How often will an "L" lens need calibration when purchased new?

I'm thinking of making a move on the 70-200 IS II L lens soon, since I find 85L a bit too slow for dance floor / action shots during the events I shoot..

If I purchase this lens brand new from a shop nearby then it will probably end up costing me $500+ more than what it would if I get it imported from Hong Kong (I am located in Australia).

Is 70-200 usually pretty reliable in terms of calibration? or have a lot of people gotten faulty copies and needed calibration?

I've owned 1 copy, it took a -15 correction to get it sharp with my 1Ds III, but now it's sharp. I haven't tried it with my 7D.

My 70-200 II required like +6 wide end and +8 tele on my 5D3... The other week I sent my body and 70-200 to Canon to get calibrated under warranty. Now requires 0 at 200mm and +3 on wide end. I am happy with what they did. They said it had something to do with the body and electrical adjustments were made or something to the AF assembly.

9 Lenses
3 Bodies Capable of MFA

Number of Pairs Adjusted: 0

I'l be using it with 5D3.. but i'm not sure how the near / far end calibration works?.. So far i've only owned primes and they are easy to calibrate with the MA built into 5D3.. how does this work with zoom lenses?.. how do you calibrate 70mm and 200mm seperately?

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #15059755
9 Lenses
3 Bodies Capable of MFA

Number of Pairs Adjusted: 0

Same here...
Just plug and play.
Never calibrated any lens on any body.

Several bodies, lots of lenses and I've never calibrated a single one of them and they all are spot on.

5W0L3 wrote in post #15059706
I'm thinking of making a move on the 70-200 IS II L lens soon, since I find 85L a bit too slow for dance floor / action shots during the events I shoot..

I have not needed to calibrate my 70-200mm f/4L IS or my 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lenses for my 7D which is the only camera I own capable of calibration.

The 85L is a specialty lens. It has beautiful bokeh but the autofocus is certainly not speedy. The 85mm f1.8 will often beat the pants of the 85L for moving subjects despite the approximately 2/3 stop slower aperture.

The 70-200mm f/2.8L IS ii is a superb lens. I have used it but once and decided not to replace my f/4L IS model because, although the extra stop would be nice, the f/2.8L IS ii version is far heavier. In fact, I carry my 70-200mm f/4L IS lens plus an extra 1.6x camera at about the same weight as the f/2.8L IS ii lens alone. I am glad that the f/4L IS lens is significantly less expensive than the f/2.8L IS ii model. If it were the other way around, I would have a really hard decision to make.

Of course, when you need the extra stop of the f/2.8 lens, you really need it! However, the image quality and bokeh of the f/4L IS is also beautiful. OTOH, the addition of bounced flash and or a higher ISO can sometimes bridge the gap between f/2.8 and f/4. Remember also, that when you shoot at f/2.8 using a long focal length; the DOF can be razor thin. But the DOF at f/2.8 is wider than either f/1.8 or f/1.2 at the same focal length.

I haven't done either cause I don't know how to calibrate
What's the easiest method with a 5DMKII ?

My 70-200L 2.8IS II hasn't required calibration except on the long end of -2 on my 7D and +1 on the 5DII.

Others in a local club which I belong haven't been as lucky. I think it is a copy to copy issue.

L or Non L - I've never had too.

70-200LII needed +10 (longer end) on my 5DII. That was a rental lens btw.

Why would an "L" lens need calibration any more or less than any other lens?

nightcat wrote in post #15061386
Why would an "L" lens need calibration any more or less than any other lens?

Its a small sample size. We don't know how many L lenses needed calibration too, more or less,

My current 35L is at +3 and same applies for my 50L. Sending all the Canon gear to CPS Friday to get calibrated directly to my 5D3 body.