 |
|
|
ezekiele
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jan 16, 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 1
|
|
Review Date: Feb 6, 2013
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $2,500.00
| Rating: 8
|
|
Pros:
|
Great Image stabilizer
|
|
Cons:
|
Not the as sharp as I would like at 2.8
|
|
|
As a <a href="http://ezekielephotography.com/">wedding photographer</a> I use the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM in tandem with the 24-70mm f/2.8L EF USM on 5DMK II's, they are a great pair for fast paced events. I really have no complaints about this lens for the work I do it gets the job done.
|
|
 Feb 6, 2013
|
|
scott_scheetz
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Oct 31, 2012
Location: United States
Posts: 0
|
|
Review Date: Feb 3, 2013
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,070.00
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
Sharp, good contrast, Lighting fast AF, accurate AF, Weather sealing, Good IS system. IQ wide open from 70-135mm is Great! Excellent build quality.
|
|
Cons:
|
IQ at 200mm wide open is a little weak. Flares very bad when shooting towards a light source even with the hood attached. HEAVY!
|
|
I've gotten some brilliant shots with this lens. The IQ is really quite good wide open, except at the long end of the range (~200mm). Its not terrible at 200mm, but its not as good as at 70mm, and no where close to a prime.
This lens is amazing on a full frame. The auto focus is lighting fast and accurate, even on a 5D. Weather sealing is great. I've shot in the rain several times without any problems. IS is great, and very beneficial for a lens of this range.
This is a heavy lens, but it has an excellent build quality. It balances very nicely on a gripped 5D.
Here are some shots using this lens on a 5D. (All are wide open)
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottscheetz/8347899745/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottscheetz/8400255871/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottscheetz/8341162208/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/scottscheetz/8348959158/
|
|
|
Feb 3, 2013
|
|
nswelton
Offline
Image Upload: On
Registered: Jan 16, 2006
Location: N/A
Posts: 236
|
|
Review Date: Apr 11, 2012
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
|
|
Pros:
|
mind blasting if you're new to lenses of this grade. indestructible.
|
|
Cons:
|
has a washed out look, not much contrast, not as sharp as the newer versions, kind of a let down for a lens this expensive.
|
|
|
i loved this lens until i switched to primes. then, suddenly, i hated it and basically stopped using it. maybe it was the fact that i was using all L series primes? but maybe not: when i got the f4 IS version, i immediately knew that my distaste for this lens had everything to do with the fact that it just optically does not perform as well as the newer canon zooms (i.e. the f4 IS, the F4 non IS, and the f2.8 Mark II). it's soft compared to the current gen zooms and the colors and contrast need to be pumped up in post. if you're looking to save the money, get this -- but i highly highly recommend waiting a little longer, saving a little more, and getting the mark II version, which is simply phenomenal.
on the plus side, it's quick and accurate to focus, and can probably withstand having a bomb drop on it.
|
|
|
Apr 11, 2012
|
|
Nezza
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Nov 24, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 470
|
|
Review Date: Mar 31, 2012
|
Recommend? no |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 5
|
|
Pros:
|
Well made, IS.
|
|
Cons:
|
Image quality wide open
|
|
|
This is a nice F4 lens. Wide open my copy is soft with a lot of image bloom. Stopped down 1 stop it is nice and sharp. I may have a rogue lens as everyone else seems to think mthe lens is exceptional.
|
|
|
Mar 31, 2012
|
|
Kevin Sherman
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Nov 11, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 1042
|
|
Review Date: Jan 19, 2012
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,400.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Sharp, Fast, Amazing
|
|
Cons:
|
Heavy?
|
|
|
Compared with the Version II, this one is a great value now.
Fast focus, good sharpness, IS is tremendously beneficial. Money maker. Shoot a tooooooooon of sports with this puppy.
Only negative is the lens hood, the plastic mount wears down pretty quickly. Barely a year after purchase, I had to start using gaffers tape to keep it on.
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2012
|
|
dolina
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Nov 5, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 3286
|
|
Review Date: Nov 22, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
|
|
Pros:
|
20g lighter & $800 cheaper than the Version 2
|
|
Cons:
|
Since has been replaced by the Version 2 on March 2010, which is ok cause the Version 1's cheaper.
|
|
I have the Version 1 and Version 2 of this lens. I did a side by side test between the two during a football match using two EOS 7D bodies with the same brand battery and same brand 8GB memory card.
I noticed that the USM is much more responsive and quieter on the Version 2 than on the Version 1 that I immediately noticed which subject is in focus.
I would not have noticed this if I weren't switching between the two setups seconds between each other.
If you are a working photog with a Version 1 I would buy the Version 2 ASAP and keep or sell the Version 1. The Version 2 will shorten your workflow significantly. The shortening of workflow correspond to the improved image quality and keeper rate that benefits the Version 2. This is what you get from a decade's worth of R&D.
If you are a non-working photog with the Version 1 I would keep it and buy another zoom or prime lens.
To quantify the Version 2 I would say this is a 25% improvement over the Version 1
If you want to see lens samples on full frame, APS-H and APS-C bodies go to http://www.flickr.com/photos/alabang/tags/canonef70200mmf28lisusm/
|
|
|
Nov 22, 2011
|
|
DLP
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Apr 17, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 2430
|
|
Review Date: Aug 3, 2011
|
Recommend? |
Price paid: $1,600.00
|
|
Pros:
|
BQ, case and collar included
|
|
Cons:
|
CA, weight
|
|
|
I was so undecided between this lens and the F4 IS that I ordered both. The lens is heavier than the specs. My copy with collar and hood tipped the scales at 3# 11 OZ. Nearly a half pound heavier than the specs. Most dissapointing to me was the CA especially at 70mm. IS is a bit of a let down in a side by side comparison with the newer generation F4 IS. The IS on the F4 closes the gap to some degree between the two. I would still recommend this lens but if you have visions of better BQ or IQ simply because the price is higher you may be dissapointed. If you need a fast zoom I'm sure this one will be just the ticket.
|
|
|
Aug 3, 2011
|
|
Leonard Gozali
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jan 16, 2011
Location: Indonesia
Posts: 0
|
|
Review Date: Jan 19, 2011
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,950.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Solid Construction, Fully Weather Shield, IS, F/2.8 and its CANON!
|
|
Cons:
|
Price, Weight
|
|
|
This truly is a fantastic lens, even at its rather high price point. Compared to the original 70-200 F/2.8 IS, the new version has improved optics and a fantastic IS system, and for action photography I’ve found that improvements in both optics and autofocus have led to higher amounts sharper images.
|
|
|
Jan 19, 2011
|
|
nglaap
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Dec 17, 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
|
|
Review Date: Dec 17, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 7
|
|
Pros:
|
very sharp, fast, versatile, great colors, buildquality
|
|
Cons:
|
the weight, dear god the weight
|
|
We are on mixed terms, this lens and me. I love it and hate it. Produces great images, excellent focal length and versatality (in its range) especially on a FF body. I have used it on a canon 30D/40D/5DMKII and found the images produced by this lens on all cameras to be excellent in terms of color/sharpness. The IS is a handy build in tool. You can handhold this lens at ridiculous low shutter speeds and still get tac sharp images. In terms of use, after 2 years this lens still surprises me (in a good way  )
But.....this lens has one very big downside and that is the weight. For me this is the main reason I dont keep it on my camera for too long a time. I'd never part with it but everyone who is lookin out to buy this lens I would recommend to rent one first and see if the weight is an issue for you. The F4 version of this lens is equally sharp and has considerably less weight, but its F4. I personally need the 2.8 since I photograph a lot of stuff indoor and cant always fall back on flash.
Conclusion, its an awesome piece of equipment and I still have to say you cant go wrong with it if you choose to buy it. Just consider the weight!
|
|
|
Dec 17, 2010
|
|
Todd Klassy
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Sep 27, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 288
|
|
Review Date: Oct 1, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,699.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Sharp images, parfocal zoom, weather sealing, rugged build quality, quiet AF, color rendition.
|
|
Cons:
|
None
|
|
A lot of people are talking about the new Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II USM, and rightly so; I'm sure it is an exceptional lens. It's predecessor, however, should still receive its props and in virtually every regard is an exceptional lens and no slouch when compared to its replacement.
One of the key advantages of this lens over the Mark II version is the fact that it is parfocal, which means it stays in focus when magnification/focal length is changed. The Mark II version, I'm told, does not have this feature, which for sports and wedding photographers may be a limitation.
I use this lens most frequently with my Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM as I backpack and travel around performing my duties as a travel photographer in Montana and throughout the Midwest. It is most frequently coupled to my Canon EOS 5D Mark II, which has a might large censor as you know, and the Mark I version of the same camera. It always performs and I seldom if ever have to worry about "getting the shot." Shots are crisp and clear, even on my 5D Mark II, with its extended resolution. Colors are great, bokeh very good for a zoom lens, and its build quality has to be second to none. Simply put, I love this lens.
Here are some examples of shots I have taken with this lens most recently. I think you will agree that it does an exceptional job:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitudes/4703087574/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitudes/4854765652/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitudes/4706126864/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitudes/5008258292/
And here is one wide open:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/latitudes/4861410037/
|
|
|
Oct 1, 2010
|
|
Snopchenko
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: May 18, 2010
Location: Russia
Posts: 1760
|
|
Review Date: Jun 26, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,600.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
+ everything really.
|
|
Cons:
|
- heavy and bulky; - white.
|
|
|
Uh, this is THE lens for me. Hard to fault on anything, and really, hard to find any words that wouldn't sound banal. Name a good attribute of a lens and the 70-200 has it in spades. Bright? Check. IS? Check. Sharp? Double check (and f/2.8 is fully usable to boot). Fast and accurate AF? Check. Tough build? Check. Anything else? Check.
Maybe it's heavy and bulky, but it's my problem, not that of the lens. At times I regretted not going with f/4 L IS, but then I found myself shooting lots of dark indoor venues and never been in doubt since.
|
|
|
Jun 26, 2010
|
|
wcben
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Feb 8, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 9
|
|
Review Date: Mar 9, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,799.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Image quality, AF Speed, "feel", Bokeh quality.
|
|
Cons:
|
Wish I'd had the chance to do the rebate in January.....
|
|
|
Debated long and hard, really didn't want to spend the money, but couldn't be happier, what an outstanding lens!! I shoot namely hockey and our pets and this lens by itself has changed my photography only for the positive. On hockey, my "keeper rate" has tripled! I really couldn't be more positive! I wouldn't have thought that one piece of equipment (other than a body) could change everything for me, I believe this lens has!
|
|
|
Mar 9, 2010
|
|
meltech1
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Mar 15, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 13
|
|
Review Date: Mar 2, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
One Outstanding Lens
|
|
Cons:
|
None
|
|
|
|
|
|
Mar 2, 2010
|
|
Jay Adeff
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Feb 27, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 328
|
|
Review Date: Feb 2, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 6
|
|
Pros:
|
Solid build. Smooth quiet AF. Effective IS. Constant f/2.8 aperture. Impress-your-friends styling.
|
|
Cons:
|
Soft at f/2.8, particularly at 200mm. AF not as fast as prime lenses. Not as sharp as prime lenses. Expensive for what you get.
|
|
|
I've owned, rented, and borrowed several copies of this lens with always the same result. Soft at f/2.8, particularly at 200mm. You have to stop it down to f/4 to get good results. I finally replaced mine with the 200mm f/2.8L II which is much sharper. If you really need an f/2.8 zoom, there's no other option. Yes, it's a staple of every news/sports photographer in the business, but many still hate it none-the-less. Hopefully the new version is an improvement.
|
|
|
Feb 2, 2010
|
|
GC Montgomery
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Nov 28, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 60
|
|
Review Date: Jan 13, 2010
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,699.00
| Rating: 10
|
|
Pros:
|
Sharp, fast, weather-sealed, rock-solid feel and focuses quietly/quickly with no wiggles or rattles that don't belong.
|
|
Cons:
|
Not exactly cheap and tends to draw unwanted attention.
|
|
I've been thinking about this lens for two years. I debated going with the f4L version for less weight and money. Today, I'm glad I splurged to get this along with a new 7D. It's deadly sharp on the 40D but, it shines while tracking with the 7D's new AF system.
Yes, it's heavy but, you don't buy a 70-200mm f/2.8 lens because you are concerned about weight. I've heard of soft copies but mine is not one of them. I've heard people talk about vivid colors and great contrast from a lens but, I didn't get it until I shot this lens. Coming from a 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM, this lens is a huge leap in image quality and build quality.
The only complaints I have are price and the attention this lens tends to attract. I paid 1699USD with Canon's rebates and I honestly felt that was a bit stiff. I'm not sure IS is worth a near 50% price increase over the non-IS version. But knowing a new 70-200mm f2.8 was coming at a higher price, I figured if I didn't go for it now, I never would.
I realize there are people who get a sense of enjoyment from other people seeing their stuff may even see owning lenses like this as a status symbol. I am not part of that crowd. While I don't mind the curious persons approaching me to ask about my gear, I've actually been targeted for victimization by vermin who thought they might be able to take my gear forcibly. Thankfully, I've been able to convince every single one of them that there were easier targets....I love Texas .
|
|
|
Jan 13, 2010
|
|
Scott Kennelly
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Dec 25, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
|
|
Review Date: Dec 25, 2009
|
Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
|
|
Pros:
|
Tough (I dropped mine, and it rolled down some stairs, and it sustained no damage - a friend dropped her's from face level about 5 ft., and after it landed on it's face, breaking her UV-haze filter, it worked fine and has continued to work fine for more than a year). Front element does not move (at all - not in and out and not in a circle). Internal focusing AND zooming does not suck dust into this lens. Fast focusing. Smooth action - for full-time manual focusing and for zooming. Beautiful bokeh. Excellent IS. Large, firm, positive-action switches for turning off/on IS and auto-focus. Excellent, easily-removable, high-quality tripod mounting ring, which allows the camera and lens to be rotated, while mounted on a tripod, like using a gimbal.
|
|
Cons:
|
Switches are too difficult to move/slide (should be larger or have deeper grooves). Minimum focus distance is very far away (about 5 ft.).
|
|
|
I like the weight of this lens. It's heavy and solid - sign of quality. I also like the bright view through it. Photos from this lens at the same aperture and zoom are brighter than those shot with my friend's 28-135. Weird, huh? (Yes, I checked the shutter speed and ISO.) This lens focuses in very dim light, but when it is too dark, or you need to manual focus for some other reason, it has full-time manual override AND a switch to turn off the auto-focus. The switches are larger than normal IS lenses, and they are grooved metal, not plastic. The mode and distance switch for the auto-focus and the mode switch for the IS are nice for times when you have people or other things in front of you (in your foreground), but you're trying to focus on something/someone further away from them. I don't use the mode switch for the IS - haven't really played with it that much or noticed the difference, when I did try it. (Yes, there are four switches on this lens!)
With this lens I have shot down to 1/4 and even 1/2 second with good results (at 70mm). I've heard of people who have shot 1 second hand-held with this lens. I use the IS feature to steady long shots while on a tripod on a windy day, where the lens/camera is being shaken by the wind. VERY USEFUL. The 2.8 aperture is almost never necessary, but when I need it, I NEED it - like when shooting from far away in dim light (stage events, fashion shows, weddings, etc.) - this lens is a life-saver!
Other uses for this lens: 1 - Weapon (I really almost used it as a weapon once - I was threatening a would-be mugger in an alley two years ago in Barcelona, but some chick convinced him to back off.), 2 - Prop for filming a movie about the Paparazzi (this thing looks/is HUGE when the lens hood is on), 3 - A boat anchor.
It's expensive, but compared to other lenses, it is worth the money.
|
|
|
Dec 25, 2009
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Reviews
|
Views
|
Date of last review
|
|
352
|
725813
|
Feb 6, 2013
|
|
|
Recommended By
|
Average Price
|
|
91% of reviewers
|
$3,248.85
|
|
|
Build Quality Rating
|
Price Rating
|
Overall Rating
|
|
9.82
|
8.18
|
9.4
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
