Cheap Lens Comparison

[GrantWoj]

I am looking to get a cheap zoom lense to replace the one that came with my camera. I've had quite a few problems with the one I have (CA and no IS) and was wondering if it's worth upgrading to the one I picked out or not. I imagine that IS and STM is really what I'm paying for here, not sure how much the CA issue will subside with the new lens. Any advice? I'm trying to stay under 200 as this is really just an occasional hobby and not something I can drop a ton of money into right now.

Side note: I have the Rebel T6 so EF vs EF-S mounting isn't a concern.

Current Lens:
Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III

Upgrade Lens:
Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 is STM

 

[Original katomi]

Had an early version of 75 300 the first ver. I have used the other, and to be honest moved to a 70-200 f4 non is l series. I traded both in on the l glass, ok not so much reach but better IQ. I will have a look in my archives to see if I still have images from the 55 250. If I do I will post for you

 

[beagle100]

get the 55-250 STM
www.flickr.com/photos/mmirrorless

 

[Dacaur]

Yes, the 55-250 is a way better lense, make sure you get the STM version though, the older is II is not nearly as good optically. The 75-300 is, from what I have read, canons worst lense.

 

[GrantWoj]

Thanks for the responses. I came across another lens, but this would really really be pushing my budget, but would like to know if you guys think it's substantially better or not for the price difference.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 is STM Lens:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B010FAU...colid=3BAJHUHIX9BF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is II USM Lens:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LXTX...colid=3BAJHUHIX9BF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

 

[ac12]

You WANT the IS lens.
IMHO, today a long lens without IS is seriously disadvantaged, and generally not worth buying, for the average photographer. Because, once you use a long lens with IS, you will never want to use a long lens without IS.

The non-IS lenses are used by Canon (and Nikon) to build a kit with a lower price point.
"My kit is cheaper than your kit."
There is no regard to usability. Because it is the long lens that needs IS more than the short lens.

50-250 vs 70-300.
The long end is close enough as to be essentially the same. The 300 is only 20% longer than the 250.
To me, it is the short end where the difference really is. BUT, how important is the short end to YOU?

• Example1: Having used a 70-200 on a crop camera on the football field, I can tell you that the 70mm end is frequently too long, for me, when the players get close. In that case I would pick the shorter 50-250 over the longer 70-300, just for the wider short end.
  • Note, I am on the field, next to the sidelines, not in the bleachers.
• Example2: If you want it to shoot your son's softball/baseball, then the 70-300 would be the better lens, for shooting that sport. Cuz you will be mostly on the longer side of the zoom, and not down at the short end.
  
• Example3: If you do birding and wildlife, then the short end is really of little value, and you want the longest lens that you can get. So the 70-300 is the better choice, in that case.

I "think" the USM lens focuses faster, but the STM lens is quieter (for video).

Warning: "Amazon renewed"
"Renewed" = refurbished = used
But WHO is doing the refurbishment, and what are they doing?
Is it simply wipe and clean, or are the actually testing the lenses?
I personally treat non-manufacture refurbs as a "used" item.
If you want to go refurb, get a MANUFACTURER refub. Check the Canon USA site. They sometimes have great deals. And Canon mfg refurb have a Canon 1 year warranty.

Canon Refurbished Lenses | Canon Online Store​

BTW, the 55-250 is an EF-S/APS-C crop lens, the 70-300 is a EF/FF lens. The EF lens is bigger because it is meant to work with a larger format camera.

 

[GrantWoj]

Thanks ac12, maybe I'll stick with th 50-250, my other lens is the 18-55mm kit lens that came in the package deal, so the 50-250 would start right where I leave off basically. Might be worth noting that I have the Rebel T6, so asp-c sensor, is there a clarity or performance variance when using an EF lens on an APS-C sensor?

As for the type of shooting, nothing specific to be honest. I've used my current telephoto for wildlife and just other random stuff that I wasn't able to get close enough with the 18-55 to get.

 

[ac12]

Don't worry about the gap between the 18-55 and 70-300. You do not NEED to have gapless coverage. We had gaps all the time back in the film days. In fact our gap back then was even wider; 50mm to 135mm. What you do not want is a gap in the middle of a range that you need to use. Cuz then the hassle is switching back and forth between lenses.

re: EF lens on an EF-S camera. Yes and No.
There are those that say you are using the better center part of the FF lens, so yes.
And there are those that say you are pushing the center part of the lens to delver more than it was designed to deliver, so no.
Personally, for what I do, I do not worry about using a FF lens on a crop camera. I do it all the time. But then I am not a pixel peeper. Even more so, when I use a GOOD or pro grade FF lens.

BTW, the school yearbook uses the same 70-300 IS USM lens, and we are happy with it.

Let me give you another thing to think about. The future.
In the future, if you replace your 18-55 with a 18-135. The 18-135 will give you a wider range zoom as your general purpose lens. So for more of your general shooting, you don't need to change lenses. And the quality is generally good enough, for me.
But with the 18-135, the 55-250 has too much overlap. I would pair the 18-135 with the 70-300, or even the 100-400.

 

[GrantWoj]

ugh so many decisions haha. I'll need to think about it a bit, its $500 vs $150 for a renewed ($300 new), so quit a gap getting the refurbished 55-200. I need to decide in the next few days, trying to upgrade before my road trip September 1.

Appreciate the help and information, I am leaning toward the 70-300 at the moment....:/

 

[Dacaur]

Thanks for the responses. I came across another lens, but this would really really be pushing my budget, but would like to know if you guys think it's substantially better or not for the price difference.

Canon EF-S 55-250mm F4-5.6 is STM Lens:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B010FAU...colid=3BAJHUHIX9BF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 is II USM Lens:
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B01LXTX...colid=3BAJHUHIX9BF&psc=1&ref_=lv_ov_lig_dp_it

When I was buying my camera 1.5 years ago (t6i), I was looking at kits that included either of those, and one that included the non is 75-300.
Based on every thing I read, the 75-300 is canons worst lense, and not IS, so it was out right away.
Of the other two, both are IS, many people say the 70-300 is pretty soft between 250 and 300, so the extra zoom isn't really that great. I did find some (less, but still some) that said the image quality is about equal. Most that had owned both liked the 55-250 better. The 55-250 stm is also much quieter in focusing, if that matters to you.
The only real advantage to the 70-300 is it's an EF lense, so will work on a full frame camera if you ever decide to upgrade. That also means that it's bigger and heavier though, so That's something to consider as well. Of course, in my opinion, there is no point in upgrading to a full frame camera unless you put L glass on it....

 

[GrantWoj]

Thanks for the input everyone. I ended up ordering the EF-S 55-250, it was 150 (refurbished) with a lens hood as opposed to 500 for the 70-300. Plus I am going to be spending a ton of money here on my road trip across the US + I am looking at taking some PADI certification classes when I get home, which is another couple hundred, so I think I can live with the 55-250 until I can afford a real nice piece of glass.