The compact and affordable EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS offers powerful telephoto performance. Its 4-stop Image Stabilizer with automatic panning detection effectively suppresses blur in low light.
Features
- Affordable telephoto zoom lens
- 88-400mm equivalent focal length
- 4-stop Image Stabilizer with automatic panning detection
- UD element
- Super Spectra coatings
- Circular diaphram
The all-purpose telephoto zoom for EF-S mount EOS cameras.
Affordable, powerful telephoto zoom
The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is a telephoto zoom lens combining powerful performance with high image quality. With a focal length equivalent of 88-400mm in 35mm format, it is ideal for photographers seeking an affordable, versatile lens for general-purpose telephoto photography.
Image Stabilizer with automatic panning detection
To combat the effects of camera shake, the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS incorporates Canon’s latest 4-stop compensation Image Stabilizer technology. This allows the use of shutter speeds up to 4 times slower with no perceptible increase in image blur. Automatic panning detection automatically turns off the Image Stabilizer in either the horizontal or vertical direction when following moving subjects.
UD lens element
The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS employs a Canon UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) lens element to suppress the effects of secondary chromatic aberrations - for crisp, sharp, high-contrast images without fringing throughout the zoom range.
Super Spectra Coatings
Canon’s Super Spectra coatings combat ghosting and flare by absorbing light that may be reflected off digital camera sensors or internal lens elements. Super Spectra coatings also help ensure accurate colour balance and sharp, high-contrast results.
Circular aperture diaphragm
For shots taken at large aperture, a circular aperture diaphragm creates smooth, even bokeh (background blur) - ideal for emphasising subjects shot against distracting backgrounds.
Lead-free glass
Only environmentally-friendly, lead-free glass is used in the construction of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS.
Accessories
The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS is supplied with a lens cap and dust cap. A lens hood (ET-60) and lens case (LP1019) are available as optional accessories.
 |
| Photo 3: EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS |
Development objectives The EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS (Photo 3) is an EF-S series telephoto zoom lens developed specifically for EOS Digital series cameras using the APS-C size sensor. The design incorporates image stabilization. The image stabilizer unit features the same construction as the unit in the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS. It is light, very compact and gives superb cost performance. With just these two lenses, photographers have a focal length range of 29-400mm (35mm-film format equivalent), covering everything from wide angle to ultra telephoto. The primary aims in the development of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS are highlighted below. Feature 1 : Image stabilization in a lightweight, compact lens We took a number of steps - the compact zoom optics, the specially developed smaller image stabilizer unit, and the optimized mechanical layout - to include an image stabilizer in this lens while keeping it equivalent in size to the non-IS EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM. Feature 2 : Outstanding optical performance A new optical design was used to fit image stabilization within the lens' compact optics. The design takes full advantage of the small image circle that is characteristic of EF-S lenses in order to cut weight and bulk from the optics and achieve a 4.5x zoom ratio while keeping the size nearly the same as the EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM. Sharp image quality at all focal lengths is attained by using a UD lens element, which provides excellent aberration correction (figures 5 and 6). The focal length range is equivalent to 88-400mm in 35mm-film format. |
 |
| Figure 5: Optical schematic of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS |
 |
| Figure 6: MTF characteristics of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS |
Feature 3 : Newly developed high-performance image stabilizer unit Equipped with a tiny image stabilizer unit (Photo 4) with the same construction as the unit on the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS, this lens boosts handheld camera steadiness by about four f-stops.* The lens is also able to automatically distinguish between panning and camera shake in normal shooting, and adjusts the IS mode accordingly. This feature permits for optimal image-stabilization in both situations and frees the user from concerns about mode selection. * Generally, the effective limit for stable unaided handheld shooting is a shutter speed of about 1/[focal length x 1.6] seconds for APS-C sensor cameras. |
 |
| Photo 4: Image stabilizer unit of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS |
Feature 4 : Optimal optics for digital SLRs The lens configuration and coatings have been designed to minimize the flare and ghosting due to surface reflections from the imaging sensor that is found in digital SLRs. The configuration and coatings also provide excellent color balance. Other features • Fast autofocusing A high-speed CPU and an optimized AF algorithm control the compact drive motor for fast autofocusing. • Minimum focusing distance of 1.1 m The minimum focusing distance is 1.1ｍ at all focal lengths. The maximum magnification is 0.31 (at 250mm). • Circular aperture produces beautiful bokeh The lens features an electro-magnetic diaphragm with a circular aperture that produces attractive bokeh (blurring effects). • Redesigned switch shape prevents accidental mode changes The focus mode switch has been reshaped to prevent the switch from being moved accidentally while shooting or transporting. • Improved operability and high-grade exterior finish This lens has been furnished with the same zoom-ring pattern and coating as our high-end models, giving a firmer grip and creating a high-grade exterior finish. • Environmentally friendly design The lens optics use only environmentally friendly lead-free glass. Furthermore, the lens design meets the environmental requirements of the European Union's RoHS Directive. |
