Canon ef 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 ii usm

Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM Performance

The performance on the Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM  is good for the price. It can capture sharp images and has optical stabilization which allows you to shoot at slower shutter speeds while still maintaining image quality, but it does have some downsides such as lower contrast compared with more expensive lenses and chromatic aberration problems around the edges of high contrast objects. 

Build and Handling Quality

The build quality is  not up to the same standard as other Canon lenses, but it is decent enough. It doesn’t offer weatherproofing like some of its counterparts so this makes it less durable than others on the market today. The front element also does not rotate during focusing which means that using a circular polarizer filter becomes an issue with this lens because you would need to adjust the filter manually.

Autofocus Performance

The autofocus performance is  decent, but not as quick compared with more expensive Canon lenses. It also doesn’t have full time manual focus so this means that you have to switch between autofocus and manual modes. The minimum focusing distance is quite good at just under two feet for close-up shots which allow you to capture some nice macro photographs if desired.

Sharpness

The sharpness of the Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM is  good, but not great. It is capable of capturing images with good resolution and sharpness at least in the center part of an image, but chromatic aberration problems around the edges are also quite evident. This means that you wouldn’t be able to capture nice bokeh effects on out-of-focus background objects which would have otherwise been possible.

Vignetting

Vignetting is  a common problem with lenses and the Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM  is no exception to this rule. As you stop down from maximum aperture, vignetting will be less of a problem which means that finding your desired exposure settings becomes easier as well.

Chromatic Aberration

Chromatic aberration is  the name given to coloured fringes that can sometimes appear around objects in an image. It’s caused by a failure of the lens to focus all colours on the same point.

The Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM  has quite a bit of chromatic aberration which means that you won’t be able to capture nice bokeh effects on out-of focus background objects, but at least stopping down from maximum aperture will reduce this problem significantly.

Distortion

There is some distortion  on the Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM  which is common for lenses like this and it’s not too strong either so it shouldn’t be a major problem unless you require straight lines to remain perfectly horizontal or vertical, in which case some post processing may still be required.

Image Quality

The Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM  is not as good as the more expensive lenses on the market today, but it still manages to perform well enough for most photographers and hobbyists who just need a simple telephoto lens that captures sharp images with decent colour reproduction capabilities.

Bokeh

The bokeh effect is  nice and smooth with the Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM, which means that you’ll be able to capture some good background blur when using this lens at maximum aperture in an attempt to isolate your subject from its surroundings.

Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM Overview

The Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM camera lens is an inexpensive telephoto zoom that offers a good performance for the price and should be considered as a starter model in this focal range.

It can capture sharp images and has optical stabilization which allows you to shoot at slower shutter speeds while still maintaining image quality, but it does have some downsides such as lower contrast compared with more expensive lenses and chromatic aberration problems around the edges of high contrast objects. It also doesn’t offer weatherproofing like other models do so this makes it less durable than others on the market today. 

Reasons to Buy Canon EF 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM Lens

Here we’ve included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Canon EF 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.

PROs

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CONs

Lens Mount

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM is compatible with cameras that have a Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.

Size, Weight and Filter Thread

Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM has a maximum diameter of 70mm and total length of 97mm when not extended. It weighs 310g / 10.9 oz.

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM has a filter thread of 52mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM:

Optical Image Stabilization

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM doesn’t have an optical image stabilization system so the only option to stabilize the image taken with this lens is to mount on a camera body with IBIS (sensor based In-body image stabilization).

Alternatively, you can check the Canon EF 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM in Canon EF mount that have similar focal range but features Optical Image Stabilization.

Lenses Similar to Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM With Optical Image Stabilization

Zoom Method

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.

Maximum Magnification Ratio

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.06x and has a minimum focusing distance of 1.2m. 0.06x means that the max magnification ratio is very low and not suitable even for modest close-up shots.

Below are the 3 Telephoto Zoom type Canon12 mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:

• Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG: 0.5x — (Compare)
• Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG: 0.5x — (Compare)
• Tamron 70-210mm F4 Di VC USD: 0.32x — (Compare)

Aperture

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f4.5 and a minimum aperture of f22 at 55mm, and a max aperture of f5.6 and minimum aperture of f27 at 200mm .

Lens Hood

Canon 55-200mm f4.5-5.6 II USM doesn’t come with a lens hood. You have to order the hood separately and the model number of the hood is ET-54.

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Our Verdict

The Canon EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5.6 II USM is  a decent lens for the money and it does a good job of capturing sharp images with nice colours, but if you’re looking for something more professional this may not be the best option. There is some distortion and chromatic aberration present as well which can affect image quality in certain situations. Vignetting is also quite strong at wide open aperture settings  making it hard to get a good exposure.

The Canon EF 55-200mm f/14-45.65 II USM is  still one of the best lenses for its price range and you shouldn’t have too many problems capturing nice images with decent colours, but if you’re looking for better image quality in your telephoto lens then it may be worth spending more money on something like the Canon EF 70-300mm f/14.45 III USM which can cost almost three times as much, but offers better performance overall for this type of lens.

If you’re looking to purchase a telephoto zoom lens with an affordable price tag then the Canon EF 55-200 mm f/14-45.65 II USM is a decent option, but it’s not going to be as sharp as some of the more expensive lenses on the market today so you’ll have to decide whether or not this lens can meet your needs and expectations before making a purchase decision.

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