Canon Keeping Silent On Country Of Manufacture Of EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS STM lens

[erainn]

Hi, I've been thinking about buying an EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS STM lens, but would like to know where it is manufactured. So I emailed Canon UK to confirm if this lens was made in China and here's the response I got:

"In regards to your enquiry about the production of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS STM lens, we hereby want to inform you that we are unaware of any production processes due to the fact that this is confidential information. We therefore cannot confirm with you where the lenses are manufactured."

I thought this to be a curious and somewhat evasive reply.

Does anyone here have this lens or know where it's made?

Hope someone can clear up this mystery

[Pippan]

Mine says on the mount end that it was made in Malaysia.

[Manfred M]

I'm not sure what Canon does, but Nikon has been known to start manufacturing lenses in Japan and then move production off shore to China at some later time. The answer you got from Canon would be consistent with this type of production strategy. There doesn't seem to be any quality difference based on where the final assembly takes place, as components are produced in a number of different countries.

I'm a bit curious as to why this information is important to you.

[erainn]

Mine says on the mount end that it was made in Malaysia.

Pippan, thanks for letting me know.

[erainn]

GD, It's a personal thing for me in that I would prefer items not made in China.

[LePetomane]

GD, It's a personal thing for me in that I would prefer items not made in China.

That's pretty hard to do.

[DickyOZ]

"In regards to your enquiry about the production of the EF-S 55-250mm f/4.0-5.6 IS STM lens, we hereby want to inform you that we are unaware of any production processes due to the fact that this is confidential information. We therefore cannot confirm with you where the lenses are manufactured."

I think whoever wrote that was a Business School graduate in China who learnt English form a revised version of "English as she is spoke"

[DanK]

All of my Canon L lenses have "Made in Japan" conspicuously printed on the filter ring. My one remaining EF-S lens, a 60mm macro, has "made in Taiwan" inconspicuously embossed on the matte black ring inside the lens mount. My guess is that it isn't possible to produce the low-cost and presumably low-margin lenses in a high-cost location like Japan, and they don't want to advertise this fact. However, that's just a guess.

Some time ago, I purchased something--I can't remember what--where the cheaper model was made in China and the more expensive one in Japan.

I have had Canon gear a long time, and I have found the customer service people are usually very helpful. However, there are some things that the company holds close to the chest. Some time ago, I wanted exit pupil sizes for my macro lenses, and the customer service people didn't have that information and said the company doesn't provide it.

[Manfred M]

GD, It's a personal thing for me in that I would prefer items not made in China.

In the days of globalization, the "Made in ......" has become meaningless. I suspect if labeling laws were 100% honest you would probably have at least a handful of countries listed as potential sources of the materials used in a lens - the oil used to create the resins used in plastic components, the glass used in the lens elements, the aluminum used in the lens barrel, the stainless steel for the lens mounts, the electronics used in the IS and autofocus motors, etc. We tend to concentrate on where the final assembly takes place, but frankly that is really only one part of the business, and the only one that might be marked on the lens.

[Black Pearl]

GD, It's a personal thing for me in that I would prefer items not made in China.

As Manfred has said there is no way of knowing where the countless parts have come from or for that matter where the raw materials for them came from so really all you're objecting to is the place of assembly which is a bit odd really.

Further to that:
If this lens turns out to assembled in China and you therefor won't buy it - what would you buy to do the same job?

[rpcrowe]

Off the top of my head, Malaysia was one place that some Canon gear was made or, at least, assembled.

Here is a posting from DP Review:
"Just ordered a Canon 75-300 usm lens from digitalfotoclub.com and to my surprise I see this "Made in Malaysia" logo on the box."

Unfortunately, it is very difficult to find low cost items (or virtually any type) that are not made or at least assembled in lower wage nations...

I understand, however, that "L" lenses are made in Japan!

[Mike Buckley]

"Made in Malaysia" logo on the box.

Maybe the box was made in Malaysia.