Arrrrhhhh past & present 70-200 2.8 IS users help needed

[Sems]

Dear fellow POTN’ers is your 70-200 2.8 IS L USM sharp and does it focus correctly at both ends of the focal length??

Hi people I am asking this question in regards to the shear hell I am having with canon servicing in the UK, 5 months and 6 repairs later (far to lengthy to post the catalogue of errors and lies) I thought we had made progress as they finally brought someone in who found the fault and were repairing it.

After breaking out in a cold sweat in anticipation of finally getting my hands on my very own working lens, we received a phone call as the lens was going through it’s final testing to be told by the technical manager a few things about zoom lens……. We are well aware that zooms are not a sharp as primes in most cases but what we were told blew our minds, according to the guy that no zoom lens work correctly through out the focal range and that if it is perfect at one end, that it probably wont be as good at the other, and the fact I’m using a 30D instead of a 1D could explain the reasons for some of the back focusing.

Part of the fault it was sent in for was sharpness and severe back focusing issues at 70mm, so now it seems I am expecting too much to have a lens that does not back focus or have good sharpness through out the whole focal range and have to sacrifice focusing or sharpness at one end.

Has any one else had these issues of softness and focus problems at either end or is my friends 70-200 a miracle that works @70 all the way through to 200 without a problem?

[sugarzebra]

Sorry to hear of your problems (and the protracted amount of time you've been without the lens). I think you should expect good sharpness and accurate focus across the full range of the zoom. Mine is very good and I think most people's impression of this particular lens is very good. I would start pressing for a replacement lens.

[davidm_86]

I'm no expert yet, though with mine it seems to focus very well from 70-200 inclusive.

I'd agree with sugarzebra, push for a replacement.

[Sems]

thanks guy's.

the lens is due back again tomorrow so will give it a good going over, and if its not right will go for a replacement.

Seems its a popular lens here, when I borrow a working copy I can see why people rave about it, so can't see the basis for the guys comment about it been soft or have focusing problems at one end of the scale.

[robertdrake]

It appears the Canon service is about as good in Europe as it is in Canada.

[-MasterChief-]

in the beginning, i too thought that i had a backfocussing problem on my 70-200 L IS @ 70mm. but i did a few tests and was very mindful of my focus points and the focus got better as i continued to use it. i dont know if there's a learning curve with this lens but i definitely needed some time to get used to it and how the IS worked. good luck!

[Sems]

I agree theres possibly a learning curve with the lens, just getting used to holding the weight of it all day takes some getting used to, but canon have confirmed the lens was actually faulty, ( allthough not very forthcoming with details after the fault was found on it's 6th repair/ calibration ). I was worried it was user error until I popped on a friends lens and got far better results.

[S.Horton]

Originally Posted by roeddel

in the beginning, i too thought that i had a backfocussing problem on my 70-200 L IS @ 70mm. but i did a few tests and was very mindful of my focus points and the focus got better as i continued to use it. i dont know if there's a learning curve with this lens but i definitely needed some time to get used to it and how the IS worked. good luck!

Agreed. Check before you go to the trouble of returning etc.

On my 30D:
- Set for center-point AF only
- Sports AI Servo, all other AI Focus

When I set up multi-point AF, at f/2.8 I'd miss focus all the time, front and back.

That lens is sharp wide-open across the entire range.

If you have doubts, set center-point AF, line up 4 batteries at an oblique angle in good light, then shoot one of the middle batteries using a tripod, no IS --- You'd see a focus problem if it is present. If that works, practice a bit handheld, IS on, and you may find that what looks like OOF is shake 'softened' by the IS action.

[Sems]

I agree to test it before you sending it back, but what do you do when canon say something is aceptable when it's clearly not?

will add a couple of photos, don't have the battery photo's on this computer but have these 2, one is from a friends lens and the other is one returned from canon "calibrated to canon spec" I think for the 3rd time out of 6. Guess which is which?

stright out of camera, no cropping,editing at all.

[S.Horton]

Dunno -- If the lens didn't pass as outstanding to you, and it should, by all means get it replaced ASAP!

[Tapeman]

I think that most posters are happy with this lens, I know I am. It is not perfect but the best available as far as I know.

[wannabegood]

Ouch, that looks very familiar! I just got my copy yesterday, have taken some 70 pictures in various settings/ focal length, aperture,ss,iso, varying light and guess what? I've gotten razor sharp pictures and I've gotten fuzzy pics. I've seen that a pic was fuzzy, reshot, same, refocused, focused again, reshot, fuzzy. Am I doing something wrong? It would seem that most shots at f/2.8 are not good, even some at f/4. This lens is supposed to be legendary and it cost like it truly is a legend! I got it from B&H Photo, anyone have any experience with them in a situation like this?
I really appreciate any help.
Thanks

[Lani Kai]

I got mine from B&H a few days ago but it seems to be hit and miss, especially at 70mm. I'm taking it to Canon in Irvine, probably tomorrow or Monday...

[wannabegood]

After some 200 pictures, seriously testing the extremes in focal length and aperture, my sample is definately struggling at f/2.8. This is the range that I need it to work in! So a quick phone call to B&H, Gabriel in customer support was very nice, asked pointed questions, easily agreed that it sounded as though the lens is defective, and worked with me on the time frame I'm in (I'm leaving Texas in 12 days for a wedding in Virginia!) He put in a new order and of course is having to charge me again for a new lens supposed to ship today, sent an Prepaid UPS shipping label for me to return the defective lens and waived shipping charges on the new one!
Was this all too easy? I'm praying the new lens is representative of all the praise, cause it's sure been trouble to acquire!
I wonder if the fact I sent in the UPC from the box for the rebate will matter to anyone? Hmmm, I think there's a lesson to be learned here, don't rush things and don't procrastinate til the last minute to meet deadlines!
Luck to everyone out there in similar positions....

[miggity.mac]

I bought one used with a date code of UT-something and it's sharp as a knife at both ends (and all the lengths in between that i've tried), wide open. could this be an issue with the newer lenses? i've only taken a hand-full of shots so far but once my schedule settles down i'll be able to fire it up and truly test it out. however, from what i've seen so far i've got a sharp copy.

could the person who suggested the battery test (or anyone else) clarify a bit as to how that test is performed? i could further contribute to this thread's efforts by posting my test results.