Simviation Forums

Could I get an opinion here? 

I need a new telephoto lens for my Canon Rebel T3i. My current telephoto lens is a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III lens.
There is nothing in particular I take pictures of, I just photograph pretty much everything. However, I am starting to take pictures of aircraft and wildlife.

I am wanting a new lens due to the fact that the 75-300 III has a TON of chromatic abberations at the tele end (and the wide end, but not as bad), and an IS would be extremly useful, in addition to kind of slow auto-focus.

Now, I just don't have the money for an "L" lens, so don't even try..... 

I would also like to stick with Canon lenses.

I am trying to decide between the EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS II and the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM .

The problem I am having in deciding is the fact that the 55-250 is $350 cheaper than the 70-300.
This makes me wonder why there is the difference in price, and also makes me lean towards the 70-300 just because it is more expensive.

Canon says the 55-250 has one more stop of Image Stabalization than the 70-300.

I can't really compare the MTF charts on the Canon website for the two, being different focal lengths.

So, being a relative noob at lenses, can anyone here give me some guidance?

Thanks in advance!      8-)

As much as it goes against everything you've just said... The Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM with the 2x converter is a phenomenal pair for aircraft and race days

The 70-300 IS is a decent little lens for that price range....I have a lot of friends who use it for aviation.

Give us an idea of how much you're willing to spend and it'd be a little easier to find the right bit of glass (you'd be surprised what you can get....especially in the second hand market )

.mic

Yes, I'm aware of what I can get second-hand (or from a reputable store on eBay or Amazon).

I'm not looking to spend more than $500 at this point, I know I can get a 70-300 IS for less than that on amazon or ebay.