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jamach
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Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Jan 31, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 6104
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Review Date: Sep 24, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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sharp, color, size and weight, fast focusing
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Cons:
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none
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This lens is built like a tank but is not extremely heavy. It is very sharp and works well with the TC 1.4x. Extension tubes, 1.4x and 500D can make this a close focuser that does intense macro shots at super sharp levels. The lens can also be a superb butterfly lens and with the 1.4 even better!
The lens is also superb for people portrait lens in the park.
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 Sep 24, 2005
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penghai
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Image Upload: On
Registered: May 21, 2002
Location: United States
Posts: 746
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Review Date: Jul 21, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very fast AF, very versatile, black, light weight, solid build, super image quality
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Cons:
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Minimum focus distance could be shorter.
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Bought this lens for 8 months now. This is the lens that keeps me "Wow!" at the images made through it. Great color/contrast/image quality for birds and portraits. The boken is excellent, really make the subjects stand out!
The lens is also very versatile: add a 1.4TC it becomes a great lens for near-by birds; add an extention tube, it become a great lens for flowers. The first time I used this lens to shoot flowers, I cannot even believe the color I got.
It's a trip-saver too. I went to a local butterfly garden 2 weeks ago. My macro lens AF so slow that it simply cannot reach focus before the butterflies fly away. I do not have other choice but mount an extension tube in this lens and shoot. And it saves the day with great AF speed (even with extension tube)and super image qualities.
To be honest, this is not the focal length (320mm on my 20D)that I initially thought I'll use a lot. But I use it more and more and I love to use it more and more.
And it's so light (weight).
I'd recommend it highly!
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Jul 21, 2005
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daktarz
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Registered: Jul 18, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 7
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Review Date: Jul 18, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $630.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Superb imaging. Fast focus. Excellent light gathering. Relatively light. Pretty darn inexpensive considering it's an L.
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Cons:
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These are TINY nits. The MF/AF button could be a touch easier to grab by feel. The lens sometimes hunts quite a bit when presented with thin sprays of material (thin branches, stems).
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This is my first L purchase and, having been aided by the many reviews on this site, I thought it only right to add to the collection. This lens is amazing. My very first "real" shot with it (after a couple of nothing pics indoors) was the best hummingbird pic I've ever taken. The focus is fast, the f2.8 was just what I needed for low light/fast shutter conditions and the image quality is simply stunning. The price was, to my mind, quite reasonable given the quality of the lens.
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Jul 18, 2005
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troutmask
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Image Upload: Off
Registered: Sep 22, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 23
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Review Date: Jul 14, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Its great,its sharp,its fast
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Cons:
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I had to get a decent head for my tripod to hold it dead still!
It could do with a lens collar to conect directly to a monopod or tripod.
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I got this lens 6 months ago. After reading some of the reviews here. It was my first step into the wonderful world of "L" lens. I am a convert. It cost me the same as my EOS 10D (second hand) and twice what I paid for any camera or Lens before. It is worth every penny. Unlike the camera I will be still using this in 10 years.
It is built like a tank. It can take sports close up with any old light.It can take great portraits (stand well back with the 10D!).
Some head and shoulder shots have been better than my Canon 85mm 1.8 lens, and that is a great lens.
Unless you really need a zoom then this is for you
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Jul 14, 2005
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bret
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Registered: Nov 11, 2003
Location: United States
Posts: 72
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Review Date: Jun 26, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $660.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Works Great. Fast focus. Sharp.
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Cons:
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It fits in my shoulder bag. It is great for candid photos. It just works great. I only rate it a nine cause I don't know if there is anything better or not. I don't know which is better.... go with primes (15 f2.8, 35 f/1.4, 85 f/1.8, 200 f/2.8) or go with slightly larger zooms (16-35 f/2.8, 24-70 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8). I chose the primes... seems like you will have to change lenses just as often with zooms.
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Jun 26, 2005
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afred
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Registered: Mar 19, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 710
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Review Date: Jun 25, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $605.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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f/2.8, sharp at 2.8, fast focus, and look at the beautiful bokeh!
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Cons:
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it's not a zoom...
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First off, I own the MK I version of this lens, and i've got to say, this is the sharpest lens i've ever shot with. This thing blew me away when i was testing it out at f/2.8. There is no holding back with this lens. Fast focus, built in hood! For all the MK I owners. This is currently my favorite lens. But that changes often... Great lens, focal length is not the greatist, but one learns to deal with that.
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Jun 25, 2005
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imperial
Offline
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Registered: May 19, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 623
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Review Date: Jun 25, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp even at f/2.8, great bokeh, fast AF with smooth full-time MF, light, inconspicuous and cheap! Lens hood included.
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Cons:
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No zoom, of course....
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This one seems to be a forgotten lens in Canon's L telephoto lineup, and I'm not sure why. This beauty is half the weight, half the complexity (and therefore slightly sharper/contrastier), and half the cost of the f/2.8 zoom. I also prefer the low-key black finish for non-professional use.
This is my favorite lens to use on my 10D for the dramatic "punch" it delivers in terms of sharpness, color, contrast, and background separation. Great for tight portraits, candids of your kids, and youth sports. Rather than wishing for a zoom, I find myself enjoying the compositonal/framing variety that the prime "imposes" on me, even for sports.
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Jun 25, 2005
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Heechee
Offline
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Registered: Dec 19, 2004
Location: Finland
Posts: 383
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Review Date: Jun 22, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Perfect image quality at f2.8, very fast focus on 20D, relatively small, black, a good focal length for handholding with 20D
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Cons:
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None, except it doesn't zoom..
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This is the perfect lens if you require a 200mm focal length with a fast aperture, fast focusing, and in a 'package' that's far less conspicious than the 70-200mm alternatives.
For my purposes this fits in well with the 17-40L, the 50mm 1.4 and 100mm 2.8 macro USM.
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Jun 22, 2005
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RCicala
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Jan 9, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 2451
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Review Date: Jun 14, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $575.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Relatively small size, very sharp, nice bokeh, quick to focus, reasonable price
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Cons:
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None that I've found.
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I purchased this after falling in love with my 135L and I'm not disappointed. It seems every bit as sharp with good color, focuses well on my 20D. Its signficantly smaller than my 70-200 f4 and I find myself taking this and a teleconverter as my "long lens" for travelling because its such a compact combination. To my thinking this is the best bargain Canon has on the long end. This and the 135 have me planning to sell my 70-200 - I just rarely pick it up anymore.
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Jun 14, 2005
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Gary W. Graley
Offline
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Registered: Jun 13, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 719
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Review Date: Jun 5, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $650.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Medium weight, black in colour, sharpness wide open
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Cons:
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Long hood, but works well, so not much of a negative
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My first L lens! Excellent quality and resolution for this lens.
A bit long for indoors but that's to be expected.
Used on my 20D
G2
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Jun 5, 2005
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Loetje
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jan 28, 2005
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 68
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Review Date: May 12, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Very fast AF. You can MF, when its on AF. Very sharp. Background blur is very nice. It is black. f2.8. The price/quality. It looks good on the 20D.
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Cons:
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The hood is very big.
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First I calibrate the 20D at Canon. It takes them 4 weeks to the job. But the result is 100%.
Then I test 3x 70-200 4L. All three where with backfocus. Then I test a Sigma 20-700 2,8. This one has frontfocus problems and focusing was not stable. And is very havy (1,4 kg).
Afther a short test I love the 200 2,8 L. Its realy a nice lens for the 20D. And is very sharp at 2,8 and further.
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May 12, 2005
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Non Plus Ultra
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: May 12, 2005
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: May 12, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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relatively small and lightweight
good optics
fast AF
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Cons:
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Bought it secondhand, never felt sorry for spending the money. This is a lens that everybody needs, even if they don't know yet.
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May 12, 2005
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3ABX03
Offline
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Registered: Dec 26, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Apr 11, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $710.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness and booking.
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Cons:
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None
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Grate prime lens. I have 70-200 F4. This one is far better.
http://www.pbase.com/3abxo3/200_28
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Apr 11, 2005
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d10d
Offline
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Registered: Nov 29, 2004
Location: Canada
Posts: 1090
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Review Date: Mar 25, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp and fast!... less awkward and obvious that the 70-200 Ls ... great with a 1.4tc...
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Cons:
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none
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I had a 70-200 f2.8 non-IS (for a short while) and a 70-200 f4... in the end I gave them up for this lens and have not looked back since... at one point I would have considered the f2.8 again but for the price and my shooting style this is the clear winner...
As I shoot in low light conditions much of the time the extra stop has allowed me more flexibility and I am getting shots I could not get with the f4 (to be fair ... I am also using a 20D now instead of a 10D and this has also made a huge difference for me)... this lens makes sharp and clean images, great contrast and bokeh, and i don't even have to zoom! :D
Primes aren't for everyone... but if you are in to primes and want an excellent lens with longer reach... this is the one!
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Mar 25, 2005
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n_utting
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Dec 11, 2004
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Mar 21, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp. Solid construction. Good finish. Lightning-fast AF. Did I mention sharp?
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Cons:
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Nothing yet
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Well, the 200mm f/2.8 arrived this morning and I had a hard time waiting until lunchtime to take some test shots. From earlier reviews I had expected a superb lens, nor was I disappointed.
Physical construction is solid with a practical crackled paint-type finish. The lens definitely looks the business, but how does it perform?
AF is lightning fast with a 20D body and focusing on fast-moving birds was easy.
The following links are to a full-frame handheld shot of a starling at about 2m distance ( http://www.utting.org/images/nigel/Canon/starling.jpg ) and a 100% crop of the bird's head ( http://www.utting.org/images/nigel/Canon/starling-head.jpg ).
12 hours' ownership is hardly an in-depth test, but first impressions are that the 200mm f/2.8 is worth it's not insubstantial cost.
This is my second L series lens (the other is a 17-40mm) and I doubt on experience to date that it will be my last.
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Mar 21, 2005
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IraGraham
Offline
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Registered: Oct 30, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 622
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Review Date: Feb 15, 2005
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $575.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very Fast focus, sharp as a razor, awesome background blur. Made well with nice black finish.
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Cons:
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No IS (Image Stablization)
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Since I bought this lens, I am now turned on to sharp Canon L series fixed focal length lenses. I can't wait to buy the Canon 135mm 2.0L. I hear it is even sharper then the 200mm 2.8L.
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Feb 15, 2005
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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164
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301579
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Dec 23, 2012
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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95% of reviewers
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$608.24
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.79
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9.72
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9.8
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