Canon 200mm f/2 - Do or Do NOT???

Do you have a lens that you would like to have on your bucket list? If yes, what is it?

The Canon 200 f/2 is on my list. I mentioned to my Wife recently but she wasn't must help by telling to just pick it up. Financially, it isn't an issue but I'm debating if it is worth it to own it due to the price and the weight. I only plan to shoot weddings for another 4-5 years and thought I should just pick it up now and enjoy it while I am still wedding actions.

Please let me know your thought! TIA!!!

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I have owned my 200/f2 for around 4 years now. I am not a wedding photographer however, I have found so many uses for it. It is a truly wonderful lens. The weight for me is not an issue, my passion is bird photography so I am use to carrying around a 500/f4 so when I use the 200f/2 it feels small and light. I cannot ephasize enough how practical it is, It works fantastic with a 1.4TC (III) giving you a 280mm f/2.8, The IQ you get from it is incredible, I preferred it to my 400mm f/4 do (v1) and sold it when I used a 2x TC (III) with the 200.

There are plenty of wedding photographers that use this lens as part of their arsenal.....The subject in your photo's will just "Pop". I suggest if you can afford it go for it.

Reluctantly mine is now for sale only because I need the funds to help finance a 600f/4 (II) but I plan to own one again or a perfect 200 f/1.8 at a time when I can afford to buy one back.

http://photography-on-the.net …/showthread.php​?t=1479653

Thank you for sharing your experience PCousins!!!

I love mine, I mainly use it for portraits and some birding here and there, as said it works well with the 1.4x iii and 2.0x iii teles, the only thing I don't like so much is the MFD can make use limited, in my experence tubes just limit the lens more and some fail to lock focus (Canon 12mm works fine, 25mm does not). This lens is everything you read and more, I wanted this lens for years and had to have one once in a lifetime, I have no regrets and does not bother me if I use it often or not, but when I do it always has that 200/2 magic.

If you do a lot of engagement shoots then yes - if not, I think it would be too difficult to work it into a wedding day unless you always work with an assistant and 2nd shooter - the other issue is carrying around another piece of expensive kit that is going to be off the camera most of the time.

It is a highly specialized lens - so I would recommend purchasing a used copy as they are often very lightly used.

I can also personally report that the lens works on a Sony A7Rii and no doubt the upcoming A9 - so from a silent shooting wedding perspective that is a nice feature.

In my opinion, this isn't a wedding day lens as it is too restrictive - but the images it can produce, as everyone knows, are simply incredible.

I don't want to sound like a Sony Fanboy, I own a Canon 1Dxii and a few other Canon cameras, and also shoot weddings, but from a wedding perspective, I think the Sony A9 is potentially a real game changer (silent shooting, good battery life, etc) that I think you might just see, over the next 2 years, a lot of Canon gear go for sale.

arthurbikemad wrote in post #18340715
I love mine, I mainly use it for portraits and some birding here and there, as said it works well with the 1.4x iii and 2.0x iii teles, the only thing I don't like so much is the MFD can make use limited, in my experence tubes just limit the lens more and some fail to lock focus (Canon 12mm works fine, 25mm does not). This lens is everything you read and more, I wanted this lens for years and had to have one once in a lifetime, I have no regrets and does not bother me if I use it often or not, but when I do it always has that 200/2 magic.

Adding 2.0x teles for some birding is definitely a big plus. The MFD from the 70-200 is about the same so I am already used to with it. I am in that spot of wanting it once in a lifetime as well.

wallstreetoneil wrote in post #18340728
If you do a lot of engagement shoots then yes - if not, I think it would be too difficult to work it into a wedding day unless you always work with an assistant and 2nd shooter - the other issue is carrying around another piece of expensive kit that is going to be off the camera most of the time.

It is a highly specialized lens - so I would recommend purchasing a used copy as they are often very lightly used.

I can also personally report that the lens works on a Sony A7Rii and no doubt the upcoming A9 - so from a silent shooting wedding perspective that is a nice feature.

In my opinion, this isn't a wedding day lens as it is too restrictive - but the images it can produce, as everyone knows, are simply incredible.

I don't want to sound like a Sony Fanboy, I own a Canon 1Dxii and a few other Canon cameras, and also shoot weddings, but from a wedding perspective, I think the Sony A9 is potentially a real game changer (silent shooting, good battery life, etc) that I think you might just see, over the next 2 years, a lot of Canon gear go for sale.

I think those would be the price that I have to pay to get the magic from this lens.

I'm going to stick with the American Muscle Car aka Canon big boy DSLR for a long while. I invested a little in the lens collections and do not want to switch anytime soon. Most importantly, I know my camera like the back of my hands and not ready to learn about new gears.

After more digging, researching, reading, asking and play with what I have in my bag, I decided not to buy the 200mm f/2. Though the Canon 135mm could be a great lens to be added instead. The thought of lugging this lens around and babysitting it on the wedding day made me changed my mind as 50% of my weddings I go solo. Thanks Guys!

Talley wrote in post #18341931
Probably a good choice. I own the lens and could only imagine using it for engagements in a controlled environment.

If I was wedding sorry but I would be the zoom trinity and a 35/85 combo.

Thanks Talley! I'll try to borrow it from CPS once of these days though

Love your tips as I already got these in my bag:
Sigma 35mm Art
Sigma 85mm
Canon 100mm L IS Macro
Tokina 16-28mm "L"
Canon 24-70mm L Mk II
Canon 70-200mm L IS Mk II

Probably a good choice. I own it and could only imagine using it for engagements. For weddings I personally would stick to the holy zoom trinity and maybe a 35/85 combo

I wanted this lens but so far I haven't picked it as this is the only lens in the canon lineup which hasn't had update like the 300/400mm f2.8 or the 500/600mm f4.

bobbyz wrote in post #18342564
I wanted this lens but so far I haven't picked it as this is the only lens in the canon lineup which hasn't had update like the 300/400mm f2.8 or the 500/600mm f4.

What is lacking? Already got the better IS before all the mk2 lenses were released. All that is missing is the mode 3 IS. Some say the corner sharpness could improve but my examination leads to excellent performer and is my staple for a benchmark standard.

The 300/400 IIs finally match it in IQ only very slightly better it's extreme corners but real world performance is hard to distinguish differences.

I could see an upgrade but I doubt it'll happen soon. Canon knows this is a specialty lens less common than the 300/400 and I honestly don't suspect an upgrade for another 3-5 years. It's one of the few lenses that has increased in msrp over its lifetime.

^^^ What is lacking? Without an update to the MK2 the MK1 price in the used market is TOO stable

Tigerkn wrote in post #18343119
^^^ What is lacking? Without an update to the MK2 the MK1 price in the used market is TOO stable

my research has shown the used prices of the 300, 400, 500 and 600 mk1 lenses stabilized for about 4 years after the releases of the mk2's. EACH of those lenses released in the very expensive vs the mk1 price so this had the affect. Currently you can pickup the 200/2 new for 5100 and I would suspect a new version would release around 8499ish or there abouts which would nail the used prices on the mk1 on the coffin for about 3-4 years without any changes. As it is now you can find em 3800-4000 if lucky and 4200-4400 pretty stable.

I'd say the used prices are going to maintain for the next 4 years at the min if not longer if they don't release a mk2 anytime soon.

The 200 2L is one of Canons finest. It was the only Canon lens that held it's value when I sold it when I went all Leica M. I had it for 8 years and I got almost what I paid for it.

If you can afford it pick it up you will probably not regret it.