Tamron 18-200 vs Canon 55-250 for a budget telephoto on APS-C
Asked 10/15/2012
1 views
2 answers
0
I'm choosing between the Tamron 18-200 and the Canon 55-250 for an APS-C Canon camera. My budget is limited, and the Tamron's all-in-one zoom range is appealing, but I mainly care about image quality near 200mm and whether the lack of image stabilization is a drawback compared with the Canon. Is the Tamron 18-200 a good buy for telephoto use, or is the Canon 55-250 the better choice?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
2
If you don't really need to be able to shoot wide with the same lens, then you'll generally get much better quality from a lens with narrower zoom range. To get a ~10x zoom range like the 18-200 compromises have to be made.
The Canon lens has a smaller zoom range, yet more reach and has stabilisation so is a better option on paper, however I've never used it so don't know how it performs in the real world.
Both lenses are designed for APS-C sensors only, if are thinking of upgrading to full frame you might want to consider a full frame lens, as in the telephoto range there is little weight penalty for the larger image circle.
Originally by user1375. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1375
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
If your main goal is telephoto shooting, the Canon 55-250 is the better choice in principle. A superzoom like an 18-200 has to make more optical compromises to cover such a wide range, so image quality is generally weaker than a lens with a narrower zoom range.
The Canon also has image stabilization, which is a real advantage at the long end where camera shake is more noticeable. If you don’t need wide-angle coverage in the same lens, a dedicated telephoto zoom is usually the better buy.
The Tamron 18-200 makes more sense if convenience matters most and you want one lens to cover everything from wide to telephoto. But for better telephoto performance and easier handheld shooting, the 55-250 is the safer pick.
One extra consideration: both of these lenses are for APS-C cameras. If you expect to move to full frame soon, you may want to look at full-frame-compatible telephoto options instead.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI13y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Nikon AF-S 55-300mm VR vs Tamron SP 70-300mm VC USD for a D5100
Will switching from a Canon 700D to Nikon APS-C noticeably improve stock photo image quality?
Best telephoto zoom for a Canon 650D around $600–650
Should I replace Canon’s EF-S 18-55mm STM with the 18-135mm STM?
Should I replace my Nikon 55-200 with a budget 70-300 on a D3200?