Customer Reviews:
 As Described June 10, 2008
2 out of 3 found this review helpful
I am very new to DSLR photography and this lens was everything advertised. I based my decision on other user reviews and couldn't be happier. Would definitely recommend this lens to any new user like myself as very versatile.
 Great bang for the buck June 3, 2008
4 out of 5 found this review helpful
The 55-250 provides a very decent photo across its zoom range. IS works great. Probabaly the biggest drawback is the fact the lens turns when focusing making it a bit more complicated to use a polarizer.
Great lens for the price May 29, 2008
9 out of 13 found this review helpful
This is one of Canon's cheapest lens. The lens mount is plastic, the AF is slow, the front element rotates and extends when focusing, it is somewhat soft at the long end, and contrast is OK to good.
Note the part about front element extending. This means that when packing the lens away, you will most likely need to switch to MF and then turn the focusing ring to retract the lens to the most compact size.
So why 4 stars?
Low price, light weight makes it a great lens to bring on a casual trip when you need telephoto occasionally. Has IS (which works, mostly) and decent magnification (0.31x at full zoom). Images are reasonably sharp.
I wouldn't bring this lens (except as a backup) if I'm going on a safari. But at this price, I wouldn't hesitate getting one just for occasional telephoto in good light.
Bang for the Buck May 28, 2008
5 out of 6 found this review helpful
For the price paid, I can't imagine you would find much better. Yes, it is plastic and yes it doesn't have the quality of an L Series lens, but considering the price, I think you get a lot more than what you pay for.
The image stabilization is really pretty good on this. I was surprised to shoot slow shutter speeds with the zoom out and be able to maintain decent images still.
I would definitely recommend this lens.
 Good, but not great. May 9, 2008
45 out of 52 found this review helpful
This lens can be summed up by the simple statement of "Good, but not great." It gets the job done without really excelling at it, and it is definitely not without its issues. That being said, you can't beat the price - depending on what you're looking for.
The price doesn't lie, and though the lens takes good pictures and offers a decent feature-set (IS under $300), it's not a top performer. Bokeh is a bit harsh, AF is somewhat slow and low-light is pretty much out. If you want to make a hobby out of shooting long focal lengths, do yourself a favor and give this a pass.
However, if you're more of a landscape photographer (like me) looking for nothing more than an adequate long-tele lens while you're spending your money on the awesome 10-22mm or a good 17-50mm f/2.8, this lens fits a VERY needed place in your bag.. A 70-200L f/4, it ain't - but it's also not $1,000.
All in all, you get what you pay for and it's good (bordering on sufficient) without being great at anything. It's a terrific buy for someone like me who looks at the tele- end of focal lengths as "that occasional odd shot I don't want to miss." It'd be bloody horrible if I actually used it as a regular lens - but then, I didn't pay the same amount for it that I have for my wider lenses.
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