I have had the Canon EF-S 55-250mm Lens for about eight months now and I love it. It is a great all around starter lens. I have taken great pictures from portrait to landscape and have had great quality prints. The lens is lightweight and easy to take care of. Of course there is a down side to every lens and the major downside with this lens is that in certain situations it does not let in enough light. But, I can't say that it is a fault of the product you just need to know that if you are looking to take pictures in lower light situations you may want to consider a lens made for those situations. Although I have purchased an external flash for my camera and that has really helped. As for price, all lenses are expensive so I think this lens if pretty well priced. I would for sure recommend this lens for a beginner as you are able to zoom in and out with it. Just remember if you want to zoom in from a very far distance or you are looking to take pictures in low light situations you may want to try a different lens. You just need to know what you are looking for.

momofaddie

Wahpeton, ND

**I bought this Canon lens along with my Canon EOS 50D and it's a great everyday, very inexpensive lens! This paired with the Canon EF 18-55mm IS make a great collection for any Canon DSLR. I ahve taken hundreds of photos with this and as it's not up to par with the L series, for an everyday, regular lens, it does quite well. I like the size and weight of it, especially compared to other zoom lenses by Canon. It's also convenient that it has the 58mm filter size. It gets a little soft at the 250mm end, but not more than any other zoom lens. The Image Stabilizer is great also. It helps immensely with action shots and moving shots. I took this on a whale watching trip in a fishing bot on the ocean and got some decent shots, especially since we were rocking back and forth in the water. This also worked great at the zoos and aquariums. It's a great lens to have at the park and for portrait photography. I would recommend this lens.**

residae

Florence, OR

If you are just starting in photography and want a good telephoto to learn the ropes with, then look no further. Great image quality, durable build, and good range! Not the fastest lens, but it shoots pretty sharp even wide open!

NateWeber

Northridge, CA

We purchased the Canon 55-250 after we had our first DLSR for a while, and wanted to add another lens to our camera bag. I absolutely love the focal length of the 55-250, and was pleasantly surprised at the quality of the images for the relatively low cost of this lens. It has the Image Stabilization, which is a great feature for someone like me who has shaky hands. I used this lens initially on my Canon Rebel and now still use it on my 7D, and still love it. The 55-250 can be a little heavy at first, especially if you are also using a smaller prime lens, like a 50mm etc. This lens has good auto focus capabilities, and produces nice, quality images.  Obviously the 4-5.6 aperture is not going to be the best for low-light, indoor situations, but this lens definitely performs well outdoors. One thing I do wish Canon would do is to start including a lens hood with each of its lenses so you dont have to purchase them separately!

JL1129

Somerville, NJ

This is the best value zoom lens for Canon crop SLR cameras, hands down. This lens came with my original kit, however I used it much more than the wider 18-55mm lens also provided. It is very lightweight and relatively small in size, especially compared to the 70-200mm line-up. Although it is a cheaper lens, the image quality is top notch and the auto focus is very quick. I have used this lens mainly for wildlife photos, as well as for animals at the zoo. Long shots from a moving car were no problem for me while on a safari! The reach of 250mm on a crop camera is remarkable, far better than most point and shoot cameras. In addition, having the image stabilization on helps when using slower shutter speeds or shaky hands. There have been a number of shots on my previous zoom that were scrapped due to shaky image, but now I no longer have to worry about that! If you are new to SLR photography and need a decent zoom, this is the one I would recommend 10 times out of 10. My only gripe is that the build quality feels a little lacking, and the auto focus could be a little quicker, otherwise this is a great product.  

pdrober2

Durham, NC

I purchased this lens as an upgrade to my Canon Rebel when I first bought it. I used it a lot initially when I purchased it but have now upgraded my equipment more to enhance my ability to take children's portraits semi-professionally.  Though I rarely use this lens at this point I think it is still a good lens and would be a great addition to a basic camera for many people.  There are several things that are really great about this lens. First off, it is a canon lens and is quality built. It does have the image stabilization feature with helps many people, especially those just entering the realm of DSLR photography to capture crisp photos. The range on this camera is wonderful, you can zoom nice and close but still take a wider angle photo too. The lens is also relatively small given the zoom and not really all that heavy either.  One thing I don't like about this lens is the lack of a low f-stop, but to get that you would have to spend much more money. If you are wanting to use this lens outside more than inside this wouldn't be a problem, but this lens does not preform well in low-light situations.  Overall its a good lens, with good features, its just not for the type of photography I prefer to do. 

bellen

Onalaska, WI

The 55-250 is a great lens for photographers who don't want to walk around with a tripod.  That's not a joke either.  A tripod will provide the best stability and clearest shots, but it isn't always conducive to set up a tripod in the bleachers.  With the Image stabilization that is built into the lens, the subject is often crisp and clear.   This lens will get good to great shots.  They may not be published in a magazine, but the value of the lens is proportionate to the cost.  Many retailers are offering either the 70-300 lens or the 55-250 lens in packages with the Canon XS, T1i, or T2i.  I would wholly suggest opting for the 55-250.  The difference in zoom is negligible, and you will have more photos that come out well than images that are automatically deleted because they are out of focus or there is too much noticeable shake during the capture.   I'd also suggest immediately placing a UV filter over the lens to eliminate any chance of dust or scratches.  It's a great lens at a great price.  Hopefully you get one in a bundle with a DSLR, but if you don't, it is still well worth the money.  

jdramirez

Mechanicsburg, PA