Re-review for 2023: Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS STM on an EOS R7

A classic EF-S lens from 2013 that always performed well on 18-20mp cameras, but Canon's 32.5mp sensors are famous for being a different playground entirely...

This lens will work on Canon's APS-C digital SLR cameras, but NOT full-frame digital SLR cameras. It will also work on their EOS M system and RF-mount cameras, but only with the appropriate adaptors, and it will only give an APS-C image circle. Got that?! ...well, still less complicated than the compatibility issues for old Nikon DSLR lenses heh heh.

Find it here (Amazon affiliate link - I earn a commission on purchases. Be sure to buy the right lens for your system):

All sample pictures taken by me on a Canon EOS R7 and 60D cameras.

...or on YouTube Memberships:

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Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License

[thatguyoverthere]

Loving the re-review reviews! Lots of older lenses out there that hold up quite well.

[lb]

I adapted this lens onto my Canon R6 Mark II and it’s amazing. Being a crop sensor lens, the R62 automatically crops the full frame sensor. The STM motor works great with mirrorless autofocus.

[tomjanowski]

The Canon 55-250mm is my favorite lens. I bought mine refurbished directly from Canon for $99 and it producing amazing high quality images.

[berinjelablues]

Dude I'm so glad you managed to find a new way to review all the lenses in the world again. I really loved it and I promise I'll see everything you post again.

[LuisGonzalez-bupz]

Interested in seeing what the R7 could do with the EF-S 17-55 f/2.8. Great video as always

[stefpeters]

Thank you for all the years for your perfect reviews, i buy only a lens after your review .sigma 2.8 17 55 os sigma 2.8 105 os and this canon 55 250 is stm for my canon m50.
Stef from the Netherlands

[NomadHomad]

Just picked up a "Like-New" one for $100 and can't wait to try it out

[arif]

I still using that 700d and 55-250 lens, and the lens it's can do for portrait, macro, sports and street photography pretty much everything (daylight), results not amazing, not super sharp but it's still really good, it's also cheap...and beast for blur background

[eddyhate]

i had this lens and the m50 mki for a few days and the images were amazing, surprisingly amazing and the contrast was amazing with the m50, even now i look compared to my L lenses and it's still look good

[MalcomBenites]

This is great! I'm looking at getting the R7 body (no longer considering the RP) and coming from the old DSLR Rebel T5i with the EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM Lens AND the EF-S 55-250mm featured here, it's great to see your Re-review for the 55-250. It was an impulse buy 10 years ago when I purchased it and it's great to see it's still somewhat useful when stopping down. I would love to see a Re-review on the 18-55mm as I'm considering on keeping those lenses, along with the 50mm EF f1.8 I purchased years later. Keep up the great work with the Re-reviews!

[SilentTrip]

I wish I could find this lens in out market, it's so beautiful 😍

[eyeidea]

Thank you for this update Christopher! Keep'em coming! God bless.

[hardwarenoob]

The sheer existence of this test is an indictment of Canon's APSC policy.

[wellingtoncrescent]

I have been very impressed with this lens on my M6 mark II, with its 32 MP sensor very similar to that in the R7. I don't think it's soft in the centre, and I really like it for larger wildlife, like polar bears. I recently bought the R7 with RF glass, but you're persuading to spring for the EF-RF adaptor to keep using this lens.

[AabhasLall]

I had the older version of this lens, the IS II for my EOS 90D, which has the same 32 MP sensor. Especially zoomed in, the softness was easily noticeable even by someone like me.
That's when I gave in to my inner evil, and got the 70-300mm L lens. It's my first L lens, and boy oh boy is it fantastic!

[guilhermeslk]

I miss that lens! It performed really well when paired with my old 80D!

[christinagracewhite]

This lens also works incredibly well on the 90D. I was having soft issues with my more expensive lenses until I realised that 90D only really works with post 2009 lenses and this one was released in 2013 so is brilliant. I bought it for £150 back in 2016 and now it sells on Amazon for £309 because it's just such a great lens. I would recommend using this with a flash for indoor wedding photography to be able to use the f8 aperture.

[mb-moose]

On my 77d, I always liked this lens...bought after your original view. I always found it sharper than a lens of this price/size should be! I miss it's light and compact size.

[JCrozier]

Solid retest. Thanks so much for doing these.

[JordanIsaak]

Yes! Been waiting for this one. Thanks!