Canon 24-70mm/f2.8 copies

Bodley

I've read about poor copies of the Canon 24-70mm/f2.8. Is it hard to get a good copy or just more internet hype?

Any thoughts on this lens (w/1dmkII)? I'd be replacing my 28-135mm IS.

Thanks,
Greg
Canon 1DmkII, Canon 50/1.8, 85/1.8, 200/1.8, 70-200/2.8 IS, 28-135/3.5-5.6 IS, 580ex, 550ex, Lightsphere II

rutt

Bodley wrote:

I've read about poor copies of the Canon 24-70mm/f2.8. Is it hard to get a good copy or just more internet hype?

I don't know about bad copies. Buy from a reputable dealer and it will be easy to exchange if defective.

I love mine and have used it quite a bit on the 1DmkII. I used this combo for these shots:

http://www.ruttpix.com/gallery/869730
http://www.ruttpix.com/gallery/522903
http://www.ruttpix.com/gallery/300092

and many others. This is probably my all around favorite lens.

Antonio Correia

Poor copies of the Canon 24-70mm/f2.8
I am portuguese. One of these days a friend of my son went to work for a month in the USA.
The US$ was down. The Euro up. Good bargain to buy a lens in the US.
I asked the young man to get me one. In fact, he bought it to me throught the net and I spare a lot of money because you do not have VAT and the rate ...:):
He kept the lens fro 2 or 3 weeks. When it came to me I was fying to Brasil the next day.
So I did. My 1.st experience with the lens was in the next few days.
I was then sorry to get the lens this way because the zoom ring does not work smoothly as it should.
But there was notihng to be done. Too much time had passed and it was in the States...
But, it is a supperb lens anyway.
It gives good pictures. It is only a matter of smoothness in the zoom ring !!
http://antoniocorreia.smugmug.com/gallery/938438
Some pictures were shot with the Canon 16-35 f/2.8 L USM and some with the other zoom.
Be careful. :
Hope beeing useful.

Blurmore

A comment on Zoom ring stiffness
My boss owns this lens. We shoot 10,000+ frames per year, and I'd be willing to bet he has at least 8000 on his 24-70 f2.8L, the zoom ring on it is still stiff. Not wrench your wrist off stiff, but stiffer than my 70-200 f4L, and stiffer than you would expect from an L zoom. I use a 17-85 EF-S IS USM, and the zoom on it is supple but not loose and exhibits no play after 7000 or so exposures. Picture quality wise??? Nothing compares, in my opinion, not just SUPER sharp, but really accurate color, with telltale L contrast. I'd really LIKE to ditch my 17-85 EF-S IS USM, but I look back through my exif after a wedding and I use the 17 end too much, I am below 24mm 25% of the time. Looking through the finder on his 20D with the 24-70 just feels closterphobic at 24mm by comparison. True the 17 end of the EF-S has soft corner below f8, but not soft enough to notice printed at 8x10. If I had a full or 1.3x crop body no question I would buy the 24-70 ( ofcourse I'd have to because the EF-S won't fit either ). Either way I think any copy of a 24-70 f2.8 L is going to be big giant steps better than the 28-135 which from my experience is about as sharp as my 17-85.

Bodley

Tips/method for testing lens sharpness?

ziggy53

Bodley wrote:

Tips/method for testing lens sharpness?

Bodley,

When I test a new lens I generally use newsprint to check it at close focus and a brick wall to check more normal distances. I also check the lens and camera against either a railing or fence, taken at an angle, with a clearly identifiable object in the center to check for front and back focus problems.

You want to look for curvilinear and color problems as well as sharpness and contrast. Use a known lens, in a similar focal length, as your benchmark for comparison.

Ultimately, shooting "real-world" gives you the best feel for whether a particular lens matches your needs so feel free to stage setups which match your intended use for the lens and camera. Even a lens with problems may have use if the problems are minimal in the intended use.

ziggy53