EF 55-200 4.5-5.6 II USM not discontinued?

[DavidEccleston]

I'm a bit confused about this lens. In a recent topic somebody mentioned the 55-200 as a cheap telephoto suggestion. I assumed they meant the 55-250mm, after all, there is no 55-200 listed on this big lens list at the bottom of most pages here. After a bit of digging, I saw there *is* a review of it here, listed under discontinued lenses.





Today I got a BestBuy flyer email that had an kit bundled with the 55-200mm. Curious, I clicked. Indeed, the lens is there. They even sell them seperately.


Bundle 1 -http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=BDL 10001935&catid=24394


Bundle 2 -http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?logon=&langid=EN&sku_id=BDL 10001928&catid=24394





Lens -http://www.bestbuy.ca/catalog/proddetail.asp?sku_id=0926INGFS10035103&catid= 26562&logon=&langid=EN
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<div>Are they clearing out some ancient stock, or are these lenses not really discontinued? Not that I'd want one, but I'd think that if they're still available at retail, the review should be where people can find it easily.</div>
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<div>edit: Another site is selling them too, and this site recently said the 40D is discontinued, and now no longer lists them (only refurbs). They make no such claim about this lens.</div>
<div>http://www.cameracanada.com/eNet-cart/Product.asp?pid=8808A002&amp;type=</div>
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[alexniedra]

Yeah, they'll do that sometimes. I've seen the same at Future Shop. These are the cheapest lenses they can get their hands on, so...


...Go to B&amp;H instead!

[Mark Elberson]

Another site is selling them too, and this site recently said the 40D is discontinued, and now no longer lists them (only refurbs).
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<p style="CLEAR: both"]That's weird. The 40D is still listed on Canon's USA site where as the EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5 II is not. I don't think the 40D will be discontinued until the 60D comes out.

[DavidEccleston]

That's weird. The 40D is still listed on Canon's USA site where as the EF 55-200mm f/4.5-5 II is not. I don't think the 40D will be discontinued until the 60D comes out.

Yeah, I thought Canon had said the 50D wasn't a replacement, and they'd be selling both the 40D and 50D. I took the disappearing 40D to be a sign that the 60D is just around the corner. It could also be a sign that the profit margin is higher on the 50D.

[Mark Elberson]

I took the disappearing 40D to be a sign that the 60D is just around the corner
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I just checked out the press releases for both the 40D and the 50D. The 40D was announced on 08/20/2007 and the 50D was announced on 08/26/2008.If the 60D follows suit it should be making its way to market very soon! There's no way they would keep a 3rd XXD model in production so I'm guessing we'll be seeing less and less new 40D's at vendors.