Need Recommendation for HIGH SPEED ZOOM LENS - $2K RANGE

I want to purchase another Canon lens to add to my lens arsenal. I do alot of outdoor action photography with dogs and also wildlife. I am obsessed with SHARPNESS / HIGH SPEED ACTION.

I am looking at the 7-200m f 2.8 IS lens.

Would this be the best choice in the $2k budget range?

EF 70-200 1:2.8L IS USM. It's a little over $2000.

JeffreyG wrote in post #13300112
EF 70-200 1:2.8L IS USM. It's a little over $2000.

+1 no need to look any further

Yes, that is the one I was looking at. It is $2,300.

As good as it gets, imo, if 200mm is long enough for you.

I really want something I can hold, so I hate to go much longer. Do you think I can hold that in low light and still get crispness?
An example would be an indoor dog show - most of the times it is parabolic lighting which is horrible for indoor photography. Plus I can't use a flash at most shows as they are not allowed.

This is the exact description of what I am looking at:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM AutoFocus Telephoto Zoom Lens

This is what I have now for my telephoto lens:
Canon 70-300mm 4.5-5.6 DO IS USM
I am really not that happy with this lens. I just get alot of slightly out of focus shots even in bright daylight, plus the autofocus is kind of slow ie - trying to capture a bird flying by). I will sell it when I buy my new lens.

Jewel wrote in post #13300168
This is the exact description of what I am looking at:
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM AutoFocus Telephoto Zoom Lens

That's the one.

It has excellent image stabilization. I would be more worried about subject blur due to slow shutter speed then camera shake with this lens. It's also a very sharp lens with good color and contrast.

Is there one with higher shutter speed that would work better for my purposes?

the MkII is the one you want. Shutter speed is not an attribute of the lens but of the camera and amount of light available.

f/2.8 is the most you're going to get out of a lens as far as ability to let in light, so you're at the top end of telephoto zooms with the 70-200 f/2.8 MkII. If you want longer reach there are things like the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8; but I'd stick with the Canon MkII.


Of course, technique is going to get you a lot farther than a new, $2000 lens. If you're shooting in broad daylight and getting blurry images the very last thing that's holding you back is your hardware. What sort of settings you are using, how you're supporting the camera, how you're standing, etc all have way more of an effect than a new lens.

I don't love this picture bu any means but I love that it was handheld at 1/10 sec.

IMAGE LINK: http://www.flickr.com …/robertpflynn/6​236109104/

Jewel wrote in post #13300368
Is there one with higher shutter speed that would work better for my purposes?

The lens doesn't really have a shutter speed per se.

But a faster lens (one with a larger maximum aperture) will allow you to select a faster shutter speed for any given conditions and ISO level.

The problem is, there are no zoom lenses in this range faster than the f/2.8 of the 70-200 1:2.8L IS USM II.

There is the EF 135 1:2L USM, but this is a lot shorter than the 200mm end of the 70-200. It does indeed have one stop faster aperture.

There is also the EF 200 1:2L IS USM, but be aware that this lens retails for about $6000 and is kind of large and heavy even compared to the 70-200 1:2.8L IS USM II.

Pretty sure f/2.8 s as fast as it gets on a zoom. Otherwise you gotta go prime.

Sigma 70-200 2.8 and a 135 f2 would also be an option.