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timpdx
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Registered: Feb 1, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 1608
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Review Date: Dec 5, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Outstanding lens, use wide open in low light theatre, dance and concert photography on a 20D and the sharpness and color are wonderful
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Cons:
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None
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Its worth the money.
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 Dec 5, 2005
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Stono
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Registered: Dec 4, 2005
Location: Norway
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Dec 4, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, sharp, sharp.
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Cons:
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None
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Now I know what a super-sharp photo looks like. The details it show on my 16.7 MP Mark II are fantastic. Highly recommended. The best of my L-lenses with respect to sharpness. My 300mm L comes very close, though.
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Dec 4, 2005
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mholdef
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Registered: Sep 25, 2005
Location: France
Posts: 1032
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Review Date: Dec 3, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp lens with great bokeh and superb build.
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Cons:
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The front thread on mine is a tad bit tight screwing in filters, but as I keep a UV filter on it permanantly this is not an issue.
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I was looking for a number of lenses for the Canon 5D I wanted to buy and, having come from Leica M, wanted to be sure to but the best telephoto for portraits and some landscape use.
I called the Canon Pro Service center here in Paris and discussed the wide gamut of lenses Canon has available. When we got to the topic of whether to buy the 85/1.2L, the Pro center said while the 85 was a great lens, he actually preferred the 135/2.0L - said its performance was fantastic and that it was one of Canon's best lenses and great value for the price.
I have had this lens for about 1 month now and have not been disappointed.
Mark
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Dec 3, 2005
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johnastovall
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Registered: Apr 7, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 1332
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Review Date: Nov 26, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $899.99
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Razor sharp detail, lovely cream like bokeh, paper thin DOF wide open.
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Cons:
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None
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I got this lens after seeing what various members here in FM's Canon Mount Group posted about it and seeing their images. I've not been disappointed.
It is an amazing lens and has become the one I pick when just wanting to go shoot for the beauty and joy of images. It is so sharp and the depth of field can be so thin it makes me think and work for each shot. But when it all comes to getter it, "WOW!".
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Nov 26, 2005
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sino408
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Registered: Dec 30, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 903
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Review Date: Nov 23, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $849.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, speed, accuracy, color rendition, contrast, resolution, build quality, you name it. This lens has a 10 on all the attributes.
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Cons:
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NO weather sealing, but not a critical component for my use.
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This lens is one of a kind. It's focusing speed is almost instantaneous due to the aperture and USM. The sharpness is incomparable (haven't tried other more expensive primes, yet) and the colors are absolutely beautiful. The front element is huge! I think this will be my "go-to" lens from now on, if the FL is appropriate and the highest quality is needed.
Highly recommended with the current Canon triple rebate.
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Nov 23, 2005
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BillRoberts
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Registered: Nov 22, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Nov 22, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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The superb quality of image that this lens gives you. Even if it's a mediocre photo the sharpness, contrast and colour just hits you right in the face.
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Cons:
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Realistically a bit early to judge but none that I can see as yet.
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Bought used (3 months old and immaculate) it's just arrived. It's a cold foggy dismal kind of November day but I went out at lunchtime to try it out... well you would wouldn't you?
As I'm using a 20D it's instant result time and the end product is simply amazing. Sharpness, colour and contrast are outstanding, and it just walks all over my Canon zoom lenses, one of which cost over twice the price of this. A quick tweak of levels in photoshop and it got even better! So what that I don't have IS and it's not as versatile in many ways, but... it's faster and sharper and way way better.
If you need a lens of this focal length, and I suppose if you're reading this you quite probably do, then you'll go a long way before you find anything better.
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Nov 22, 2005
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JoseB
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Registered: Oct 20, 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 19
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Review Date: Nov 7, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Outstanding bokeh, very sharp and nice contrast.
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Cons:
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None.
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Nov 7, 2005
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Juan55
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Registered: Sep 21, 2005
Location: Spain
Posts: 199
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Review Date: Nov 2, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Just a note to make a correction in the avarage price of this item. Actually it is displayed $2,353.00 !!!
The real actual price itīs around $900 !!!
I believe it is due to the fact that Northwesterly has introduced a wrong value of $86,900.00 and the system itīs averaging all price field filled up.
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Nov 2, 2005
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gwhitegeog
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Registered: Jun 16, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Oct 28, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,000.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fantastic build quality and superb optics - widely regarded by many independent sources to be one of the finest prime lenses by any manufacturer. Nice weight and handling. Focussing fast and accurate.
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Cons:
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None really. Even the the price is not unreasonable for what you get.
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When you use a lens like, this you'll realise just how limiting zoom lenses are compared with a fast prime. You need optics like this to do justice to a camera like the EOS 1Ds or 5D. I have tested this lens with the 5D and find no problems with CA or vignetting at any aperture - unlike some zooms I have tried (the EF 28-135 IS looks like a pin hole camera at the long end with the 5D). It's great to use this lens for available light architectural shots (e.g. distant building details) and sports (e.g. basketball) where you are close to the action.
It excels, of course with portraits. At f2.8-4.0 it's a great lens for head and shoulders or facial shots, where you don't want to be 'on top of' your subject.
One of Canon's best lenses. Just beware very limited depth of field at f2.0. On an APS camera it becomes a 210mm f2.0 prime!
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Oct 28, 2005
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beerboy
Offline
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Registered: Sep 14, 2005
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 100
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Review Date: Oct 19, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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great bokeh, great DOF control, black, reasonably discrete, excellent build
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Cons:
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$$$$, odd filter size
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This is a nice lens, and so it should be for the price.
So far I've used it for street portaits on a trip to China, and I was surprised how useful the fixed focal length was on a 1.6 crop camera (20D).
Excellent build quality, fast auto focus, and its fast.
But for me, the reason to get this lens is the Bokeh and DOF control. If you don't already have a 85 or 70-200 2.8 (which have great bokeh too) and can live with a fixed focal length, this could be the lens to get.
With the shallow DOF you have to careful with the focus. I've missed some shots at wide apertures because the AF got it wrong or I got the manual focus wrong (easy to do on APS size camera viewfinders).
I like the black colour of this lens. If the 70-200 2.8 came in black, I would have got that instead. The 135L attracts some attention , but I don't think as much as white L lenses.
If you take pictures of people (or animals,or anything you want the background blurred) this is a good (but expensive) option. For me, it's a keeper.
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Oct 19, 2005
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enricoblasi
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Registered: Oct 19, 2005
Location: Italy
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Oct 19, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $850.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, very fast focusing, great contrast, very nice bokeh
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Cons:
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none
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this is a great lens!!!!
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Oct 19, 2005
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rcmanoj
Offline
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Registered: Jun 13, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 795
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Review Date: Oct 15, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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This is an excellent lens.It produces great bokeh and the color is fantastic.
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Cons:
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None.
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What a lens!! The bokeh it priduces will blow you away.Get this beauty.
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Oct 15, 2005
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JulioBC
Offline
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Registered: Sep 28, 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 9
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Review Date: Oct 14, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $800.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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SHARP, fast-focus, f2.0 is VERY useable, black
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Cons:
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The essential indoor sports or performance lens. I fyou can't get great photos with this lens IT's YOUR FAULT 
Even when used with the Canon 2X TC it makes a very good f4 270mm -- although stopping down to f5.6 or f8 noticeably improves the results (so what else is new with the 2X TC?)
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Oct 14, 2005
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M.Sears
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jun 12, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 92
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Review Date: Oct 5, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp, quiet and fast focus, great build quality.
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Cons:
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None so far.
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This lens is fairly compact, fast focusing, lightweight and a joy to use. Its sharpness and contrast and color are noticeably better than most of the other lenses from canon that I have used, save maybe the 300 2.8 and 400 2.8 but thats hard to judge as they are so much longer in focal length. Out of focus backgrounds are just beautiful and subjects really pop out of them from F-2.0 - F 4.0 Its everything I was led to believe it would be by reading the reviews here. Since its so fast being F 2.0, its tempting to use it in really really low light. Just remember it is 135mm and as such you really probably need to keep shutter speeds to 125 of a second, minimum unless your really paying attention to holding still. A 60th of a second with this lens is a lot tougher than it is with the massive 70-200 2.8 IS, with the IS activated. That lens spoiled me into using very slow shutter speeds for the focal length. The 135 is so light that even on a MKII body its easy to move it around if your not careful and get some soft images. A 135 F 2.0 with IS, now that would be a low light terror.
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Oct 5, 2005
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maximage
Offline
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Registered: Jan 24, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 95
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Review Date: Oct 4, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great sharpness - largest aperture IS the usable aperture. Lightweight. Works with Teleconverters.
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Cons:
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Aperture blade not circular. Wish there's IS, and rubber gaskets for peace of mind... :)
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Put this lens and the 24/1.4 (some prefer 35/1.4) in your bag and you have a light weight combo that can handle 80% of shooting situations. Works well with TCs as well. Bring two TCs along and you have 200/2.8 and 300/4 without the size and weight.
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Oct 4, 2005
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dunnomuch
Offline
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Registered: Sep 22, 2005
Location: Singapore
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Oct 2, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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sharpness, colour, contrast and BOKEH!!!!
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Cons:
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i wish the hood could be smaller.
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I just got this lens and i'm glad i saved up for this. i previously had a 200mm f2.8 L prime, and i really liked that one, but with a 1.6CF body it wasn't really suitable for me. i shoot mostly portraits, and the 200mm is a little long for portraits. After reading the numerous good reviews here i decided to take the plunge and get this one.
i've only owned it for a few days, but right off the top, the sharpness and contrast is much better than my 70-200mm f4 L at 135mm.
it's smaller and lighter than most of the L zooms, and is only a little bigger than my 17-40L.
Bokeh is really in a class of its own. i'd say its as good as the 200mm L prime, if not better. i've never seen or used the 200mm f1.8, so i can't compare or comment.
i think i'm going to keep this lens for a long time. i've already got the 35mm f2, 50mm f1.4, 85mm f1.8, the 135mm f2, the 70-200L, 17-40L and a few other less mentionable canon EF lenses. of the lot, my favorites are the 50 f1.4, the 135 f2 and the 70-200L.
lens hood is big. i know it's big because it has to be, but storing the lens in my bag with the lens hood really takes up so much space. overall the lens is amazing enough for me to live with the size of the hood.
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Oct 2, 2005
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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383
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503694
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May 20, 2013
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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96% of reviewers
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$1,301.92
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.80
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9.41
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9.9
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