Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM II lens is in the works

Canon is rumored to be working on a new EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 kit lens for EOS M mirrorless cameras, which will be announced sometime in the near future.

Back in mid-2012, Canon announced its intention to join the mirrorless market with the EOS M camera that would use an EF-M lens mount. The EOS M mirrorless camera has become official alongside the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and 22mm f/2 STM lenses.

Only two other optics have been launched after the initial announcement. The lack of lens choices has been one of the main culprits why most photographers have chosen to pick mirrorless cameras from other brands.

As the EOS M3 is gathering mostly positive reviews, users are still waiting for more optics. However, it seems like the Japan-based company has different plans and it is actually working on a replacement for an existing model – a replacement that would have similar focal length and aperture ranges.

This is the existing Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM. A Mark II version is said to be in development and to feature a retractable design.

Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM II lens could be introduced soon

A source is reporting that Canon is actively developing a successor to the EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. The new product will not come with major changes, so the focal length and the aperture are expected to be identical.

While there is a chance that the image quality will be slightly improved, the new model will focus on offering design changes. It will be based on a collapsible design, most likely similar to the one of the EF-M 11-22mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM lens.

The upcoming model will be more compact and lighter than the existing version. This aspect will be met with kind words by users, as some of the things that bring buyers to the mirrorlss world are the size and weight.

If the Canon EF-M 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM II lens becomes official, then it will offer a 35mm focal length equivalent of approximately 29-88mm. The image stabilization technology and the stepping motor will most likely not suffer any changes.

About Canon’s EF-M lens mount

After the 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM and 22mm f/2 STM lenses, Canon has also launched the aforementioned 11-22mm f/4.5-5.6 IS STM and the 55-200mm f/4.5-6.3 IS STM optics.

Tamron has become the first third-party manufacturer to launch an EF-M model in the body of the 18-200mm f/3-5.6.3 Di III VC lens.

More optics could be launched in the future from Canon, as the company has patented the 18-40mm f/3.5-5.6 and 22-46mm f/3.5-5.6 models in the past. Whatever happens, we will be here and we will report the news as it happens!