Which zoom lens under $250?

ChasingFireflies

Does anyone have any experience with this lens? It's a Tamron 75-300 f4-5.6 for $116.
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/B00005V8R8/ref=ord_cart_shr?_encoding=UTF8&m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&v=glance

Or am I better with one of these Canon 75-300 f4-5.6 (one USM, one not) for $196 & $156, respectively ?
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-75-300mm-4-5-6-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B00004THCZ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1210102271&sr=1-2

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-75-300mm-4-5-6-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B00004THD0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=photo&qid=1210102271&sr=1-1

I'm also open to suggetions if someone knows of a good, similarly priced lens.

ziggy53

A fairly good inexpensive lens is the Tamron 70-300mm, f/4-5.6 Di LD 1:2 Macro. For under $200 USD you get a nice 70-200mm, f5.6-f8 with a half scale macro that is not half bad. After 200mm things go pretty soft no matter what you do and you should not use the lens wide open, but if you stay in the range of 70-200mm, and f5.6-f8 you can get pretty good results.

Focus is fairly slow even in the best of circumstances and gets miserable in low light. Definitely not a great sports or bird lens, but for many long shots it is still a pretty good value.

Obviously you need good light with this lens and it would never be my first choice but you need at least twice your budget for a highly recommended lens (i.e. the Canon 70-200mm, f4L USM.)

ziggy53

The new Canon EF-S 55-250mm, f/4-5.6 "IS" is just a little above your budget (around $280) and is getting pretty good early reviews.

http://www.photozone.de/Reviews/Canon%20EOS%20Lens%20Tests/194-canon-ef-s-55-250mm-f4-56-is-test-report--review

It appears to be a new lens formula and improved IQ over the non-IS vesion.