Has 70-200 f/4L always been beige?

[lancea]

Just out of curiousity and of no practical use at all ...

While deciding whether to order a 70-200 I came across a LOT of threads talking about why this (and other L lenses) were white. When my 70-200 arrived early this month I was pleasantly surprised to find that it wasn't white at all. Rather it's more of a beige. Very stylish and completely inoffensive.

I did a forum search and only found one thread that talks about this. Were these lenses every truely white? When I look at earlier reviews (e.g. http://www.slo-foto.net/reviews-56.html) it certainly does look whiter than white. It's even white on the official Canon page at http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7345. But the current B&H web photos clearly show that none of the 70-200 lenses are white. Given all the amusing theories about why the L lenses are white, is this Canon's attempt to kill an urban legend? :)

[willg]

mine isn't white

[tim]

Neither's my F2.8, maybe someone has some white ballance issues ;)

[Jopox]

Mine isn't white either...:)

[lancea]

Hmm. Maybe it's just that the word "beige" is a synonymous with "mediocre". Yes Tim - maybe it is just a case of white balance - but you'd think Canon's shot would have been more accurate. Someone get them some Pringles :)

Ah well, at least it was a good thing that it wasn't what I expected. Thanks for your responses guys.

[I Simonius]

The very question I asked too
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=71587

[lancea]

Great minds think alike? :) Looks like you solved the puzzle. Funny. I did a Forum Search with "70-200 beige" and some variations, but didn't find your thread. Nice one anyone, thanks. And as for someone asking what the point of the thread is - well, let's not get started on all the threads about the red rings ... :rolleyes:

[xuxu1]

Now come on.....

Everybody knows that NEW Canon L lenses (except for the black ones) are all white! :lol: :lol: :lol:

The one you got must have been used and laying in the sun for some time already (some kind of a sun tan maybe?). :lol: :lol: :lol:

Funny when i got my new EF100-400 L IS, guess what...
It was´nt white either !!! :cool: :oops:

ED

[condyk]

there are two production lines for the Canon L lenses in Japan ... for smoking and non-smoking assembly workers.

[blue_max]

...and those that wash their hands after visiting the restroom and those...

Graham

[I Simonius]

Now come on.....

Everybody knows that NEW Canon L lenses (except for the black ones) are all white! :lol: :lol: :lol:

The one you got must have been used and laying in the sun for some time already (some kind of a sun tan maybe?). :lol: :lol: :lol:

Funny when i got my new EF100-400 L IS, guess what...
It was´nt white either !!! :cool: :oops:

ED

Check your camera - are you sure it's black?
Would you object if it wasn't?

[pcasciola]

Yes, they are all off-white/beige/cream colored. I started a similar thread before I purchased my first L lens, because every other lens looked white on B&H's site except for the one I was buying, so I thought I was buying the gray version or something. :rolleyes:

Here's the photo on B&H for the 300/4L and in actuality it's just about the same color as my 70-200/2.8L.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/images/items/129188.jpg

[I Simonius]

Yes, they are all off-white/beige/cream colored. I started a similar thread before I purchased my first L lens, because every other lens looked white on B&H's site except for the one I was buying, so I thought I was buying the gray version or something. :rolleyes:

Here's the photo on B&H for the 300/4L and in actuality it's just about the same color as my 70-200/2.8L.

snip

That is a much more honest representation than the pure white lenses on canon's site!

[Cadwell]

It's because most photographers are male. Men think in primary and secondary colours and the major shades. Red, green, blue, black, white, grey I can understand. "Beige" isn't part of my vocabulary. Neither are all those other colours that only seem to exist for women like “amethyst”, “fuchsia”, “taupe” or “mauve”. I have absolutely no idea what those colours are.... never have known and am happy NOT knowing.

So... my big "L"s are lighter than black, are not obviously blue or green therefore they must be WHITE! Simple :rolleyes:

:p :p :p :p :p :p ;)

[PhotosGuy]

I'm holding out for flourescent orange! ;-)

[I Simonius]

It's because most photographers are male. Men think in primary and secondary colours and the major shades. Red, green, blue, black, white, grey I can understand. "Beige" isn't part of my vocabulary. Neither are all those other colours that only seem to exist for women like “amethyst”, “fuchsia”, “taupe” or “mauve”. I have absolutely no idea what those colours are.... never have known and am happy NOT knowing.

So... my big "L"s are lighter than black, are not obviously blue or green therefore they must be WHITE! Simple :rolleyes:

:p :p :p :p :p :p ;)

yeah right and males only make B+W or primary colour pics :rolleyes:

[Cadwell]

yeah right and males only make B+W or primary colour pics :rolleyes:


No... cameras take pictures... they're gender neutral (unless of course you're French?)

[I Simonius]

No... cameras take pictures... they're gender neutral (unless of course you're French?)

I expect that's funny but I don't get it....... :confused: :confused:

[lost]

I believe he is making a reference to the french language. I could be wrong.

[Persian-Rice]

Most people don't balance properly, I notice that pictures are always wrong.

It has a touch of beige, mixed with grey. If anything, I would call it an off grey colour.

[I Simonius]

Most people don't balance properly, I notice that pictures are always wrong.

It has a touch of beige, mixed with grey. If anything, I would call it an off grey colour.

The reason I posted this:
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=71587
is so people could compare the lens colour to the well known reference points either side of it i.e. 18% grey cards and the WHITE apple software pocket, illuminated by daylight
Compare that to this :
http://consumer.usa.canon.com/ir/controller?act=ModelDetailAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7345
and tell me its the same colour, just a question of balance

[DocFrankenstein]

I expect that's funny but I don't get it....... :confused: :confused:
Females have more color photo receptors on their retinas and better developed parts of the brain responsible for recognition of those colors.

So they are able to differentiate between hues much better then males. A guy sees 10 shades of blue... they're all just "blue" to him. When a girl sees 10 shades of blue, it's 10 separate colors.

[Persian-Rice]

Females have more color photo receptors on their retinas and better developed parts of the brain responsible for recognition of those colors.

So they are able to differentiate between hues much better then males. A guy sees 10 shades of blue... they're all just "blue" to him. When a girl sees 10 shades of blue, it's 10 separate colors.

That is is so unfair. First they get breasts now this?

[Persian-Rice]

Ya B&h makes them look brown, Canon white, real thing is in the middle. You would think they would properly balance the pictures, especially the ones on the EOS webpage. On the other hand, the whit'ish tone would fit in alot better on the Canon page then the real color, but that's somewhat misrepresenting it, even though it doesn't matter to me.

[lost]

I think white is the correct description. Aside from being male the reason I think this is that all other lenses are black. It is just to logical to consider the somewhat white lenses WHITE.

[lancea]

Apparently always a popular subject anyway. So I'm happy now and sure that if I buy a white car it won't ever be made by Canon. ;)

As for the suggestions, I'm sure condyk has the correct reason. The Japanese are prolific smokers, so that explains why truely white lenses are either unobtainable or extremely rare. As for your suggestion blue_max :shock: - I don't even want to think about it.

Thanks again for all the info - and so far as I can ascertain (dictionaries sometimes being confusing) the French words for "telephoto lens" and "camera" are masculine, but "photography" is femine. Go figure. :confused:

[DocFrankenstein]

Thanks again for all the info - and so far as I can ascertain (dictionaries sometimes being confusing) the French words for "telephoto lens" and "camera" are masculine, but "photography" is femine. Go figure. :confused:
It's not logical... it's an ethical interpretation.

IE in russian, the lens is masculine, camera is feminine and photography is neutral.

[Matt_P]

I prefer to think of my 70-200 F4L as being off-white. That's about as far as I go ;)

[JulianL]

You can make anything look white in post processing.

[PhotosGuy]

So they are able to differentiate between hues much better then males. A guy sees 10 shades of blue... they're all just "blue" to him. When a girl sees 10 shades of blue, it's 10 separate colors.
Trivia: They're engineered to find plants. Guys are engineered to see motion (prey). ;)

Persian-Rice: :D:D:D

[wibbly]

I see it now. Clip on repaceable covers. Then like mobile phones, you can have any colour/pattern you like...

J

[PhotosGuy]

Clip on repaceable covers. White ones will cost more! ;-)