Canon 55-250mm for landscape, etc

[mikebeecham]

Hi guys,

I wonder what your thoughts might be on how good/bad the Canon 55-250mm lens is for taking decent landscape and wildlife shots.

With the former, I really want to take nice landscape shots, with the latter being things like birds with a really creamy background.

Would this lens be a good one to go for? Price is a consideration, I guess hence the reason my choice being this one. I suppose my hesitation is that it's a kit lens and, by inference, not as good as I would need.

Thoughts?

 

[ernesto]

The 55 - 250 is a good lens for the price with not many other options in that budget. Landscapes at 55 may be pushing it although not impossible.

 

[dubzter]

Wildlife will be not too bad if they are stationary, the focus isn't that quick. As above it's a good lens for the money and I have one and use it.

 

[Beav]

I have the 55-250mm lens and use it mostly for motorsports which it is a great lens for. However I have been trying to photograph birds with it and 250mm just isn't enough really. Yeah 55mm is a little long for most landscape shots as well.

I always hear it is a brilliant lens for the money and I can agree to this as well just not sure for bird/landscape photography.

 

[wontolla]

You can take some nice LS shots with the 55-250, it 'compresses' the image and gives it a nice effect, IF you like that kind of thing, I do.
As for birding, you have to get pretty close to the subject, sometimes not as easy as it sounds!

This was taken with the 55-250 at 55mm.

AutumnTree2 by wontolla1, on Flickr

This was taken at 250mm. Not landscape I know, but gives you some idea of sharpness.

Chalet1 by wontolla1, on Flickr

 

[LongLensPhotography]

There are plenty of nice tele-landscapes that can be taken at the long end. It just needs some good thought and creativity. There is no lens that is bad for landscapes bar poor optics.

Wildlife is trickier, particularly if you are into smaller species. It really is not very long at all, nor it will blur the background quite as much as you would hope. But if you have to ask how much for a perfect wildlife lens, you probably can't afford it.