Auto / Manual) and a stabilizer mode 'Stabilizer ON / OFF' on the lens body. Of the useful marks on the body, you can find only the values ​​of the focal length and a white square - a pointer for attaching to the camera (even there is no mark for attaching the hood).

Lens trunk length Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM

I did not like the electronic focus ring, and here's why:

• You must turn on the camera to focus.
• Manual focus speed directly depends on the STM system, and not on the speed of the photographer’s hand movements :).
• Even when the camera is on and the lens is in 'AF' mode, the focus ring is only heard when 'One shot' or 'Ai Focus' is on, and only when the focus button is pressed (usually by half-pressing the shutter button, but the can be reprogrammed). Sometimes it is very inconvenient to simultaneously press the focus activation button and twist the focus ring. Therefore, it can be argued that a full-fledged regime FTM the lens does not. And in the 'AI Servo' mode, the ring does not listen at all. In the end, in order not to bother, it is easier to switch the lens to the 'MF' mode, in which you do not need to press anything. Although, even in the 'MF' mode there is a pitfall - the focusing ring obeys only when the exposure metering works :(.
• I almost went crazy trying to manually focus on the camera with which I took out the memory card to copy photos. You cannot focus manually if there is no memory card in the camera and the No Memory Card Shutter function is activated. The same will happen if the memory card is full - the camera will deny you the desire to focus manually. Not that it was important for me to focus often on a camera with an overflowing or missing memory card, but these sudden restrictions are extremely annoying!
• The lens does not have a scale with a focusing distance, on which you can quickly navigate in which direction to turn the focus ring to focus (for example, towards infinity or MDF).
• When the camera is turned on, or when it enters sleep mode, the lens undergoes initialization, while it focuses itself from the set focusing distance to the MDF and vice versa. Sometimes it is very annoying.
• With an electronic focus ring, manual focus also consumes power from the camera's battery. Also, energy is consumed when zooming (suddenly!), As described below. Of course, this is a trifle, but the 'devil' is hidden in such small features :).

Of course, perhaps part of the inconvenience is due to the fact that I used a lens with an ancient Canon EOS camera 350D Digital, but according to the logic of work, the same thing will happen on new cameras.

The full potential of this lens can only be revealed on cameras with a hybrid focusing system, such as Canon 70D, 650D, 700D, 100D and the like, for which accurate and fast focusing in Live View is important, including when shooting video.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM Front Lens

The Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM has a very interesting feature that I have not noticed with other STM lenses. I have not seen such a function anywhere before and I will call it 'Parfocal Lens Effect'. The essence of the effect is that the lens automatically imitates the operation of a parfocal lens - when the focal length is changed, the lens always remains pointed at the subject (maintains the focusing distance). During zooming, you can clearly hear how the correction mechanism works, while the sound does not at all resemble the noise from an STM motor. Of course, this also consumes some energy from the camera's battery.

If you move the lens to the 'MF' position, focus on an object and zoom in, then that object will always remain in focus. If you turn off the camera and zoom, it will be clearly seen that focusing is lost, since when the focal length is changed, the focusing distance also changes.

It would seem that the 'Parfocal Lens Effect' is some trifle, but in fact it is a brilliant solution! The lens microprocessor automatically recalculates and corrects focusing and does it very accurately. This is an invaluable find for the cinematographer, as well as a huge plus in the credit book for Canon for the introduction of new interesting technologies :).

The lens manual mentions this property: 'The motor also controls the focus lens during zooming'.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM with hood installed in transport mode

The stabilizer built into the lens works very quietly and performs its function just fine. It is stated that the stabilizer can compensate up to 4 stops by shutter speed... The stabilizer is switched on and off with the 'Stabilizer ON / OFF' switch. Considering the quiet operation of autofocus and the quiet operation of the stabilizer, the Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM should not create unnecessary sounds in movies.

Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM has mediocre aperture with a maximum value of F / 4 @ 55mm and F/5.6@250mm. Diaphragm closes to F / 32 @ 250mm and F / 22 @ 55mm. Diaphragm consists of 7 rounded petals. Even with closed diaphragms, circles in the out-of-focus area do not look like 'nuts' (see an example).

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM with a hood, on a Canon EOS camera 350D Digital

By the way, the instructions for the lens indicate that it can go into sleep mode to save energy. In this mode, even if the camera is turned on and metering is working exposure, the lens may refuse to perform manual focus, or to perform the function of a 'parfocal lens'. To wake up the lens from sleep mode, just press the focus activation button on the camera.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM Switches

The lens tolerates back and side light. It is also very pleasant that already on the fully open aperture the Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM creates a sharp image. The lens is well adjusted chromatic aberration and distortion (these flaws are practically invisible in the photographs). Perhaps only vignetting at open apertures can spoil the impression of the lens. I believe that the Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM is absolutely a 'working' lens, for which it is not a pity to pay money.

Here link to the archive with the originals - 252 MB, 26 photos in .CR2 format (RAW) from a Canon EOS camera 350D Digital During shooting was used safety filter Kenko UV 58mm Japan.

Marks on the Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM

The lens uses a Canon ET-63 bayonet lens hood, which is not supplied and can be purchased separately. My review shows a non-native hood JJC LH-63 Lens Hood.

Lens prices in popular stores can look at this link, or in the price block below:

An accurate and complete list of all Canon EF-S lenses is available. see here.
Comments on this post do not require registration. Anyone can leave a comment. Many different photographic equipment can be found on AliExpress.com.

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM lens on the CZK

Results

Canon Zoom Lens EF-S 55-250mm 1: 4-5.6 IS STM is a good telephoto lens with fast internal type autofocus, image stabilization, light weight and price :). It was with this lens that I first noticed the artificial effect of a parfocal lens.

The Canon EF-S 55-250 / 4-5.6 IS STM has good image quality, and in general, I recommend it as a telephoto lens for Canon crop cameras :)

Material prepared Arkady Shapoval. Training/Consultations | Youtube | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | Telegram.