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bankroll
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Registered: Feb 7, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 862
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Review Date: Oct 6, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $860.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Everything. Seriously.
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Cons:
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Depending on sensor crop, a bit awkward focal length
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This lens is nothing short of amazing. Definitely lives up to the hype. The only thing against it is that with cropped sensors (1.6x in particular) it is a bit of an odd focal length; usually coming up too long or too short.
I shoot mostly fashion/glamour type shots and this is what I use for headshots. If shooting outdoors and there is enough working room I will try to use it for everything (from full body to close-up) since it's that good. For studio work if you have a cropped sensor you probably won't reach for this lens too often since it's relatively long, unless of course you have a huge studio, which most people don't.
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 Oct 6, 2004
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chinatown
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Registered: Feb 6, 2003
Location: China
Posts: 132
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Review Date: Sep 29, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $794.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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sharp even at wide open, fast AF, acceptable weight.
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Cons:
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I have to get used to using this focal length 135x1.3=175.5 (this is my own problem)
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this is the sharpest lens i have come across, and i am quite happy with bringing along with it, though it is not a zoom lens.
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Sep 29, 2004
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jayemcee
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Registered: Jul 23, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 265
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Review Date: Sep 2, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fast AF, Lightweight, Practical, Available light capabilities, Extreme sharpness, smooth and creamy out of focus highlights, Price
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Cons:
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None found
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An outstanding lens in every respect. I highly recommend this lens to any user and I would say that "if you can buy this lens, then you should do so". Furthermore, if you can only afford one lens for your EF lens mount camera, I believe that this should be the one lens that you should buy. A fantastic lens that is capable of serving many diverse applications.
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Sep 2, 2004
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drisley
Offline
[ X ]
Registered: Jul 12, 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 1527
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Review Date: Aug 22, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Technically flawless! Sharpest lens I've ever used. Small, light, built like a tank, and it's black. Much nicer than the big white zooms. As sharp at F2.0 as it is at F8!
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Cons:
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None!
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I wanted a replacement for the big, white, 70-200F4L as it attracted too much attention, and wasnt fast enough for indoor, low light situations.
The 135F2L exceeded my already high expectations! It's sharper at F2 than any other lens I've seen at any aperture. Absolutely no chromatic abberation, even wide open under extreme conditions. The background blur is beautiful, and the contrast is perfect.
I've viewed images at 100% taken with the EF 1.4x EXTENDER, and there is NO quality loss. Even with the extender, the images are visbly sharper than even the 70-200F4L.
The autofocus is blazingly fast, again the best of any lens I've used.
It's almost impossible to take a bad shot with this lens.
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
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Aug 22, 2004
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vbacon
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Registered: Mar 30, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 308
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Review Date: Jun 30, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent sharpness, beautiful bokeh
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Cons:
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Haven't found any yet.
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I love this lens! I was using other lenses (100-400 and 100/2.8) to shoot in this range. I was blown away at how much sharper this lens is and how much quicker it focuses. On my 10D I get excellent reach. I notice little or no degradation when adding the 1.4x. I feel like I got the 200/2.8 thrown in as a free bonus.
The only 'problem' is trying to shoot a lot wide open in action situations. You're dealing with a thin DOF which means an amateur like me gets a lot of out of focus shots. It's challenged me to get better at focusing in these situations. When you get the focus right, you get stunning photos. Or you can stop it down to 2.8 or 4 and still get very decent photos with a little less challenge.
I consider this a poor man's (well at $900 it's not really!) sports lens. I can't afford something like a 300/2.8 but this is a good compromise. At f2, you can even do indoor sports well while a larger lens (i.e. 100-400 5.6) just isn't fast enough.
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Jun 30, 2004
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Unregistered
Offline
Location: United States
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Review Date: Jun 14, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $920.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Tack sharp even wide open, color & contrast
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Cons:
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-----
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Very sharp wide open. Fast AF.
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Jun 14, 2004
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christo™
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Registered: Apr 20, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 1676
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Review Date: May 25, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $840.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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F2 @135mm FL !!!, color, bokeh, AF performance, unobtrusive for such an FL
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Cons:
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none really
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If you're into L class primes, I'd say this is the first "must have" in the Canon L line. As everyone says, the optics are fantastic in all criteria and the AF performance is as good as any in the Canon lineup, and that's not a slouchy lineup in the AF department.
If you're used to this FL on FF, you know what it does for head shots, and it's a regular portrait lens, with this model being the best in that FL I've used.
On a 1.6x, I found it just too long for most posed people shooting, but it makes a nice stealth candid shooter at outdoor events -- you are far enough away the subject isn't concious of the lens, and this lens doesn't attract anywhere near the attention of the Big Whites. It makes a heck of a big cage zoo lens on a 1.6x.
On a 1.3x, I find it useful for some nice shallow DOF headshot work outdoors, things like having all but one head in a group of people out of focus.
This lens with a 1.4x teleconverter is a nice lightweight fast 200mm, and still sharp enough.
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May 25, 2004
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Velu01
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Registered: Aug 24, 2003
Location: Belgium
Posts: 2585
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Review Date: Apr 4, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fast, Sharp, Size,Weight...
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Cons:
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None
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Such a fast and sharp lens.
I love the way, ya can "create" such nice bokeh. Lot's a glass !
Built quality is superb.
I'm very happy I finnaly managed to get this one !
Recommended highly !!!
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Apr 4, 2004
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Unregistered
Offline
Location: Belgium
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Review Date: Apr 2, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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It's perfect! The 135L f/2 has the perfect size, weight, speed, and lens color. It is razor sharp wide open and has a dreamy type of color and bokeh that you will absolutely fall in love with. LOL!
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Cons:
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It is razor sharp! You have been warned. :-)
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The Canon 135mmL f/2 is my favorite lens. I love everything about it. It's fast, small, light, and BLACK. Unlike many of it's "L" lens brothers. Everytime I shoot, this lense goes with me. And most of the time, it's on one of my cameras!
Pictures from this lens seem to take on an almost dreamy quality. It's as if you are looking through a huge window when taking pictures. The colors are bright and vivid and the bokeh is wonderfully pleasing. The lens is also razor sharp at f/2. At times, this is a beautiful thing. You couldn't ask for more. But there are times where this fabulous lense can get you in trouble with female portrait subjects. The 135L f/2 will show you everything there is to know about their faces. EVERYTHING! You have been warned!
In my opinion, the 135L f/2 is one of Canon's best lenses. And no self respecting Canon lover should be without one. LOL! I really think that every Canon lover should find room in their camera bag for this superb lense. It's well worth the price of admission.
Highly recommended!
DCNETBOY
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Apr 2, 2004
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Unregistered
Offline
Location: Belgium
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Review Date: Apr 2, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $770.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp! Sharp! Sharp!
Unbelieveable bokeh at f/2
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Cons:
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doesn't zoom (but you knew that already)
maybe a less usefull focal lenght for the 1.6x crowd.
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One of the premiere Canon lenses that unfortunatly gets overlooked because it's not as convenient to use as the 70-200 zooms. The sharpness has to be seen to believe. It will put every other lens you own to shame. The bokeh at f/2 is otherworldly. Not quite the same as the 85mm f/1.2, but a close second.
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Apr 2, 2004
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Ray Soemarsono
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Registered: Jul 27, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 3883
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Review Date: Mar 29, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $900.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Image so sharp it hurts! Gorgeous bokeh.
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Cons:
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None.
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Rock solid build as what L lens should be. Fast AF. Brilliant contrast and sharpness even at f/2. Beautiful bokeh. No weakness at all. A true optical gem!
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Mar 29, 2004
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Kris K
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Registered: May 6, 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 172
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Review Date: Mar 15, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $700.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Build, color, clarity, size/weight
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Cons:
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none
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Best piece of practical glass I own. Outstanding in all respects. Once you've tasted this in action, you'll never look at those expensive mid-range telephoto L zooms the same way. Sure, the zooms have their place, but when the results are critical, I always opt for the 135/2.0 and use my feet to do the zooming (where possible).
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Mar 15, 2004
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vince
Offline
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Registered: Mar 18, 2002
Location: China
Posts: 306
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Review Date: Mar 13, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Build, optics, AF.
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Cons:
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None.
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This is one lens which I consider having absolutely no negatives. The optics are absolutely superlative, the build is solid and AF is fast and silent (USM motor). It's because of lenses like these that I love photography !  I find this a superb portrait lens on my full frame film cameras, and it also makes a great travel and walk around lens. It's black and discreet as opposed to some of the white L lenses. When I see my chromes on the light box, they never cease to surprise me.
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Mar 13, 2004
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Philip M
Offline
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Registered: Jun 4, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 260
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Review Date: Mar 5, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $739.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Everything, just an outstanding lens.
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Cons:
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None
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Of my entire collection of L glass this or the 300 2.8 are my favorites.
This is a great example of a lens with no faults. Great value!
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Mar 5, 2004
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ed woo
Offline
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Registered: Oct 28, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 1003
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Review Date: Feb 29, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Wow on image quality & contrast! Tack sharp!
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Cons:
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None.
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Feb 29, 2004
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DougW
Offline
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Registered: Jan 21, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 4
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Review Date: Feb 6, 2004
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $695.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Superb lens! It doesn't get any better than this.
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Cons:
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None
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This is my first L lense purchase. What a fantastic lense! I bought it primarily for indoor sports, and the lense performance is outstanding. I didn't think there would be a lot of difference between 2.8 and 2 but there is. The focus is very fast, rarely ever hunting even in dim light. For a portrait lense, it does a great job too. However, because the image is so tack sharp, some may want to actually soften the image. I have not tried any converter yet, so I can't comment on the lense's performance with the converter attached. If anyone is looking for a prime at this focal length, this is definitely one to consider.
Doug
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Feb 6, 2004
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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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503399
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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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