The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM and the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 176mm. The Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM with a length of 111mm, is 65mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM's 70mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM weighs 375g, 51% (405g) lighter than the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM's weight of 780g.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM has a filter size of 72mm whereas the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM has a 58mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 72mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM:
And these are the 58mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM:
Lens Mounts
The Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM has the Canon EF lens mount whereas the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM has the Canon EF-S lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV for the Canon EF Mount and Canon T8i, Canon 90D and Canon SL3 for the Canon EF-S Mount.
Focal Range
Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM has a focal range of 70-200mm and
2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 320mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 55-250mm f4-5.6 IS STM has a focal range of 55-250mm and 4.5X zoom ratio which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of 88-400mm when used on a APS-C / DX format camera.