Canon EF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM vs Canon EF-S 55–250mm f/4–5.6 IS STM

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Only show differences

Better figure, where one is clearly better

Share comparison

EF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM compared with EF-S 55–250mm f/4–5.6 IS STM

	CanonEF 70–200mm f/4L IS II USM	CanonEF-S 55–250mm f/4–5.6 IS STM
Overview
Released
Released	June 2018	September 2013
Optics
Lens type
Lens type	Zoom	Zoom
Focal length
Focal length	70–200 mm	55–250 mm
Maximum aperture
Maximum aperture	f/4	f/4–5.6
Minimum aperture
Minimum aperture	f/32	f/22–32
Optical construction
Optical construction	20 elements in 15 groups	15 elements in 12 groups
Special elements
Special elements	One fluorite and two UD elements	One UD element
Coatings
Coatings	Super Spectra coatings; fluorine coatings on the front and rear elements according to Canon's US launch announcement	Super Spectra coatings
Diaphragm
Diaphragm	Nine blades with a circular aperture	Seven blades with a circular aperture
Angle of view
Angle of view	–	Horizontal 23°20′–5°20′; vertical 15°40′–3°30′; diagonal 27°50′–6°15′
Mount and compatibility
Mounts
Mounts	Canon EF	Canon EF-S
Image circle
Image circle	Full frame	APS-C
Compatibility
Compatibility	Canon EF mount full-frame and APS-C cameras	Canon EF-S compatible APS-C cameras; 88–400 mm equivalent field of view
Focus and stabilisation
Autofocus
Autofocus	Yes	Yes
Minimum focus distance
Minimum focus distance	1 m	0.85 m
Maximum magnification
Maximum magnification	0.27×	0.29×
Optical stabilisation
Optical stabilisation	Yes	Yes
Autofocus detail
Autofocus detail	Ring-type USM with full-time manual focus override	STM stepping motor with lead screw; electronic manual focus adjustment after One-Shot autofocus locks according to ePHOTOzine
Focus distance detail
Focus distance detail	Maximum 0.27× magnification at 200 mm; internal focusing according to Digital Camera World	Minimum focus distance 0.85 m throughout the zoom range; maximum 0.29× magnification at 250 mm; non-rotating front element
Stabilisation detail
Stabilisation detail	Five-stop CIPA claim at 200 mm on an EOS-1D X Mark II; three modes including exposure-only stabilisation for tracking moving subjects	3.5-stop CIPA claim; automatic panning detection disables correction in the direction of movement
Design
Dust and moisture resistant
Dust and moisture resistant	Yes	No
Filter diameter
Filter diameter	72 mm	58 mm
Maximum diameter
Maximum diameter	80 mm	70 mm
Length
Length	176 mm	111.2 mm
Weight
Weight	780 g	375 g (better)
Controls
Controls	AF/MF, IS on/off and three IS mode switches; focus limiter excludes distances below 3 m according to Digital Camera World	–
Zoom design
Zoom design	Internal zooming maintains physical length according to Digital Camera World	–
Weather resistance
Weather resistance	Dust- and moisture-resistant construction	No weather seals according to Digital Camera World
Dimensions detail
Dimensions detail	80 mm maximum diameter × 176 mm length	70 mm maximum diameter × 111.2 mm length in the retracted state
Lens hood
Lens hood	–	ET-63; sold separately according to both reviews
Weight detail
Weight detail	Approximate 780 g maker figure; Digital Camera World specifies this excludes the optional tripod mount	–
Tripod mount
Tripod mount	Optional A II (W II) tripod mounting ring according to Digital Camera World; the maker photograph shows this separately sold accessory	–
In the box
In the box	Lens, pouch, caps, hood and instruction manual according to Canon UK	–
Release detail
Release detail	Canon Japan announced first sale on 28 June 2018; Canon Camera Museum gives June 2018 and the US launch announcement states late June. The day is the Japanese sale date, not a separately confirmed UK date.	Canon Japan gives first sale on 12 September 2013; Canon Camera Museum gives September. This day is the Japanese release, not a separately confirmed UK day.