70-200 f2.8 IS. Need suggestion

RedSox

Hi I am eyeing for this lens for a long long time and finally I got the reason and money (technically will have to wait till the bonus paid in January) for it.:clap Both my kids are doing very well with Pianos and they are starting to get into concerts and competitions. I currently shoot with 70-200 f4 non-IS on a Rebel XT. I find myself constantly struggling with the max ISO 1600 with f4 and arround 1/50s shuttle speed. My current alternative is the 85 f1.8, which I found it is too short. Since the XT doesn't have many Mega Pixels to allow much cropping. So I figured with f2.8, I can boost the shuttle speed to 1/100 ish and since the pianist doesn't move that much. 1/100 should be able to freez the move and IS should help with the shake. Am I right?

I thought about the 100f2 and 135f2 as well. The thing is that I will sacrifice the flexibility of a zoom, since I only have one body. Also I use 70-200 a lot for landscape and people shot. I am afraid that going prime will be a bit too restrictive to me.

So am I on the right track? If f2.8 IS is the way to go, shall I buy brand new from reputable vendors ( I noticed the price went up sharply recently thanks to our weak dollar :bow )or try the used section in this and other forums? I am also considering sell the f4 to get some funding. But I never bought and sold anything used. Kinda confused or rather feel unsecure with paypal, ebay etc. Care to share any tips on safely trading used lens?

Thanks

Eric

ziggy53

If your current 70-200mm is working except for the shutter speed, then the EF 70-200mm, f2.8L IS USM would double your shutter speed. It would also narrow your DOF (Depth of Field), so take that into account.

Do check your images' EXIF to see what focal length you were using to determine if any other lens would suit your needs.

You might try renting first or check with other photographers at the event to see what they use and check their results.

If buying from an individual makes you nervous, (yes, there is some risk involved), then buying from a reputable vendor should make you feel much more at ease:

KEH
Adorama
B&H

TheDuck

Hi, Eric. I've got the Canon 70-200 2.8 IS, and use it on my 40D....often with the Canon 1.4x multiplier (200x1.4x1.6=448 - almost a 10x binocular!). Like you, I've also got two kids in band programs (8th grade and 10th grade), so I thought I'd chime in.

First - the Canon IS zoom is absolutely fantastic, even with the 1.4x and a crop sensor. During concerts, I get some very nice shots from the back of the room even at 1/20 of a second (!!) at ISO 1250 with -2/3EV. But...the best keepers are when I'm using a tripod, or able to brace against something...IS is great, but at 448mm equiv, you normally would need 1/500th to freeze....two stops with IS is 1/125...so you're at four stops with 1/30 - right at the limit even for the marketing department! You can time a lot of band shots to freeze kids even with slow shutter speeds, but the biggest problem is the very small DOF shooting at f2.8 (or f4 with the teleconverter). You can't shoot a section and have everyone in focus at f2.8 or f4 at any speed!! I agree that an 85mm or 100mm won't give the length you need, but with the low light limits of a 40D or a rebel, you're really going to be pushing the lens to its limits....you'll have lots less keepers than you may think.

Secondly - where will you be positioned? If you're in the audience you won't likely be able to use a tripod or have anything to brace on, and you may not have a clear view of many band members. In our bands, the piano is used for jazz ensembles, and most views are of the back of the pianist. So....stabilization won't help if composure is a problem for you. (I've become the photo/video mascot for the bands, and usually have a vantage point not available to most parents, which allows me to use a tripod and brace on walls. You might be able to volunteer to take shots of all the band kids at various events and share them on Smugmug in exchange for preferential viewing spots - works well for me - and might be more valuable than the lens!

Third -(thirdly?) - I love photos, but I've learned that the kids and my family love videos of concerts more than photos (though the photos are a nice supplement) - strongly consider getting an HD camcorder instead of a new lens if concerts are going to be your focus for the next few years. Smugmug has come a long way with Video, but is way way behind Vimeo, YouTube and my current favorite - ExposureRoom for online viewing and sharing. Myself, I'm excited by the confluence of DSLRs with Video, and look forward to shooting video with my Canon lenses when the right body comes out. (Sadly, the 7D is not it).

Fourth - if your kids are involved in field sports....the 70-200 2.8 IS will be much more useful (and justifiable!) for this than concerts. My 8th grader plays baseball, and for that - being able to handhold the lens (with the 1.4x) gets some wonderful photos. You'll still need fast speed to stop action, of course, but you can get some really great shots with this lens at slower speeds than you could without IS.

Finally, I've bought lenses new (locally and at various mailorder/internet companies - esp B&H and Adorama) and used (eBay) and (knock-on-wood) have never been burned or disappointed because of the purchase. Buy locally if they help you, buy online if you know what you want and can save money. I've also sold lenses on eBay, and will do so again as soon as I decide whether to stick with Canon or return to MinoltaNowSony bodies. Look at retailer ratings and eBay feedback. eBay has owned PayPal for years now, and I've never had a problem with PayPal.

Summary: Great lens, highly recommended. Equipment is never a substitution for position and experience/effort/talent, but all other things being equal, great equipment is better than mediocre equipment!!

Good luck, and be seeing you,
The Duck

RedSox

Thanks Ziggy for the quick response! The 70-200 is the perfect range for me. I do go beyond 85mm over 80% time. Depends on the seating, I need to go above 150mm often. I figured that I can live with a 135L by cropping a bit. But the XT has 'only' 8 MP, so not too much room for cropping. The other option will be upgrade the body to buy a higher end model that are capable of higher ISO and high ISO IQ, which will be costly to.

The fact is that I actually quite like the XT. Beside the focus inaccuracy (especially under difficult light situation) compare to the higher end models. It produce very good image camparable to the new DSLRs on the block. For the piano concert, I could care less about focus accuracy, becase objects are pretty static and I just use manual focus. As for the price, I did the research, currently the cheapest I can get from the reputable vendor is from Adorama. It is $1,600 with change after the bing cash rebate.

ziggy53

RedSox wrote:

... As for the price, I did the research, currently the cheapest I can get from the reputable vendor is from Adorama. It is $1,600 with change after the bing cash rebate.

Did you also see that each of those places I mentioned has a "Used" department? The 70-200mm, f2.8L IS often comes up used.

RedSox

Thanks Duck! Great tips. I am learning too. Yeah, the worse the lighting is the less the keeper. I ususally fire 3 shots at a time and that helps the keeper rate a bit, I think. Concerts are usually held in high school auditoriums. Most time I can get some support on the rail or seat in the front. That helps a lot. I try to volunteer, but not always get a chance, depends on the events. They usually put a tri-pod in the front and mount the video camcord on it, which could be anuoying. Becuse it blocked the view. I try shot manual as well. For those not so spot on focused, too much under exposed. I sometimes play with creative side, like convert to black and white etc.

I also shoot kids soccor games with the 70-200 f4 and found it works pretty good, given plenty lights ourdoor. Paired with the XT, make it a light combo. I also fire several shots to get the keeper rate high. Again my biggest complain to the rebel XT is the focus inaccuracy. I played my friend's 40D quite a bit. It has much much better focus accuracy, beside the handling part.

Eric

RedSox

ziggy53 wrote:

Did you also see that each of those places I mentioned has a "Used" department? The 70-200mm, f2.8L IS often comes up used.

Thanks I checked. Recently, there is a E- rated at Adorama for $1,550 or so. Adorama rates N for New, D for Demo and E+, E, E- for excellent, G for Good etc etc. Each rate has some description. Do you know what E- really is? I am not sure how they compare to private sell like Brand New in Box, New barely used? For the price of $1,550, I probably will pay 50 bucks more for a brand new one with full Canon warranty, unless I can get 5.5% Bing cash back for the used one as well. But again, I will keep looking and make decision before 1/16/10 the rebate is over.

Eric

HelenOster

Message from Helen, Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador

TheDuck wrote:

I've bought lenses new (locally and at various mailorder/internet companies - esp B&H and Adorama)

Thanks for the recommendation for Adorama Camera; don't hesitate to email me if you ever need after-sales support or advice.

Airedrifter

I have that lens and love it -- one word - MONOPOD!
Have fun.