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jasonpatrick
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Jul 8, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1850
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Review Date: Oct 21, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $495.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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SHARP, Great IQ, great colors, great bokeh
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Cons:
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This is the only lens, outside of the 50mm 1.8 that I won't get rid of. I've had 3 telephoto lenses. 75-300 which I upgraded to the 55-250, which I upgraded to this lens. I'm not saying I'll never swing for the IS version, or upgrade to the 2.8 version, but I will ALWAYS have a version of the 70-200 in my bag. I've had close to 15 different "walk around" lenses and I'm still not super satisfied with what I'm shooting in that range. For this range, Canon doesn't disappoint.
It's sharp wide open and gets a little sharper stopped down (mostly in the corners). Unless you're using it for landscapes (I don't) the corner sharpness isn't as important. I use a monopod (having a "L" lens isn't magic, you still have to do your part) to get the sharpness I'm looking for. Portraits are amazing, colors are fantastic, Bokeh is pleasing, speed outdoors is acceptable, build quality is second to none, USM is quiet...I love everything about this lens!
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 Oct 21, 2010
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Marc de Wit
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Apr 3, 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jul 23, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Canon's best buy.
Affordable price , great build quality , comfortabel weight ,
great optical quality , sharp at F4 , nice bokeh , hood included.
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Jul 23, 2010
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Annapurna
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Dec 29, 2004
Location: Denmark
Posts: 90
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Review Date: Jul 15, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp. Good autofocus. Light compared to the 2.8 version
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Cons:
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None
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I just like this lens. I had the 2.8 version, which also was very good. But for me a bit too heavy
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Jul 15, 2010
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Dan E
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Mar 23, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Mar 23, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $670.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Light Weight, Sharp images, fairly good in low light with higher ISO settings.
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Cons:
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None whatsoever!!
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Owned this lens for 5 months, cannot say anything negative. Sharp images (WOW), extremely fast focus for sports and moving wildlife photography (with correct camera settings). Fairly adequate in lower light situations, within it's limitations. Light enough to carry all day. Value for price - unbeatable. Have no need for IS with this lens.
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Mar 23, 2010
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sweet_david
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Feb 15, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Feb 15, 2010
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Recommend? no |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Good, contrasty, pictures if your subjects are stationary.
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Cons:
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This lens did not focus well at F4.
Probably the AF is just not fast enough.
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I tried to take pictures of cross country runners and soccer players with this lens and a 40d. It did not focus fast enough, the results showing focusing on a runner behind the one I focused on.
I thought at first it might be me and my technique, but I borrowed a friends 70-200L 2.8 and had no problem. I eventually bought a 200mm 2.8 prime and I am happy with that. Every shot is now in focus. I would pass on the 70-200 F4L if your subjects are moving unless you are very good at using manual focus.
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Feb 15, 2010
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Alb. de Wilde
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Mar 31, 2007
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Feb 8, 2010
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Recommend? no |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Excellent for use with small sensor cameras.
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Cons:
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Strong vignetting by using full frame camera.
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I own this lens for about 1 year and made many fine portrets with it (Canon 5dm2), but most of them were cut out. Using it outdoors was a disaster. On the long side of the lens the photo shows a strong vignetting. If you want an example, look at the photo I made today: ISO400, 1/1000, f/5.6, focus length 140mm.
http://www.ahw.me/a2/shoreway4418q.jpg
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Feb 8, 2010
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Olivier6
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jan 1, 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jan 1, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $700.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, even wide open, look and feel, weight
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Cons:
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maybe IS?
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My first L lens and was amazed after the first pictures with my 300D. Now I am using it on my 5D MK2 and I was a bit negatively surprised. The lens showed vignetting which I have never seen before on the 300D. So even this top lens has its weaknesses. The vignetting is easily corrected with the software in the camera so no point anymore.
Buy it, use it and you will be surprised positively!
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Jan 1, 2010
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ForcedHorse
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Nov 2, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 18, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Light, fast and sharp
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Cons:
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No
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This was my first L lens and was very impressed, it's nice and light and I can walk around with it without killing my arm. For my budget it worked out great.
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Nov 18, 2009
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risnandar
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Aug 30, 2009
Location: Indonesia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Aug 30, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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excellent build, great optical quality,my walk around tele
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Cons:
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nope.. the price is worth it with this lens
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My first L lens and i don't regret sell my other tele for this product. The quality of image is very astounding, very sharp and the colors details is amazing. Previously when using other tele, i have to fix the colors like saturation, contrast, brightness, sharpen, etc but with this lens i don't have to post processing with software.
very recommended for L grade lens with lowest price.
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Aug 30, 2009
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DocTP1885
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Aug 15, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 26
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Review Date: Jul 23, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent Build. fast and whisper focus. Solid feel in hand.
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Cons:
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really wished they included a ring mount with it.
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after a year of researching, I concluded I wanted to go with this lens mainly due to budget and what I will be doing. This is my 1st L lens and I have to admit, I'm officially spoiled. The quality of this lens is excellent as well as funcionality. I was a little surprise by the color of the lens (very very light tan color) but the construction, feel, buttery zooming,and performance is astounding. It does hog attention though. I wouldnt say this lens is 'silent.' More of a very low whisper 'shhhhhhh' sound which is way better than my sigma 24-70 F2.8 lens...sounds like I'm using an electric can opener. I've done several shots with this and was blown away with the image sharpness of the pic, even at F4. nice contrast and very fast on focus. Bokeh is great. I'll eventually go to the F2.8 IS version once my son will be doing indoor sports (he's 4, so it'll be a long ways before I get the 2.8 IS). The only down side I would say is I wished they added a ring mount with it. Yes, the lens is light and anyone can carry it all day, and the price for this is lens is a perfect, but a ring mount would have been a 'nice' bonus. the canon ring mount is ridiculously over priced...thank God there are other 3rd party mounts which can be bought at a 1/4 price which I did buy and has been excellent so far. Overall I'm satisfied with the lens and it's a great introductory to the L series line up. It'll def get you spoiled and eventually empty your bank account when you start buying other L lenses.
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Jul 23, 2009
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margilli
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: May 13, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 60
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Review Date: Jul 4, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $485.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Perfect weight and size for walk around and hand holding. Fit and finish is very high quality. Images are stunning.
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Cons:
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None
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Absolutely fantastic lens in every way. This is THE best lens at this price point on the market.
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Jul 4, 2009
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Kabuki
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: May 20, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Jun 4, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Super sharp, great contrast and color capture. Fast focus and very fine manual focus. Put this on a tripod and it's as sharp as your wildest dreams.
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Cons:
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Does not come with tripod ring mount. Auto-focus will hunt when object focused on is very small in the frame. Above f22 start to see some (very little- noticeable at high magnification) quality loss, no surprise there.
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One of those lenses that was an extreme let-down when I first used it. Have since hiked about 40+ miles with it, use it almost always on a tripod, and absolutely love it. I've taken about 600 shots with it so far.
This is a lens that makes you sit back and say "Oh wow" when you get your shots on the 'puter screen.
It isn't very fast, and it isn't IS, which means you are using a tripod if you want to see what this thing is really capable of. It is capable of extremely sharp, beautiful images with almost 3-D quality to selective focus shots.
It should come with the tripod ring mount, shelling out another $150 after the lens is a let down, and it is necessary as the lens is just heavy enough, just long enough, to be prone to shake when on a standard camera mount tripod.
I have taken some great handheld shots at all focal lengths, but in truth this is a lens for the tripod at 200mm.
A great landscape lens, and not heavy enough to hate hiking with.
Purchase it with a clear conscience, you are getting something of real quality.
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Jun 4, 2009
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Mingming Lu
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Feb 4, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 309
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Review Date: Jun 2, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $600.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Light weight, very sharp, rich color and contrast.
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Cons:
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Not any considering its performance and price.
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My first L lens. Though I don't use it very often (I like bokeh from my prime lens better), it always makes me amazed whenever there's a chance I need to pull it out.
First of all, it's very sharp. Probably sharper than my prime lenses at the same apertures(85/1.8 and 50/1.4). Every time I was pixel peeping, I'd be glad to see those very rich and clear details. Color and contrast are also its strength, I feel it's slightly better than my non-L primes. But those things most of time would be determined by lighting conditions.
The only thing I wish it'd have is nicer bokeh which requires a larger aperture of course. But people need extra money to pay for that. For this price, it's a super great lens.
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Jun 2, 2009
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asanduloiu
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Feb 2, 2009
Location: Romania
Posts: 377
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Review Date: May 19, 2009
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Recommend? no |
Price paid: $625.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fast AF, very sharp and vivid colours. Lightweight and though good build quality.
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Cons:
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None. I would say "no IS" but that is another product I couldn't afford at this moment.
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I purchased this lens in april and I already used it in field, photographing birds, on my 40D. Last week I went in Danube Delta which is the last unspoiled wetland in Europe, where I know a white pelican colony of about 300 individuals. As I was approaching through the mud, mosquitos and vegetation, I checked for the "last" time all the camera parameters, and I succeed about 50 shots which really enchanted me. I've been disappointed to see that I didn't take care of ISO, so in the middle of a very bright day I've shot with ISO 800. But at home, on computer, everything was very good. Hard to describe the difference between last year shot when I used a 100-400 mm 4,5-5,6 Soligor. Lots of feather details even it were about 80 meters to the pelican group. I strongly recommend it...
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May 19, 2009
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Phil UKNet
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Oct 20, 2007
Location: Thailand
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 5, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Image quality; build quality; bargain price. Lens hood included.
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Cons:
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Rather obviously: no IS! Other than that, perfect. As you will be aware, this becomes a 320mm lens on a crop body and that is starting to stretch the limits of hand-holdability when the light starts to go.
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This has to be the best Canon 'L' lens bargain there is. I'd owned a Canon FD 70-210 F4 for many years while shooting film so this was a natural purchase after moving to digital.
The image quality blew me away. Not only that, but it was always 100% consistent and reliable.
I'd still have it today if Canon hadn't brought out the IS version. A version of this lens plus four-stop IS was just too much to resist.
I didn't want to sell it but after purchasing the IS version I had no need for this lens. It continues to sell for a bargain price new, and there are many good samples available second-hand.
If you are on a bit of a budget I would recommend this lens to anyone unhesitatingly.
I've posted a few sample images at the following link. Click on the thumbnail images to see a larger version.
http://phil.uk.net/photography/canon_70-200F4L.html
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Apr 5, 2009
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toma7
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jan 31, 2007
Location: Austria
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Mar 14, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness from F4, very well built, silent, Price, Weight, quick AF
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Cons:
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not black
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Mar 14, 2009
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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379
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889772
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Dec 30, 2022
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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93% of reviewers
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$591.78
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.64
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9.35
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9.5
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