The Best Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon APS-C?

A LOT of people ask me this question. In fact every week my comments report is inundated with it. Here are my thoughts, for what they're worth.

All pictures and footage shot by me on Canon 550D, 60D, and 70D cameras.

Music:
Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0

[marcelorgduarte]

Man, i think i already watched almost all of your videos. Incredible how didact you are and how good are your reviews. Thanks for the excelent work you are doing for us, beginers, but I think even advanced photographers probably watch your videos too. Sorry if I made some grammar mistakes, I´m from brazil and my english is not very good. lol

[SupraWes]

I bought the Tamron a few years ago and have loved every minute of it. The VC is awesome, you would have to be nuts to try and shoot handheld video at these focal lengths anyway so the jerky VC is not an issue. It is clearly designed for stills shooting and for that the VC is incredible. The images coming out of it have great contrast, are sharp, and the focusing is fast and quiet.

[ozanoguzhaktanir]

Dude, your videos reaaly are valuable. You thoroughly see what people need. I just wanted to thank you!

[jasseful]

I found a canon 55-250mm is stm on craigslist for 60 USD:) best deal ever!

[chrisscudderfla]

Love your channel .... amongst the most informative channels on YouTube providing very good comparisons on lenses. Just bought the Sigma 17-50mm lens for my Canon SL2 based on one of your other reviews. Thank you!

[ThisKory]

I always enjoy watching your videos. I'm happy we have you on the Canon side of things! :)

You're very informative and have such an amazing voice for voice-over work. I watch every new video you post and enjoy them all the same. You've helped me decide on many lenses and I find your opinions on each lens very accurate.

[ngarrigue]

Thanks Christopher! I was looking for this comparison and you did it again! Great job!

[lrmcatspaw]

I was looking for a telephoto for my 250D a few days and I realized that I don't really have anything to take pictures of at telephoto distances :D.
These lenses do look very good, sometimes you forget why you don't need them.

[ShinDongJi]

Great video as always Chris! And that bird at the end of the video is lovely! I've heard a lot of good things about the Canon 70-200 f/4 IS USM with its corner to corner sharpness and your video even convinces me more. I don't shoot f 2.8 that much since I want the entire face to be in focus rather than eye and i use flash and strobes 90% of the time. So f4 f5.6 sometimes f8 is home for me. Thank you again and hope to see more of your videos coming ^___^

[TheSwaroopB]

Just as I was on a mission to choose my first telephoto zoom lens, you post this video!!! No doubt I'm going for a Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM!!

You are just amazing +Christopher Frost Photography! Can't miss any of your videos.

About video suggestions, I would love to see a comparison of budget/not-ultra-expensive normal/wide fast primes, especially for APS-C cameras. And yeah, those weird lens reviews never get old; please continue that too! :-)

[LStrachey]

Thanks for the video. I've recently bought an old Sigma APO 5-6.3 170-500 mm and am quite happy with it.

[williamdlc]

Currently rocking the 70-200 f/4 L lens! As a new freelancer, it was a nice balance between professional build and performance and price. Don't be afraid that it doesn't have IS as for video work, a lens of that focal length should be on a tripod anyway (although I was able to use this on a Benro S4 monopod without it shaking too much)

Don't see a point for me to upgrade until I have the money to get the f/2.8 L II IS version, and I plan to keep this as well because of how much lighter it is compared to the 2.8II IS.

[RupeeNL]

Thanks a lot for all the interesting and informative videos, you really helped me choose my lenses :-)

[keithspillett]

I always enjoy your videos. Keep up the good work!

[ibanezrgfm]

Looks like the one person to down vote was from Nikon haha

[shelbytrejos]

this honestly helped me so much thank you for this !!

[miamidolphinsfan]

Thanks Christopher, I made the Noobie mistake of buying the 70-300 non-stm lens early on and now find it rather useless because of not having any stabilization. I WILL be getting this 55-250 STM lens as a Christmas gift to myself.

[steveh]

Hey Chris, I got the canon stm zoom earlier this year and was lucky enough to go on a safari in Africa and used this lens, although at times I had to crank up the iso, the pictures I got back were stunning, national geographic.L would say, awesome lens for the money.

[parzigaming]

Thank you very much Chris.Now I am clear about what to buy next.I am thinking about the 70-200 f/4 L USM.

[amermeleitor]

What about the old Canon 70-210 f4? With the old and noisy autofocus motor. I find a used pair very cheap on internet and I'm about to pull the trigger on one of them.