I'm Lost, 70-200MM IS OR NON IS?

[ACDCROCKS]

Hello all,
I'm completely lost :o , I shoot bands, sports such as volley ball, basketball, Football ( Varsity and JV and other things. I shoot for a proffesional photographer , I'll be getting a canon 20D in a few weeks. I can get the non IS by X-MAS and get the 580 next summer. If I get the IS, it will be next July and ancd can't get the 580 ex. ( but I'm "littler impatient :rolleyes: :o ). Is it reallly worth the Extra $700.00 for the IS? I know this has come up hundreds of times before. So far I'm leaning with the Non IS, which still looks cool hanging around the neck ( admit it guys). I'm afraid the virabations from my hands from the weight of the lens my effect the quality. I have tried this lens before, but with the Mark 2, ....8 lbs about right? I'm lost again :rolleyes: :oops: :oops: :oops: :oops: :lol:

[Steve Parr]

I'm buying the non-IS version tomorrow. Personally, I don't believe the IS feature will be worth the extra expense for me. I also shoot bands (as in people who move, where the benefit of IS would be minimal), but will also use it for other types of shooting, as well...

Steve

[Transfix]

Save up and buy the IS.

I have the 70-200 2.8L IS USM and I swear by it. I shoot sports for the most part, and the IS is worth it. I've used it for band shoots as well. I'm a "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it" kinda guy. My 300 2.8 is IS as well, and I use it in IS mode a lot.

Michael
www.mikestrong.net
www.sportsshooter.com/transfix

[mediamanrit]

I've got the IS, and I'm a very shakey person...it helps a LOT...and mine is only on a Rebel XT (for now anyways :) ). It's worth every penny.

[grego]

I love IS. It becomes very useful in lower light situations where camera shake and cause you to miss a photo. Keep in mind that it doesn't stop subjects from blurring if there's action involved. But eliminating camera shake at 200mm at 1/60, for example.

[wayne53]

I love my 70-200 IS definitly worth it, IMO.

[Litster]

I love my 70-200mm IS as well. But if you are sure you don't need IS, you should get the non IS. I think people say that the non IS version has slightly better image quality than the IS version. A bit lighter, too.

[grego]

I love my 70-200mm IS as well. But if you are sure you don't need IS, you should get the non IS. I think people say that the non IS version has slightly better image quality than the IS version. A bit lighter, too.

The sharpness diff is very small though. I believe on the charts only it shows up, but I doubt you'd see it in the pictures.

IS is always good to have. And if you dislike the lens, the re-sale value, well of either is great.

[René Damkot]

Get the IS.

[Rob612]

Another vote for the IS here. I understand you are a little impatient, but jeez if its worth the money. I sure love mine.

[BugEyes]

For sports I find IS rather uninteresting. If I need exposures long enough to make use of IS I will get motion blur anyway. I use a monopod instead to avoid the shake and try to keep the times short like 1/320 or shorter.

[grego]

Phill had a good post about the 70-200 IS.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=103082&page=2

[Dchemist]

I bought the non-IS and do not regret the decision. Just could not see the value in spending the extra $600 as I am usually in reasonable light or willing to up the ISO and/or use a stable platform.

[SkipD]

Get the 70-200 f2.8 IS version and you will never regret having done so.

[Okiewan]

Get the 70-200 f2.8 IS version and you will never regret having done so.Ah, but will he regreat NOT getting it?

[guitarman]

Save up and buy the IS.

I have the 70-200 2.8L IS USM and I swear by it. I shoot sports for the most part, and the IS is worth it. I've used it for band shoots as well. I'm a "Better to have it and not need it, than to need it and not have it" kinda guy. My 300 2.8 is IS as well, and I use it in IS mode a lot.

Michael
www.mikestrong.net (http://www.mikestrong.net)
www.sportsshooter.com/transfix (http://www.sportsshooter.com/transfix)

Spending that much extra money for a feature you might need is ludicrous. You better know your going to need it before you spend that kind of dough. I had it and sold it. I don't miss it. For myself I'd rather the 135L and maybe the 200 2.8L. If I were to buy the 70-200 2.8 again it would be the non IS. IS does no good for slow shutter speeds and moving objects.

[rklepper]

I use a monopod and it works wonders.

[HKFEVER]

Always go for IS.;)

[tim]

The IS is a great thing on this lens. If you don't want the IS then go for the Sigma 70-200 F2.8, it's meant to be very close to the Canon in performance, and it's a lot cheaper.

[BugEyes]

Ah, but will he regreat NOT getting it?

I do not regret getting a monopod instead of IS, not even getting the Sigma instead of Canon. Some pictures I took last night with the Sigma...
http://www.sorkin.se/aik-skaik/index.htm

[mspringfield]

When I originally purchased my Canon gear, moving from Nikon, I looked at exactly how much I used my 70-200VR with the VR on. It turned out that I used it 90% off, 10% on especially when shooting sports. Given those numbers I opted for the non-IS and $500+ in my pocket to put towards other gear. Several months later when I decided to sell my Nikon gear since 90% of my job required Canon gear I ended up finding someone who had just moved from Canon to the D2x. He had the IS version and we ended up doing an even trade and I sold my Non-IS. I had both for a while and actually found the non-IS to be a little sharper.

If the difference were only a couple hundred dollars, as it was between my Nikon 70-200VR ($1595.00) and the 80-200 AF-S ($1395.00), then I would say the decision is easy. Go for the IS. At $500.00, for me it wasn't worth it. It was the same for me when I bought my used 300 F4. The difference between the IS and non-IS was only $50.00 so I went for the IS.

Just my .02

[Salleke]

GET THE IS!!! GET THE IS!!! GET THE IS!!! GET THE IS!!! ... ;)

Does it show that I love IS lenses? But then I have shakey hands and the latest IS is incredible.
I have a 70-300 DO IS and if you have seen what the IS does you dont want a lens whitout IS anymore.

Good luck.

[richard_a]

I bought the IS version and I do not regret it for one moment, despite the cost difference. I even use the IS at faster shutter speeds as it will still help steady the lens for sharp pictures. I am not sure why people always believes IS is only for low-light and low shutter speed situations as it clearly is not (it certainly helps in those situations though giving you shoots you would not normally have).

[Jon]

IS - it may only make a noticeable difference around the edges of your shooting environment, but that's where you need every advantage you can get.

[Sajjad Yasin]

Zoom range of 70-200 lenses mean these are primarily meant to shoot hand-held ( I consider any thing less than 300 mm not a super zooms so tripod is not a must). Thus IS is definitely going to help you the hand holding this lense. Also $300 more now when you are already spending a grand does not mean much, this lense wil be more of a keeper and later in future you will not think about changing it to IS version. IS will also help in low light, near sunset, moving car, moving boat etc .. shooting conditions. So I think it is worth it.
However if you plan to use it on tripod most of the time e.g. sports shooting etc and mostly in day light, then you need not spend extra moeny. Just go for non IS version and use moeny to get something else. May be saving towards another L lense ;-)

[Big Hands]

You could start off with a nice used non-IS and still continue to save for either the 580EX or sell the non-IS for basically what you paid for it and apply it toward the IS model. That way you get to have your lens sooner rather than later and take an extended test drive of the non-IS model while you are saving up for your final choice. Win-win.

I have the non-IS and so far have no regrets, but I am not shooting professionally, so there isn't as much pressure to perform. Either way, you will end up with an outstanding lens.

Regards,

[malla1962]

Go for IS if you can aford it.:D:D