Canon announces new 55-200mm lens for EOS M, gets same fate as 11-22mm: not coming to the US

Canon's EOS M mirrorless system never really sold in significant numbers outside of Asia, which may be attributed both to the fact that Canon was rather late to the mirrorless game, and also didn't offer significant advantages over its competitors. Furthermore, its much-beleaguered AF performance didn't help win over consumers. As a result, the system's 11-22mm wide-angle lens as well as the new EOS M2 camera body were never officially released in the US.

The same is true for Canon's latest addition to the system, a 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 telephoto zoom lens, which has just been announced in most parts of the world except the US. And by its specs, we can't say that we'd really get excited about it anyway. While the equivalent focal length of 88-320mm and 4x zoom range are quite useful for telephoto work, the maximum aperture of the lens -- both at its widest and its longest end -- is a bit underwhelming, but understandable for such a relatively compact lens.

In addition, despite its small footprint compared to DSLR lenses, the 55-200mm looks like it won't exactly be a perfect match with the compact EOS M and M2 camera bodies, measuring at a length of 86.5mm (3.4") and a diameter of 60.9mm (2.4"). One the plus side, the lens features image stabilization as well as aspherical and Ultra-low Dispersion elements, which should promise good image quality -- the 18-55 and 22mm f/2 lenses both won high marks for image quality. It's also quite a lightweight at a mere 260g (9.17 oz). It also sports seven rounded aperture blades for smooth bokeh.

If you own a Canon EOS M or M2 and would like to add a telephoto zoom lens, you will have to order it from overseas. In Europe, the lens will be available in July for €389.99 (US$528), whereas in Japan it'll sell for ¥49,000 (US$480) plus taxes. In either case, you'll have to pay for shipping and import duties, which means you'll end up with a pretty expensive piece of glass.

(via Canon Watch)