Blurry photos with zoom lens

[LNieman]

I have a canon xsi that takes lovely, crisp pics with the EFS 18-55 IS lens and a EF 50 1:1.4.  I wanted a zoom to take pictures of sporting events like soccer, baseball, and horseback riding.  I purchased Canon zoom EFS 55-250 1:4-5.6 IS.  Every single picture I take with this lens is blurry.  If a take a photo with a FL of 55 or 250, the image is blurry.  If there is action or if I'm zooming in on a still object, the image is blurry.  I have used the lens in great lighting conditions, and still blurry images.  I have made sure the the settings for the lens include stabilizer "on".  I have tried to trouble shoot, but have missed too many shots and need expertise.  Not sure if there is more for me to do (operator error), or is this an issue with the lens?

[LNieman]

Thank you! I'm a hobbyist, so $1000 seems a bit steep...maybe in the future when I improve.

[Skirball]

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@LNieman wrote:
Thank you! I'm a hobbyist, so $1000 seems a bit steep...maybe in the future when I improve.

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Glad to hear it.  It's easy to get jaded on a site like this where many of us have 10s of thousands invested in photography gear.  There's nothing wrong with starting out with the basics, and the 55 - 250 is a nice little lens for a nice little price. 

[hsbn]

You can return your current lens to get a good copy. It's a terrific lens.

[LNieman]

Thank you. I think I'll probably try another copy.

[hsbn]

Also if you test the lens on tripod, make sure IS is OFF.