So Im honestly at my wits end trying to figure this out. I bought a Canon 80D body a few months ago after my old rebel finally died on me and Ive just been using a 50mm prime since then cause thats all I had budget for. But now Im taking a trip to Colorado next month and Im realizing pretty quickly that a prime lens is just not gonna cut it for mountain landscapes and wildlife and whatever else we stumble on. I need a zoom lens badly but my budget is super tight right now like max 350 bucks maybe 400 if I push it. I spent the last three nights falling down rabbit holes on reddit and photography forums and my brain is fried. I keep seeing people recommend the Canon EF-S 55-250mm IS STM because its super cheap and apparently punch way above its weight class, but then another thread will say its too plasticky and soft at the long end and I should look at the older Tamron 70-300mm instead. But wait, then someone else says the Tamron doesnt have good image stabilization which is basically useless for me since I hate carrying a tripod everywhere. I read a review about the Sigma 70-300mm too but half the comments say it wont even focus properly on crop sensors or something?? Im so confused by all the conflicting opinions and technical jargon. Like, half these forum posts are from like 2017 and I dont even know if this stuff holds up on the 80D sensor today. Why is choosing a simple lens so insanely complicated. If you guys were in my shoes with a 350 dollar max budget and an 80D for a nature trip next month, what would you actually buy without regretting it instantly...
Had a moment to think about this more and honestly, you should skip the entry-level options if you want sharp landscape shots. I previously owned the Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD and unfortunately had issues with soft corners on my crop body.
- Look for a used Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM instead
- No image stabilization, but the optical quality destroys cheap zooms
- Easily found under 400 used It is heavier, but totally worth it for Colorado.
> Why is choosing a simple lens so insanely complicated. Honestly stop overthinking it and just grab the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. I know people on forums love to pixel peep and trash anything made of plastic, but for under 200 bucks used, nothing else comes close on a crop sensor. The IS on that little Canon lens is legit magic for handheld shots. I took mine on a hiking trip last year and got super sharp wildlife shots without dragging a tripod up a mountain. The main downside is obviously the build quality feels a bit cheap, and you wont get pro-level background blur, but it weighs basically nothing in your pack. If you really want to stretch that budget toward 350, look for a used Tamron SP 70-300mm f/4-5.6 Di VC USD instead of the non-VC versions people keep warning you about. That VC stabilization is a must-have, and the reach is slightly better. But honestly? For Colorado landscapes and casual wildlife, save the extra cash for gas and snacks and get the STM. You wont regret it, especially coming straight from a 50mm prime.
Get the Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM. In my experience over the years, it wont let you down. The stabilization is solid for handheld shooting.