baygolf Loc: DMV

Hi, I would like to know between these two lens which one has the best IQ. I'm not concerned about focal length or other possible lens, just which one of these will yield the best picture. It will be used on a Canon SL1. the two lens are:
Canon 18-135mm STM or Canon 55-250mm STM.

Thanks for your recommendation.

canadiaman Loc: Tallahassee, FL

You may want to compare image quality on this website http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx

Db7423 Loc: Pittsburgh, PA

Or: http://www.dxomark.com/Lenses/Ratings

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Both have decent image quality. The Canon STM are mostly very recent designs, often the latest-and-greatest version of the lens with other improvements besides the better AF drive system. For example, the 55-250 STM is more compact, closer focusing than the earlier, non-STM version. It also has a non-rotating front barrel (which makes it easier to use with rotating filters such as polarizers).

So long as it meets reasonable standards, image quality factors really shouldn't matter very much comparing these two lenses because they serve different purposes. You should base your decision more on what focal length range you need and/or what other lenses you already have. If you already have an 18-55mm, for example, the 55-250 might make more sense. If you want a single lens to carry most of the time, the 18-135mm might be a better choice. If you mostly shoot landscapes, portraits, etc. the 18-135mm might be more than enough (or you may want to complement it with a wider lens like the EF-S 10-18mm STM IS or EF 10-22mm USM). If you want to shoot sports or wildlife, you are more likely to want the stonger telephoto "reach" of the 55-250mm.

baygolf Loc: DMV

Thanks