canon 200mm f2 IS

Hi All

I have the 5D mark III and 85mm f1.2 for taking portraits. I am so happy with it but it has slow focus and almost impossible to use for moving objects! so i dediced to but another lens which has fast AF, good for portraits and has amazing bokeh! so i found 2 lenses;

200mm F2 IS and 135mm F2

135 is very fast, not so heavy, good price (about 1000$), very good optic quality

200 has faster AF and plus IS, very heavy (about 2.5 kg), amazing optic quality and very expensive (about 6000$)

so do you think it is worth to spend that much money to go on 200mm? or do you think there is not increadible differences at photos of these two lenses that cost 6 times more expensive from 135?

thanks a lot

sevki wrote in post #15495479
Hi All

I have the 5D mark III and 85mm f1.2 for taking portraits. I am so happy with it but it has slow focus and almost impossible to use for moving objects! so i dediced to but another lens which has fast AF, good for portraits and has amazing bokeh! so i found 2 lenses;

200mm F2 IS and 135mm F2

135 is very fast, not so heavy, good price (about 1000$), very good optic quality

200 has faster AF and plus IS, very heavy (about 2.5 kg), amazing optic quality and very expensive (about 6000$)

so do you think it is worth to spend that much money to go on 200mm? or do you think there is not increadible differences at photos of these two lenses that cost 6 times more expensive from 135?

thanks a lot

It was for me. With the killer IS I can get photographs I couldn't get with the 135 and its sharper and has less C/A but as you mentioned it is expensive compared to the 135. It was worth every dime to me. Will it be to you? Only you can answer that.

I am using 70-200 zoom lens 2.8 is.
I am very happy with it. Very fast and sharp lens.

The 200 2.0 is the most amazing lens ever, if you can afford it. Most wedding folks go with the 135, though. Look to the used market?

Before you spend 6 grand on a lens, rent it first. Rent the 135 as well, see if the 200 is worth the premium for you and what you shoot.

This question is upto the individual. In my case the "client" will NOT PAY me 6x more.

For my uses the 70-200 f/2.8is mk2 provides beautiful bokeh and gives me alot of flexibility. If I want more shallow dof I'll use my 85L.

If my wallet permits the 200L is great. I just find it and extremely niche lens that I can see the funds going elsewhere where I can gain more FL in lenses or other equipment.

As I said its upto every individual.

Faik wrote in post #15495550
I am using 70-200 zoom lens 2.8 is.
I am very happy with it. Very fast and sharp lens.

Faik I know 70-200 is very good but I never regret from prime lenses, and the F2.0 will produce better bokeh.

Christina.DazzleByDesi​gn wrote in post #15495758
Before you spend 6 grand on a lens, rent it first. Rent the 135 as well, see if the 200 is worth the premium for you and what you shoot.

Very good idea but I live in Turkey and we dont have 200mm 2.0 for rent here

AlanU wrote in post #15495999
This question is upto the individual. In my case the "client" will NOT PAY me 6x more.

For my uses the 70-200 f/2.8is mk2 provides beautiful bokeh and gives me alot of flexibility. If I want more shallow dof I'll use my 85L.

If my wallet permits the 200L is great. I just find it and extremely niche lens that I can see the funds going elsewhere where I can gain more FL in lenses or other equipment.

As I said its upto every individual.

great answer alanu,

I've been thinking about this,
for what I shoot I mainly use my 70-200/2.8 mk2 the most, I used to have the 85/1.2 but been considering getting it again or making the jump to the 200/2.0

still doing my research though but it's fun thinking about it

The 135 isn't even in the same league as the 200. My 12 year old 70-200 F2.8 is in the ballpark of the 135 just a FYI. The 200 is insane. I would probably look for a killer clean used 200 F1.8 they are going for $3500-$4000 now......

sevki wrote in post #15495479
Hi All

I have the 5D mark III and 85mm f1.2 for taking portraits. I am so happy with it but it has slow focus and almost impossible to use for moving objects! so i dediced to but another lens which has fast AF, good for portraits and has amazing bokeh! so i found 2 lenses;

200mm F2 IS and 135mm F2

135 is very fast, not so heavy, good price (about 1000$), very good optic quality

200 has faster AF and plus IS, very heavy (about 2.5 kg), amazing optic quality and very expensive (about 6000$)

so do you think it is worth to spend that much money to go on 200mm? or do you think there is not increadible differences at photos of these two lenses that cost 6 times more expensive from 135?

thanks a lot

Try 200mm f/2 vs 135mm f.2 + 1.4 extender

Which focal length will work better for you, 135 or 200? Having an awesome 200 f/2 that produces very shallow DoF is only good if it is a focal length you can use.

Also for portraits do you really shoot wide open or are you stopping down to f/2.8 or f/4?

It's only worth it if you can afford it. The pictures as one person said usually dont bring the return for portrait shooting. I have the lens and its as good as anything out there. I may now like the 300mm II better but it's less versatile.

The 135 is a great lens and wont be a bad choice.

I would absolutely advise you go ahead and get the 135mm f/2L first.
It's a superb lens, and for 1/6th the cost you get abouyt 95% of what the 200mm offers.

Don't get me wrong, the 200mm is simply unbelievable! It is one of a kind amazing.
But most people do find that the 135mm solves many of the same problems the 200mm will, for so much smaller an investment.

The 200mm on the other hand is the POSTER CHILD for "niche lens"
It's the holy grail, but just like the chalice of legend, what do you do with it when you achieve it? whereas the 135mm is so easy to use all the time, it just goes on the camera and stays on.

I agree it would be a good idea (great idea!) to rent the 200mm some time. But just get the 135mm. You will keep it.

I see a lot of you are recommending the 135L, how does the 70-200/2.8 mk2 compare to it? I've notice many say it's very similar in sharpness but the bokeh on the 135L is awesome, and the 135L is much lighter

trying to think of other reasons,

but yeah 200/2.0 is a dream lens for me