Future IS question.

[RgB]

I am about to purchase a 70-200 2.8L IS in 4 weeks. I am buying L series for their quality, build and longevity. My next camera will be a 1 series MKIIN body. This lens should last me years but i have an important question.

How long are Canon going to support the IS in that model? With advancements in technology is there a chance i will have problems in 5 years in getting parts for the IS? Could Canon simply say we don't support that gear no more.

[Billginthekeys]

no no, many of the current lens designs being sold today are well over ten years old. the 70-200 2.8 IS isnt going anywhere soon. you wont have any trouble.

[syntrix]

no no, many of the current lens designs being sold today are well over ten years old. the 70-200 2.8 IS isnt going anywhere soon. you wont have any trouble.

Well, based on that, you might expect a change sometime... but who knows.

But if it works, and works WELL now, it'll work WELL way into the future!

[Billginthekeys]

Well, based on that, you might expect a change sometime... but who knows.

But if it works, and works WELL now, it'll work WELL way into the future!
well i also forgot to mention that the 70-200 IS came out only in 2001, so its still got a long life ahead of it. it also was the lens with the latest IS until the 70-200 F4 IS came along, so its still a youngin in its design life.

whereas for example the 50 1.4 USM came out in 1993. the 85mm F1.2L MKI came out in 1989 and was just now replaced with a newer version with improved focusing, but is otherwise the same lens. the 14 2.8 is from 1991, and the 200 2.8 USM II came out in 1996. many more cases of this.

[RgB]

Thanks for those replies.

If the IS brakes can you turn it off and keep using it. Until you get it fixed or does it make your lens useless?

[Billginthekeys]

Thanks for those replies.

If the IS brakes can you turn it off and keep using it. Until you get it fixed or does it make your lens useless? i dont think ive ever heard of the IS breaking in this lens, built like a rock. but unless one of its parts gets caught in other essential camera parts theres no reason why it wouldnt still work.

[Glenn NK]

Any idea when the 24 -105L came out?

Thanks in advance.

[Billginthekeys]

Any idea when the 24 -105L came out?

Thanks in advance.
about a year ago. october 2005

[ScottE]

If anything is likely to be discontinued it is the 1.3x crop bodies like your 1D MkIIN. Canon could easily decide to just go with EF-S and full frame EF bodies. The two systems should meet everybody's needs. The 70-200 f/2.8 IS is an EF lens, so it can be used on either system, whichever way you decide to go in the future.

IS can be turned off using the switch on the lens barrel and the lens can be used as a non-IS lens. If the IS mechanism should happen to break, it should be no different from turning off the IS switch. The only likely problem would be if the moving element in the IS system came loose when it broke and flopped around when you moved your camera. That could have a negative effect on framing shots or introduce blur if if moved during exposure. It is not likely that it will break, and if it did it would be more likely that the gyro mechanism just failed, not that the lens element would come free.