Canon 55-2?? IS

Phil V

Phil V

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So, I’ve decided I’m taking my M5 on a big holiday rather than the 6d,

I’m taking the 15-45, 22, 35 Sigma Art, and 85 1.8.
however there’s a couple of days there’ll be a chance to see some wildlife, I’m not wanting to go any longer than 250, purely because I have no desire to carry too much weight. I’m really not used to buying consumer telephoto zooms.

this requires a lens purchase, which I think gives me the following choices
55-250 IS MK1
55-250 IS MK2
55-250 IS STM
or EF-M 55-200 IS STM

I’d like to buy s/h, and as it’s of so little use to me after the holiday, I don’t really want to spend a fortune, so what’s the best option?
 
Phil V said:
So, I’ve decided I’m taking my M5 on a big holiday rather than the 6d,

I’m taking the 15-45, 22, 35 Sigma Art, and 85 1.8.
however there’s a couple of days there’ll be a chance to see some wildlife, I’m not wanting to go any longer than 250, purely because I have no desire to carry too much weight. I’m really not used to buying consumer telephoto zooms.

this requires a lens purchase, which I think gives me the following choices
55-250 IS MK1
55-250 IS MK2
55-250 IS STM
or EF-M 55-200 IS STM

I’d like to buy s/h, and as it’s of so little use to me after the holiday, I don’t really want to spend a fortune, so what’s the best option?
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All I can tell you is that the EF-S 55-250 STM is a little beast! I adapted it to both M43 and Fuji and I was impressed with how good it was, even wide open, 5.6 @250mm. It has very decent close focusing for a tele lens and very good magnification too. 85cm/0.29x - actually exceptionally good for this type of lens - I know you're just looking to the reach side, but it's no harm having that as a bonus for closer up shooting. Say you come across an interesting bug or butterfly ... It's a plastic mount, but that never bothered anyone before, certainly nt heard of anyone breaking one.

I bought mine new at HDEW for £129, for whatever reason they've bumped up to £135 on there but that is still a steal: https://www.hdewcameras.co.uk/canon-ef-s-55-250mm-f4-56-is-stm-2434-p.asp
 
I can second that Phil the 55-250stm model is extremely good on the M series cameras
 
There is no optical differences between the Mark 1 and 2 versions. These lenses had 12 lens elements in 10 groups. The "STM", on the other hand, has 15 lens elements in 12 groups. which is supposed to improve the lens performance from 100mm to the 250mm end. I have the Mk 1 version on a Canon 650d and its a very handy and light lens.
 
As I'm new here, please forgive any inadvertent blunders. I'm currently rather fancying a 55-250 STM myself so positive comments here have been encouraging and likely to cause me to spend money ! When I found the £135 price online I assumed that it was S/H, but no, there are a few others around at £150 - £170, - but most are £299. My guess is that the cheaper ones are non-uk versions, and presumably not covered by a Canon UK warranty. But some of the lower-priced ones might still come with a seller's warranty of some sort, and there is still the good old sale of goods act, and section 75, for goods over £100 purchased on a credit card, (although that one is short-term). Then there's some secondhand ones on eBay for which I could pay something close to the £135, and still get a "grey" one if the serial number isn't available to use the online checker. Is here any difference in specification or quality of the unofficial imports, I wonder?
 
Be wary of eBay sellers, there are a large amount of lenses miss labeled as STM (I'm sure most experienced people on here would notice those that are not the STM version). I don't know if it's because they are trying to deceive or are genuinely making a mistake in their listing.
 
See what's available from the usual suspects (MPB, Mifsuds etc.) and take your pick from their 2nd hand shelves. Might be worth looking for 3rd party options too. Should be able to move the resulting purchase on for not-too-much loss. Another option might be Stewart.
 
Thanks for your quick and helpful replies. But who is Stewart ? I am attracted to MPB as they have a good reputation, but they don't seem to show the all-important serial numbers any more, and the individual item descriptions seem a bit generic. Presented with several lenses graded the same, and priced the same, I can't differentiate between them with only a generic description. Are they likely to be receptive to a phone call asking for advice on choice ? With regard to Nostromo's contribution, I agree and have seen quite a few such cases of misdescription of lenses on eBay. If the seller doesn't include a shot of the front of the lens for me to see the designation then I don't bother. I get the impression that some sellers aren't the previous users, and merely copy other people's listings. Can't generalise though because I've had quite a few excellent deals on eBay (and just one or two of the other sort.) At least I've always found that eBay will sort things out if there are issues regarding description, but remedies are a bit less clear if a business seller's interpretation of "like new", "almost unmarked", "slight wear", etc differs substantially from my own.
 
Acorn said:
Thanks for your quick and helpful replies. But who is Stewart ?
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Sorry; Stewart is a member of the forum who has a lens hire business - lensesforhire.

Can't speak for MPB but when I have been in Mifsuds's bricks's'mortar shop down in Brixham, I've seen and heard a member of staff examine and describe (in minute detail!) items that were on their second hand shelves.
 
Thanks all - looks like the 55-250STM it is.

@Acorn I'm not getting into a why's and wherefore's of grey market debate, but the usual recommended sites include a warranty, though Canon's lens warranty (unlike cameras) is worldwide (according to the docs in the box of any lens I've owned)
 
I have used the mki and the stm version. I feel the AF is a bit slower with the stm version.(I probably only noticed because I had the mki to compare it against ) I found the sharpness of the mki acceptable but I was not doing enlargements.
 
Edit I’ve started a new thread to save hijacking Phil’s thread
 
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@Phil V i am considering lightening the load and was wondering what your opinions were of the 55-250 stm on a M body ?.
 
Jwar1976 said:
@Phil V i am considering lightening the load and was wondering what your opinions were of the 55-250 stm on a M body ?.
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I bought it for the holiday, used it on the holiday and it hasn't seen daylight since. I was neither blown away nor disappointed with the results. It'll be going up for sale when I get round to it, along with the rest of my crop gear.
 
Slightly off topic.
A few years ago we spent a week in the Lake district.
Being a Canon shooter at the time and knew we'd be doing a lot of walking, I decided to only take my EOS M (mk1) + EFm 18-55 kit lens, EFm 11-22, and EFm 55-200
I was really surprised with the quality of images.
Unfortunately I sold the whole kit but often wished I held on to it.
 
Phil V said:
I bought it for the holiday, used it on the holiday and it hasn't seen daylight since. I was neither blown away nor disappointed with the results. It'll be going up for sale when I get round to it, along with the rest of my crop gear.
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Thank you for the quick useful reply, others have said similar things as well in different groups. Think I will just stick with the zooms I have got.
 
Jwar1976 said:
Thank you for the quick useful reply, others have said similar things as well in different groups. Think I will just stick with the zooms I have got.
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Depends on what you shoot really, if you like some casual garden wildlife photography the 55-250 STM is ideal, it real is a sweet lens for the money. I wish I'd held onto it plus the AF adapter I had for my Fuji tbh, may even re-buy them at some stage. The lens plus adapter [used] is still cheaper than a used Fuji 55-200 and I dare say the output quality is as good, AF not as fast adapted but not too shabby either. Plus the extra reach is handy [there is a Fuji 50-230 but it's a stop slower at full reach and possibly not as sharp in that range]
 
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Cagey75 said:
Depends on what you shoot really, if you like some casual garden wildlife photography the 55-250 STM is ideal, it real is a sweet lens for the money. I wish I'd held onto it plus the AF adapter I had for my Fuji tbh, may even re-buy them at some stage. The lens plus adapter [used] is still cheaper than a used Fuji 55-200 and I dare say the output quality is as good, AF not as fast adapted but not too shabby either. Plus the extra reach is handy [there is a Fuji 50-230 but it's a stop slower at full reach and possibly not as sharp in that range]
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No unfortunately it would be zoos and nature reserves once we are allowed, I think sticking with my Tammy 100-400 would be best for the time being, until I get my R6.
 
Jwar1976 said:
No unfortunately it would be zoos and nature reserves once we are allowed, I think sticking with my Tammy 100-400 would be best for the time being, until I get my R6.
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It would fit the bill for those outings too, your 100-400 of course will be better but if you just wanted something lightweight and unobtrusive - if you're planning to up to the R6 it would end up wasted though
 
Cagey75 said:
It would fit the bill for those outings too, your 100-400 of course will be better but if you just wanted something lightweight and unobtrusive - if you're planning to up to the R6 it would end up wasted though
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This is what I need to seriously think about, I hope to be going to Australia next year if I am allowed and I am thinking do I want to take my R6 with me as a travel camera or my M6 Mark II. I wouldn’t say the M6 would be wasted as I do a lot of Rugby photography with it and when going to zoos & nature reserves, the majority of the time I use APSC for the extra reach in the crop factor.
 
Jwar1976 said:
This is what I need to seriously think about, I hope to be going to Australia next year if I am allowed and I am thinking do I want to take my R6 with me as a travel camera or my M6 Mark II. I wouldn’t say the M6 would be wasted as I do a lot of Rugby photography with it and when going to zoos & nature reserves, the majority of the time I use APSC for the extra reach in the crop factor.
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Ah you're keeping the M6, I assumed you were probably selling and upgrading to FF only. If you are keeping it then you could do a lot worse for the money than buying the 55-250.
 
Cagey75 said:
Ah you're keeping the M6, I assumed you were probably selling and upgrading to FF only. If you are keeping it then you could do a lot worse for the money than buying the 55-250.
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I originally had the 7D Mark 1 (which I still own) and then when after my Father passed away I bought myself a used 5D Mark III as he used to shoot 35mm film and encouraged me to go full frame, and the 5D has been my pride and joy since 2016, thousands upon thousands images taken. But since going to Mirrorless last year I have gotten so used to the system, that when I do pick up my 5D, I do accidentally attempt to change the settings on the screen and then realise that it isn’t a mirrorless camera .

Now as my 5D was bought with inheritance money, I do not know how much more life it has in it as the shutter count is close to max and because it has so much sentimental value, I will be going after a R6 as my main full frame body. My 7D will be eventually converted to full spectrum for Astro & Spirit photography. Which will then leave me with the M6, so the plan is to get a couple of native lenses like the 22mm F2 & 32mm F1.4, so then combined with a light zoom lens, would be a really light kitbag for travels either in the UK or abroad.
 
Jwar1976 said:
I originally had the 7D Mark 1 (which I still own) and then when after my Father passed away I bought myself a used 5D Mark III as he used to shoot 35mm film and encouraged me to go full frame, and the 5D has been my pride and joy since 2016, thousands upon thousands images taken. But since going to Mirrorless last year I have gotten so used to the system, that when I do pick up my 5D, I do accidentally attempt to change the settings on the screen and then realise that it isn’t a mirrorless camera .

Now as my 5D was bought with inheritance money, I do not know how much more life it has in it as the shutter count is close to max and because it has so much sentimental value, I will be going after a R6 as my main full frame body. My 7D will be eventually converted to full spectrum for Astro & Spirit photography. Which will then leave me with the M6, so the plan is to get a couple of native lenses like the 22mm F2 & 32mm F1.4, so then combined with a light zoom lens, would be a really light kitbag for travels either in the UK or abroad.
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I pondered on the Canon M system at one stage, was eyeing an M50 and those 2 primes would have been my first I reckon, then maybe the 55-250 with an adapter, just happened to go back to Fuji instead. Pity that line seems to have been made redundant, unless Canon have more lenses for it in the woodwork
 
Cagey75 said:
I pondered on the Canon M system at one stage, was eyeing an M50 and those 2 primes would have been my first I reckon, then maybe the 55-250 with an adapter, just happened to go back to Fuji instead. Pity that line seems to have been made redundant, unless Canon have more lenses for it in the woodwork
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Yes it is a shame as it had so much potential but with how cheaply EF-S glass can be purchased, I think that Canon just wanted to concentrate on the RF side of things, in short give people on a budget a taster of mirrorless but for advanced features like Animal Eye AF etc, then you have to buy a R model. I did hear rumours of more M models but nothing about new glass, so do honestly think that the line will be phased out in the new market, once stocks are gone that is it. I hope I am wrong but it does look like that it Is a bleak future for the M series, which is truly a shame.
 
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