Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM..............worth it????

Kevin CTMP

Hey Everyone,

I'm running into more weddings where priests are not allowing me to use any flash...OR for me to be allowed anywhere close to the altar.......i need a good fast lens so i can get decent pictures in low light without having to crank my ISO through the roof!......i'm looking at the Canon zoom telephoto 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM......i was wondering if anybody has any thoughts on it or has used it?..........will this be able to get the shots i need??....it seems like a pretty decent lens for price.....unfortunately, i cannot afford anything more than that right now...i've included a link to it in B&H's website.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/234444-USA/Canon_7042A002_70_200mm_f_2_8L_IS_USM.html

thanks!

Kevin

www.ctm-photography.net

Ric Grupe

Great lens!

I have one but do not use it the way you want to....so no insight.

Check this out.

jeffreaux2

Kevin CTMP wrote:

.....unfortunately, i cannot afford anything more than that right now...
thanks!

By my reckoning there isn't anything available in that zoom range that would offer "more".

I use it....and also shoot weddings. My thoughts are:
- It is HEAVY. Shooting with it isn't an issue at all for me, but I use two cameras and having this hang from a strap on your shoulder or neck can be a pain.

-It is very sharp, excellent contrast and color

-Im a believer in IS technology. It works. (period)

-IS equipped glass is much more mobile than using a tripod.

- IS cannot help with soft images due to motion blur due to subject movement.

- The depth of field at long focal lengths and F2.8 aperture can get very thin.

-I love mine...:D

All but last shot with 70-200 F2.8L IS














and a low light shot from the 17-55mm F2.8IS....a focal length range that along with F2.8 and IS is a great low light all purpose lens.

ziggy53

I use the EF 70-200mm, f2.8 USM for weddings and events. I do not have IS just because I originally purchased the lens for sports and repurposed it for wedding use. I do not generally miss the IS except in a really dark venue (2 churches that I can think of locally.) The lens is slightly soft wide open but sharpens nicely in software.

I also use an EF 50mm, f1.4 USM for that purpose (ceremony).

I am still testing an EF 135mm, f2 USM for somewhat the same application and it looks like a winner as well, providing a more intimate view with an acceptably large aperture.

These are mounted to a crop 1.3x body in my case.

Pindy

I would never say the 70-200 f/2.8L IS is NOT worth it, only if it's overkill for what you need. Often a 135mm or a 70-200 f/4 is sufficient. There's a big weight and size penalty for f/2.8. I felt like a complete knob walking around with one, but if I was a pro I would feel different.

ChatKat

Main lens
The 70-200 2.8 is is one of my main lenses used.
Here is a link to last week's wedding. I was required to stand in the very back of the church and I was not allowed to use any flash. I use a 5d and 5dmk2 and without that lens I could not have had enough close up shots. I can blow these up to 11x14 or so and they will be fine, show the details etc. - these are SOOC - Editing to add - the sun was dead on in the stained glass. Lucky to not have silhouettes of the bride and everyone else. Who designed that church!

http://www.flashfrozenphotography.com/gallery/8614982_qBK39/19

Scott_Quier

For me the ideal lens combination on a crop sensor camera (like your 40D) is the EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS and the EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS - there's just no other combination of tools out there that will cover what these two will. The extra stop or two offered up by the IS on the 70-200 is priceless. It's not the golden bullet that will solve all your problems, but it does offer up just one more thing to help you get the image.

studio1972

I use the 17-55 2.8 and have a 100mm 2.0 for the back of church shots. It's wider aperture makes it even better in low light, although you sacrifice some flexibility of course. Much cheaper and lighter though!

kat123

Canon 70-200mm 2.8 without IS trouble shooting?
Hi,
I have the canon 70-200mm without the IS feature and I'm having trouble with the lens or very possibly user error. It doesn't want to auto focus - do you have any suggestions regarding the best way to trouble shoot?

Also - I dumb question - what is the difference between the 1.5m and the 3m switch. I can't get the 3m to auto focus ever. Can you give me a couple of examples of how I would use these different modes?
Thanks,

jeffreaux2 wrote:

By my reckoning there isn't anything available in that zoom range that would offer "more".

I use it....and also shoot weddings. My thoughts are:
- It is HEAVY. Shooting with it isn't an issue at all for me, but I use two cameras and having this hang from a strap on your shoulder or neck can be a pain.

-It is very sharp, excellent contrast and color

-Im a believer in IS technology. It works. (period)

-IS equipped glass is much more mobile than using a tripod.

- IS cannot help with soft images due to motion blur due to subject movement.

- The depth of field at long focal lengths and F2.8 aperture can get very thin.

-I love mine...:D

All but last shot with 70-200 F2.8L IS














and a low light shot from the 17-55mm F2.8IS....a focal length range that along with F2.8 and IS is a great low light all purpose lens.

chris84

kat123 wrote:

Hi,
I have the canon 70-200mm without the IS feature and I'm having trouble with the lens or very possibly user error. It doesn't want to auto focus - do you have any suggestions regarding the best way to trouble shoot?

Also - I dumb question - what is the difference between the 1.5m and the 3m switch. I can't get the 3m to auto focus ever. Can you give me a couple of examples of how I would use these different modes?
Thanks,

Hello Kat- I also own the 70-200 2.8 IS and it's a great lens. The 1.5m and 3m switches are for selecting a minimum focus distance. This is mostly useful when you know you are shooting something more than 3 meters away and don't want the lens to attempt to focus any closer. Since you bring this up, it may be your problem with not focusing. Make sure you are at least the minimum focus distance away from your subject. Once you get everything dialed in I am sure you'll love it as much as the rest of us!

ziggy53

chris84 wrote:

Hello Kat- I also own the 70-200 2.8 IS and it's a great lens. The 1.5m and 3m switches are for selecting a minimum focus distance. This is mostly useful when you know you are shooting something more than 3 meters away and don't want the lens to attempt to focus any closer. Since you bring this up, it may be your problem with not focusing. Make sure you are at least the minimum focus distance away from your subject. Once you get everything dialed in I am sure you'll love it as much as the rest of us!

Chris84, welcome to the Digital Grin.

Thanks for your comments and I agree.

ziggy53

kat123 wrote:

... I have the canon 70-200mm without the IS feature and I'm having trouble with the lens or very possibly user error. It doesn't want to auto focus - do you have any suggestions regarding the best way to trouble shoot?

...

Can you elaborate on this? Does the lens "never" AF (meaning you have to manual focus) or does it focus poorly?

jeffreaux2

The close focus distance is 4 feet 9 inches. You need at least that much distance between the lens and subject.

Tee Why

It is a popular lens with many events/wedding photogs as it'll let you hand hold at slower speeds for low light work.

It's is heavy, big and expensive. Optically, it's pretty good but having used it not as good as similar level primes like the 135mm f2L or the 200mm f2.8 L lenses.

Only you can determine if it'll fit your needs. I think it probably will if you need a zoom lens and you want to use the lowest ISO possible. It's main down fall IMO is that it's too expensive. For the same amount of money, you can just about buy a used 40D and a 135mm f2L instead.