canon 55-250 II IS telephoto lens vs canon 55-250STM vs canon 70-300 vs Tamron 70-300

Lemming51 wrote:

Anirudh Karthik V wrote:

Hi people, i currently use canon 550d with 18-55 lens kit. I plan to go for a zoom lens. which of the following will be a better choice??
I look for short film making and photography too
Canon 55-250mm STM, f 4-5.6 IS
Canon 55-250mm Telephoto zoom lens , f 4-5.6 IS II

IMHO...

1 - EF-S 55-250 f/4-5.6 IS STM. The STM will give the quietest autofocusing (and image stabilization) while shooting video. STM enables full-time manual focusing (FTM) without switching the AF/MF switch, but it is powered "focus by wire". Manual focus is possible only after 1/2 press of the shutter button to "wake up" the lens. There is no focus distance scale to use as a guide, so if manually focusing (especially when videoing) have to remember that turning right focuses closer and left focuses farther.

2 - Tamron 70-300 f/4-5.6 Di VC USD. Best build of the four, like the 55-250 STM the extending barrel does not rotate with zoom or focus so convenient to use with directional filters like polarizer, split or graduated neutral density. The USD focus drive is similar to Canon's ring-USM, is smooth (though not as fast) for stills and allows full-time manual focus override (FTM) without switching the AF/MF switch. Sharpness drops beyond 200mm,

it does not drop much after 200mm unlike many 70-300mm lenses

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/592-tamron70300f456vceosapsc?start=1

http://www.photozone.de/canon-eos/878-canon_55250_456isstm?start=1

It has similar sharpness at 300mm as the Canon has on 250mm.

so not necessarily greater usable reach over the 55-250 STM. Has a focus distance scale, and follows Canon convention in that rotate right for closer and left for farther focus. However, the zooming turns in the opposite direction (right rotation for longer focal lenghts) than Canon's EF/EF-S convention (turn left for long), so need to keep that in mind especially if changing zoom while videoing. Full-frame lens, so will have less vignetting than the EF-S, but the EF-S is correctable in-camera or in Canon's DPP post-processing.

Which adds noise in your files by doing so.

The 55-250 has a stop vignetting wide-open vs negligible for the tamron.

boosting the corners by software means those area's have a stop more noise. Still a good trade-off for the big size/weight difference.

Then the Tamron has one the best VC system of any lens in this class. works 4 for about 4 stops in my case. So it's the best 70-300mm for it's price. If your willing to carry it.

3,4 - The EF-S 55-250 (non-STM) or EF 70-300 f/4-5.6 IS USM. Both OK optically, the 55-250 isn't as good at the long end as the STM version, the 70-300 is somewhat better build with metal mount, but both have extending barrels that rotate with focus. The 70-300's USM is the "other USM": micro-USM that drives conventional reduction gearing and does not have FTM. Despite my signature line, I wouldn't really consider either of these. The STM version of the 55-250 is only $50 more than the non-STM, and well worth it. The EF 70-300 is overpriced by $100 over the Tamron.

YMMV.

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