Canon 70-200mm L USM IS or not

[davekone]

Will IS really make a big difference with this lens. I am torn between the two. The price difference could be another lens or 550ex flash! I primarly take pictures of my kids "action shots" inside, outside, daytime, evening etc. I miss some shots now because my current zoom lens is a little slow on the upper end f6.3.

David

[soumya63]

Answer these two questions first:

1) Are you an action photographer?

2) Are you buying this for its fad value? Something cool to possess, an expensive toy to impress others?

If both the answers are no, go for regular non IS version.

I know this may start a flame war, but remember long lenses can not be hand held successfully for a critically sharp image. For sports and action photography sharpness is secondary as the value of the photograph lies on the moment. But for portrait, landscape or fine art photography, like what I do, IS has no value. I almost always use tripod to shoot lens longer than 70. If there is bright day light, I hand held shoot even with 300mm and crank up shutter speed 500 or higher.

IS is a recent innovation and available even in cheap camcorders of Canon. It is a nice feature but not indispensable. Does any medium format has IS? No. Does all big names in Photoworld are shooting with IS to capture breathtaking images? No. Does it make me a better photographer? No. So I see no need of spending $600 more in IS than to spend it in a proper camera support.

If you are really interested in buying the coolest gadget, then go and buy a gyro stabilizer. It will allow you to shoot rock steady shots even from shaking a swaying vehicle, and that will make all your lenses IS!


www.mitraphoto.com

[justme_dc]

Some people swear by the "IS" lenses I happen to not be one of them. I have never really seen much use for them. I never shoot in low light without a tripod or at least with a high ISO setting and when I am shooting motorsports for magazines I seem to do just fine with the non "IS" glass I do own. Even when I worked as a photojournalist I never saw need to use them.

Check out Dans post of great jetski shots here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10796

That was to the best of my knowlege shot with a non "IS" 70-200 2.8L and a 100-400 4.5L. If the latter is the "IS" model he didn't say but I can see no difference in the shots.

Oh there's another poster named AgileM3 that has some good shots too with a 400mm fixed no "IS"

If my choice were get the "IS" or get another lens or flash with the difference I would choose the latter.

Just my .02¢

[lziering]

The IS feature is great for hand held work. The rule of thumb is the slowest shutter speed for hand-held work is one over the focal length of the lens. So, at 200mm you should not hand hold the lens with a shutter speed of slower than 1/200. If you are using the lens on a Canon D60 or 10D you need to multiply the shutter speed by 1.6. This means that at 200mm the lens is really like a 320mm lens so the camera should not be hand held at less than 1/320. If you use a lens with IS you gain 2 1/2 stops. This means that you can hand hold the lens at 200m on a full frame camera (like a 1Ds) at about 1/30 or on a D60/10D at about 1/60.

Given the price of the lens you are considering and the weight, be sure you need this feature. If you shooting style requires IS, it is a very, very helpful aid in getting sharp pictures. I've used an lens with IS for girls gymnastics and at 300mm at 1/100 sec I get great results which are much better than I got when I held held the lens.

[davekone]

I take pictures of my kids constantly. They are always moving, runing etc. Most of the time its 4pm or after and the sun is low in the sky. Or they are inside, I would love to have a lens fast enough to not use a flash so I can put my 10d on continuous mode and shoot several shots in a row. I know primes take better shots but I need some zoom range to I'm not changing lenses constantly.

I also love to shoot wild life when we are on vacation. The occasional Air Show is always fun to try and catch em if you can!

David

[levine2]

I can't see justifying spending the extra money on an IS lens. I shoot sports photos and have gotten fantasitic results with the non IS 70 - 200 2.8 lens. I concur with the reply about using a tripod or monopod, and buy yourself a flash or another lens.

[Morden]

IS is a nice bonus, but the real gain will be getting either version of the 70-200 f2.8; it is a superb zoom lense, with excellent optical quality.

Whichever version you choose, enjoy!

[brian304]

I have been thinking the same thing. I bought an IS 70-200 and use it just about all the time during the day for soccer, kids and the zoo. I doubt the IS did anything. I wish now I would have bought non IS and the 135 f2! still might get the 135 though.
I think a couple of primes is a better way to go. Where the IS makes great sense is for night time street shots. I have the 28-135 IS and the IS got me shots in Vegas at night I would not have gotten unless I had my tripod or at least a monopod.
My advice for action get fast lenes skip IS.
Brian

[davekone]

I see your point but I cant be switching lenses while taking photos of the kids. Having some zoom range is essential. I went to a camera store today and put the 70-200 2.8 IS lens on my 10d. I did test shots with my current lens and the canon. The canon without IS was much clearer and brighter, the focus was unreal compared to my current lens. I took some shots with and without IS. In lower light situations the IS made a big difference, with the flash firing the difference was not noticable. Leaning to the IS.

David

[CyberDyneSystems]

Dave,
The f/2.8 is going make your light gathering so improved,. and thus your shutter speeds,. that compared to the lens you have been using,. the non IS will alomost seem IS in the afternoon daylight! These lenses are "fast" by definition. There will be times when IS may help,. but the overall advantage of the lens itself and the aperture will be a much larger icremental improvemnet when compared to the incremental imrovement of IS vs. non-IS.

Were it me,. I would get the non-IS and and use the $600.00 saved to get something else.

[brian304]

Like Morden says the real bonus is in getting the 70-200 2.8, IS ia just icing on the cake.
Brian

[brault]

Usually, I see the benefit of IS stated as its ability to avoid camera shake in low light.

I have just ordered the 28-135 IS and for me the primary benefit of IS is that it will allow me to select smaller apertures (without the camera shake from the slower shutter speeds) for greater depth of field, when I want it (I usually don't carry a tripod on my walks). I see a lot of photos where the subject is partially blurred as it is not fully within DOF.

Bottom line, IS gives you added flexibility when you don't have a tripod. If you virtually always have a tripod when you need it then it is not worth the extra money and weight. If you don't always have that tripod then I think it is well worth it.

Frank B

[Dans_D60]

justme_dc wrote:
Some people swear by the "IS" lenses I happen to not be one of them. I have never really seen much use for them. I never shoot in low light without a tripod or at least with a high ISO setting and when I am shooting motorsports for magazines I seem to do just fine with the non "IS" glass I do own. Even when I worked as a photojournalist I never saw need to use them.

Check out Dans post of great jetski shots here: http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=10796

That was to the best of my knowlege shot with a non "IS" 70-200 2.8L and a 100-400 4.5L. If the latter is the "IS" model he didn't say but I can see no difference in the shots.

Oh there's another poster named AgileM3 that has some good shots too with a 400mm fixed no "IS"

If my choice were get the "IS" or get another lens or flash with the difference I would choose the latter.

Just my .02¢

It was a "Non IS" 70-200 2.8L.
Dan
http://www.pettusphoto.com/jetski

[dbailey]

I think the IS is more important with the 100-400 due to the focal length and the smaller apetures. IS works great on that lens.

IS is actually no good for action sports because the slow shutter speeds are not going to stop the action anyway. IS is great for slow shutter speeds when you need stability and don't have or want to carry around a tripod.

[rickyd]

I shoot a lot of motox racing and freestyle events and the 70-200 2.8f non IS is always my 'go to' lens. I also have the 28-135 IS but the faster higher quality glass gives me better results in the 70-200 ( imho ). Save the extra dough and get another lens with it.

[dbarthel]

It sounds to me that we have a lot of people here with IS envy. I have the 28-135IS, the 100-400 IS, and the 300f2.8 IS and IS is worth every penny of the cost. Not just for action, but the newer IS systems like on the 70-200 and the 300 will suppress minor vibrations while on a tripod.

Just do it. You'll be very glad you did.

[D60wannabe]

I went through the same dilemma (We are very lucky to even consider either of these lens'!!) I finally decided on the IS version and couldn't be happier. After owning the lens for only 1 hour I was shooting an Eagle with a 2x converter on the lens at an effective focal range of 640mm handheld and the pictures are excellent! Let me know if you would like to see the photos via email. Good luck in your decision....we have it so bad don't we:)

Paul

[raylks]

Is it worth upgrading from my 70-200mm f4L to f2.8L IS?

[DionM]

I went thru the same dilemma and ended up with non-IS.

I would love the IS model, but the non-IS does everything I ask of it. The number of situations I want IS are in the minority - to me just getting a wonderful f2.8 prime-quality zoom is enough :)

If we were talking 300mm+ though, then its different and for "my" use I would then stump up for IS. Eg I am looking at a long lens and will probably get the 300 f4 IS + 1.4x TC over the 400 f5.6 simply due to IS.

[MarkH]

Is it worth upgrading from my 70-200mm f4L to f2.8L IS?

Yes *


* Providing you are happy with a much heavier lens
And/or you need/want the extra stop
And/or you need/want the IS
And/or you need/want the weather sealing