Is my 70-200 IS2 sharp? Please help

Hi guys,

I recently purchased a 70-200 IS2 which is reputedly very sharp across the frame from centre to corners at all apertures. I'm not too happy with the performance of mine on the left of the frame - is it just me or is this not right? All images are shot at 200mm , f2.8, on a 5dmk2 under even overcast lighting. No sharpening etc just 100% crops. Focus is on the big A. I was definitely in the same place etc so losing focus is definitely not a problem.

Middle:

why don't you put it in real life use, not a picture of a box and then decide if it's not sharp or not.

Real life use for me might consist of taking a picture of a box. I'm asking other users of the lens whether their's is sharp across the frame at f/2.8 because mine looks like it isn't.

To be honest doing press work, I edit my images so quickly i'd hardly ever notice if something wasn't perfect or not. That's why it's easier for me to test like this.

well, yes mine is sharp all across but alot of vignetting on the edge.

So those above results are out of character.

hard to tell...shoot something that is black and white, a newspaper or something, instead of this off-colour box that looks faded? Or do the battery test, that is most accurate..

adam* wrote in post #12394390
Real life use for me might consist of taking a picture of a box. I'm asking other users of the lens whether their's is sharp across the frame at f/2.8 because mine looks like it isn't.

To be honest doing press work, I edit my images so quickly i'd hardly ever notice if something wasn't perfect or not. That's why it's easier for me to test like this.

WOW! you're a famous box photographer!

....if you really INSIST on testing it, Why not get a test chart and do so as opposed to the box, Kind of hard to tell...

The problem I can see arising with this type of test Adam is, if your box is not fully square on and fully plumb from top to bottom, your edges will not be sharp if you focus on the centre of the box.... as they'll on a slightly different focal plane.

To me it looks like the box is sitting on an angle... with our left and the boxes right side further away from its left side in relation to the camera.

I could be completely wrong of course.

The problem with battery test is it tests for front / back focusing? My problem is the left side of the lens is softer than the centre / right.

Here's a focus chart test I did:

Do tests using a black & white test chart, 5D2 on tripod, IS desactivated.

Titi

And Kenji.. it may be a 500 year old historical document? A politicians box? etc etc.. not a washing up box

Titi: that was the result above.

titi_67207 wrote in post #12394478
Do tests using a black & white test chart, 5D2 on tripod, IS desactivated.

Titi

And try to have it flat and parallel to the sensor plane, not tilted at weird angles. Here's a good chart - LINKY.

adam* wrote in post #12394482
And Kenji.. it may be a 500 year old historical document? A politicians box? etc etc.. not a washing up box

Titi: that was the result above.

Why would you be shooting it wide open then would be my response

Not trying to tick you off, just get a laugh lol

Your focus test seems like its tilted some FWIW

I might quite regularly shoot subjects left-of-centre at f/2.8 on a variety of assignments, it's hardly completely out, but it's also hardly 'pin sharp' like all the reviews say it should be.

^- then just send it back and try a different copy...