EF-M 11-22 f/4-5.6 IS STM Not Coming to the USA

[traveller]

I think that there are three possible explanations (in order of likelihood):

1. The moderator who responded on the Canon USA forum was ill briefed and was wrong.

2. Canon are planning a big relaunch of the EOS-M system this Autumn (sorry, Fall ) and want to announce the 11-22 f/4-5.6 IS STM as a "new" lens in the USA at that time.

3. Sales figures of mirrorless cameras are flattening off and Canon is quietly pulling out of the market segment (at least for now).

 

[nolken]

If this is the case I may not be opening my EOS-M box until I near the end of my return period. between this and the adapter becoming a non-returnable preorder item, I am beginning to question the future of the mirrorless line. I don't want to own a "limited edition" camera not knowing the stability of future support.

 

[FunPhotons]

If this is the case I may not be opening my EOS-M box until I near the end of my return period. between this and the adapter becoming a non-returnable preorder item, I am beginning to question the future of the mirrorless line. I don't want to own a "limited edition" camera not knowing the stability of future support.

That's odd. How do you buy anything? Canon may discontinue any of their stuff tomorrow, in fact they do it all the time. I got a 5DmII that barely supports the new RT flash system, but is missing a number of features (i.e. groups). What about the GPS hotshoe accessory I got for the EOS-M? Nope. Canon refuses to make easy firmware upgrades in an effort to get me to dump the camera and buy a new one. Annoying. At any rate this hardly counts as indicating the line is dead.

 

[nolken]

If this is the case I may not be opening my EOS-M box until I near the end of my return period. between this and the adapter becoming a non-returnable preorder item, I am beginning to question the future of the mirrorless line. I don't want to own a "limited edition" camera not knowing the stability of future support.

That's odd. How do you buy anything? Canon may discontinue any of their stuff tomorrow, in fact they do it all the time. I got a 5DmII that barely supports the new RT flash system, but is missing a number of features (i.e. groups). What about the GPS hotshoe accessory I got for the EOS-M? Nope. Canon refuses to make easy firmware upgrades in an effort to get me to dump the camera and buy a new one. Annoying. At any rate this hardly counts as indicating the line is dead.

Canon won't discontinue the EF, or EF-S, lens mount anytime soon. The EF-M line has 2 lenses, and they may discontinue the mount if they discontinue the camera line. I feel very comfortable buying EF lenses and cameras because know the line has a long future. The future of the mirrorless seems sketchy at the moment. And Canon refusing to make "easy" firmware upgrades rarely makes your camera obsolete. The hardware becomes obsolete before the firmware, which would mean you have to upgrade your camera if you want the better performance of newer cameras. The camera can only be as strong as it's weakest link, and when that weakest link is the hardware it is time to upgrade. The fact that you question how I buy anything makes me question why you are on CR. Is the future not what CR is about? Why do we want to know these rumors? Do the rumors not alter your current purchase decisions?

 

[brad-man]

Sure seems like a curious turn of events. Hopefully, now that there are a bunch of Ms in the wild, Sigma will release the 30mm f/2.8 DN/A and the 60mm f/2.8 DN/A in the M mount. I could live with that...

 

[Grendel]

Dear Grendel:

Thank you for contacting Canon product support. We understand you have a question regarding the EOS M digital camera.

At this time, we have not received any information that the EOS M camera has been or is being discontinued. Each division of Canon makes a business decision as to what products will be carried in that country or region. Canon USA has decided not to carry the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens, and as it is not carried in the US, does not have current plans to support the lens. We do not know if this situation will change in the future; click HERE to go to the press releases for the Canon USA website to monitor if a decision is made to carry the lens, as this is where new products are announced.

We are very sorry for any inconvenience this causes. Please let us know if we can be of further assistance.

Sincerely,

Dave
Product Support Representative

 

[axtstern]

I have ordered the 11-22mm from Amazon.de today.
ETA: 17-18th of July
Available amount of lenses and the price was volatile througout the day with currently more lenses in stock than this morning and the price 20 Euro up as well.

 

[jcollett]

Well, I'll wait for white boxed versions of this lens to flood SE Asia markets, then pick it up cheap on eBay. At $600 for the ef-m UWA, one might as well use the ef-s 10-22 with the adapter.

 

[AudioGlenn]

At $600 for the ef-m UWA, one might as well use the ef-s 10-22 with the adapter.

+1 I shouldn't have sold mine.

AND you get the extra 1mm

 

[bholliman]

Here is the response I just received from Canon - very similar to what Grendel received. I specifically ask if the EOS-M or the M system was being discontinued. I added the underline:

"Thank you for contacting Canon product support regarding whether Canon will release the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens in the U.S. market.
Canon recently announced that the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens will be available to the European market. Currently, there has not been any announcements whether the lens will be available for the U.S. market. If Canon U.S.A. decides to sell the EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM lens in the U.S market, a press release will be made on Canon's website, www.usa.canon.com. The EOS-M System is still produced and supported by Canon U.S.A. and there is no indication that support is being discontinued in the near future.
Please let us know if we can be of any further assistance with your EOS-M. Thank you for choosing Canon.
Sincerely,
Rodney
Technical Support Representative"

 

[FunPhotons]

I was going to say that Canon might be structured where Canon USA is a different organization (with different profit and loss statement and decision chain) than Canon Japan, etc. Apparently that is the case and Canon USA decided not to release the lens, for whatever reason.

 

[neech7]

At $600 for the ef-m UWA, one might as well use the ef-s 10-22 with the adapter.

The new lens will be cheaper, lighter, smaller, stabilized, and optically superior. Looks like 5 good reasons to choose it over the 10-22 plus adaptor.

 

[Dylan777]

At $600 for the ef-m UWA, one might as well use the ef-s 10-22 with the adapter.

The new lens will be cheaper, lighter, smaller, stabilized, and optically superior. Looks like 5 good reasons to choose it over the 10-22 plus adaptor.

+1...Indeed, the MTF chart does show the new UWA STM is better than EF-S.

I see and hear people buying EF & EF-S adapter(s) to use with M...sounds like FUN ;D....for some reasons, I just can't do it. Tiny body with big lens - feel like is not balance at all.

 

[mackguyver]

Between this and the recent fire sale on the M, I can only guess that sales have been disastrous in the USA, which actually corresponds with mirrorless sales in general - Japan/Asian market is huge, Europe decent, USA, DSLR still dominates.

I hope that's not true, but it's not looking good

 

[JPAZ]

Anyone think we should all continue to contact Canon about this? Or are we wasting our time?

I got almost the same response.

 

[Dylan777]

Anyone think we should all continue to contact Canon about this? Or are we wasting our time?

I got almost the same response.

You can always buy this lens from Japan through Ebay etc. I'll be in Hong Kong from Jul 21th to 26th, will keep an eye it. If avaiable, I'll pick one up.

 

[tnargs]

Re: EF-M 11-22 f/4-5.6 IS STM Not Coming to North America?

Notice they say "due to current market conditions". This can mean a lot of things, but to a large company like Canon just having an item out for support and sales means it costs money - a lot of it. The service centers have to be trained and keep parts inventory - just for starters. This costs $$.

My guess is they see NA sales low enough that it's not worth supporting, they mostly just sold them to the Photo sites and rental places. Perhaps this is why they dumped stocks in NA.

Now with the however many new EOS-M's running in the wild in NA it might be a different story - in a year! Big companies run slowly.

How can volumes be uneconomical for USA when volumes are sufficient for Canada and Australia?

 

[dadgummit]

Anyone think we should all continue to contact Canon about this? Or are we wasting our time?

I got almost the same response.

Keep going. The more people that respond the more likely it is they will carry the lens.

 

[neuroanatomist]

So if the dumping of the EOS-M was at cost because units were failing to sell then Canon USA would probably have little confidence in the camera selling and thus accessories (i.e lenses) selling well. Even after dumping the camera, they would expect people to have it but not see it as a long term friend.

It may be that Canon USA have formed the opinion that people who buy Canon in the USA do so because of DSLRs (and possibly compacts) but for those interested in MILC, they've already bought into NEX or m4/3 and thus because Canon is so far behind, won't buy into the Canon system (in the USA.)

That makes sense. But it could also be that Canon USA's M-series product manager has an irrational fear of prime numbers, so a lens with 11 in the name was declined.

The mind of Canon is inscrutable.

 

[mb66energy]

Where are the benefits of global trade ? Gone ?

I tried to find a german dealer who sells the EOS M with the 22mm - not possible, just a set which includes the Adapter and the flash for 630 EUR (~800 $). I thought about ordering the 299$-Offer from BH Photo (470 $ with taxes and delivery) resulting in 370 EUR final price. Next day the offer was gone ...
A large online dealer with amazing product palettes online doesn't deliver from US to Germany - weird things.

Now they wan't sell the 11-22 in US ? As many of you mentioned this is a very attractive lens because it is much smaller than alternatives and might show extraordinary IQ (we have to wait for real world samples).

Now it is easier to send asparagus for 3 $ by plane for 10000 kilometers - compared to a 300 $ lens which has the same weight/volume and is much easier to store ....?!