Which 70-200 is the best value for money

hollis_f wrote in post #15586167
It all depends on what you have as a priority...

Do you need f2.8?

Yes:

Do you need IS?

Yes: Get a 70-200 f2.8 IS II
No: Get a 70-200 f2.8

No:

Do you need IS?

Yes: Get a 70-200 f4 IS
No: Get a 70-200 f4

Haha , that is brilliant Frank !

Flowchart and (re)search , everything else is anecdotal :P

kin2son wrote in post #15586171
For wedding f4 won't cut it. f2.8 all the way.

I think it is ironic that the same recommendation was said back when the 30D was new. Now we sit here with what? 2 stops better ISO with the 7D? If that one stop is the difference between cutting it and not, why not suggest the 135/2? If ISO 6400 is too loud with an f4, then an ISO 3200 with the 2.8 isn't going to be perfect either. Why not just go with the f2 ISO 1600 shot for when you can't use flash or the ISO 100-400 shot at f4 with flash for when you can?

I don't shoot weddings, but I know that even a 2.8 wont cut it for me without flash in the indoor photography I do using the same 7D as the OP. If I am shooting without flash, I am grabbing a prime.

Getting a used 5D2 and a 70-200/4 (IS or non IS) is going to cut it more than a 70-200/2.8 II on a 7D and for about the same cost out of pocket to the OP. If that is out of the budget then he should look at the 85/1.8, 100/2 or 135/2 IMO.

Milutiche wrote in post #15586105
Hey, hypothetically speaking, if I was to buy a 70-200 for a bit of wedding photography which would you think would give me the best bang for my buck?

The only lens that ive used that is more sharp than the 70-200 IS2

was the mamiya 110mm F2.8 shooting with a 40 megapixel back.....

I have yet to see a faster focusing lens.

Milutiche wrote in post #15586105
Hey, hypothetically speaking, if I was to buy a 70-200 for a bit of wedding photography which would you think would give me the best bang for my buck?

well i think the 70-200L f4 IS is the best BFB but you need f2.8 for weddings. if i needed f2.8 i would definitely get the f2.8 II.

Milutiche wrote in post #15586105
Hey, hypothetically speaking, if I was to buy a 70-200 for a bit of wedding photography which would you think would give me the best bang for my buck?

For wedding?
My choice would be 70-200 2.8 IS L MKI. But I haven't seen enough pictures yet from new Tammy. I like Tamron glass for IQ, it is close enough to L.

From the testing I've done, the best value for money is the 70-200 non-IS, if you need IS it's the IS mkII, the gap in IQ with the lenses makes up for the price difference.

If you're shooting weddings for money, and you can make more than $700 doing it, then I'd say get the IS mkII.

Here's a link to the samples of my testing and my thoughts on each of the 2.8 lenses I've tested: http://drewcanavanphot​ography.zenfolio.com …-200mm-telephoto-shootout

The Canon mkII is the best of them. Next in line would be the Sigma f2.8 OS. It's $1000 less than the Canon mkII. IQ is on par with the Canon mkI without the weathersealing but with better stabilization and AF than the MKI. You can buy it new now for $1249. Used MKI comes in just barely behind that at a slightly lower price and then the Tamron. That's all assuming you want stabilization and f2.8. For weddings I highly recommend stabilization. Being at the back of a church shooting at 200mm at f2.8 in the dim lighting at slower shutter speeds required to keep from pushing your ISO too high will require a tripod a lot more frequently without IS.

Hello all, very comprehensive responses, thanks
I have a couple of weddings that i'm shooting next month and I am being paid but only at a fraction of the cost of most wedding photographers in the area (about 1/5th)
The clients know that i'm only starting out and they have chosen me through word of mouth.

Here are the prices in NZ for the lenses listed above

Canon 70-200 F4 L $900
Tamron 70-200 Di Macro $1100
Sigma 70-200 F2.8 II APO $1450
Canon 70-200 F4 L IS $1550
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L $1800
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L IS II $2950

As much as I would love the MK II IS I think I might be better off using that extra money to upgrade my 500d backup body to a second hand 5D2 and make my 7d my back up

IS isn't hugely important to me and I have had an IS failure with my 100-400 which scared me a bit
I wouldn't mind selling my 100-400 and my 10-22 and getting a 70-200f2.8 and a 2X and a 5d2 but somehow I think im going to be about $2k short

I'll do a bit or research into the options under $2000 and then maybe go for a little top-up from the wifes bank account

Cheers
Jason

Milutiche wrote in post #15591481
Hello all, very comprehensive responses, thanks
I have a couple of weddings that i'm shooting next month and I am being paid but only at a fraction of the cost of most wedding photographers in the area (about 1/5th)
The clients know that i'm only starting out and they have chosen me through word of mouth.

Here are the prices in NZ for the lenses listed above

Canon 70-200 F4 L $900
Tamron 70-200 Di Macro $1100
Sigma 70-200 F2.8 II APO $1450
Canon 70-200 F4 L IS $1550
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L $1800
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L IS II $2950

As much as I would love the MK II IS I think I might be better off using that extra money to upgrade my 500d backup body to a second hand 5D2 and make my 7d my back up

IS isn't hugely important to me and I have had an IS failure with my 100-400 which scared me a bit
I wouldn't mind selling my 100-400 and my 10-22 and getting a 70-200f2.8 and a 2X and a 5d2 but somehow I think im going to be about $2k short

I'll do a bit or research into the options under $2000 and then maybe go for a little top-up from the wifes bank account

Cheers
Jason

Hey Jason, not sure what sort of used market you have access to, but if you were able to find a seller on the sale boards here (or other forums) who was willing to ship internationally, the used prices of some of these lenses are considerably cheaper. For example, a used Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 OS can be had for $950 around here, the Canon f/2.8 non-is can be had for $900, and the f/2.8 IS mkII can be had for $1800. Add $100 for shipping and you're still significantly below your local market.

Look around, locally and on this forum the 70-200 F4L can be had for $500. The IS version for about $900. Those prices you posted are a little steep.

kin2son wrote in post #15586171
For wedding f4 won't cut it. f2.8 all the way.

Agreed with this as well. Your better off getting a 70-200mm 2.8L IS V.1 instead of the F4 IS version.

I have owned all three of Canon's 2.8Ls and for weddings clearly the ver. II would be the best. For sports I would be OK with the non IS version.

F/2.8 non is version

modchild wrote in post #15586127
I've had 3 Canon versions of the 70-200, the first was a f4 non IS, the second was a f2.8 IS MkI and lastly the f2.8 IS MkII. I've also tried a Sigma and Tamron versions, but the Sigma wasn't the new OS version, and IMO you get what you pay for. The Canon MkII has the best IQ of the lot but obviously it's the most expensive. The f4 non IS is a cracking lens though, great IQ, sharp wide open and fast AF, so it comes down to a hypothetical budget. For me at least, the best bang for buck was the Canon f2.8 IS MkII.

The Tamron was the slowest AF of the lot and the Sigma was decent, but the OS version is supposed to be about as good as the Canon f2.8 IS MkI. For the most important shots in the world, such as weddings, the only one for me is the MkII though.

the sigma wasn't the OS, and the tamron wasn't the new VC...both are supposed to be better than the mk I...

Milutiche wrote in post #15591481
Hello all, very comprehensive responses, thanks
I have a couple of weddings that i'm shooting next month and I am being paid but only at a fraction of the cost of most wedding photographers in the area (about 1/5th)
The clients know that i'm only starting out and they have chosen me through word of mouth.

Here are the prices in NZ for the lenses listed above

Canon 70-200 F4 L $900
Tamron 70-200 Di Macro $1100
Sigma 70-200 F2.8 II APO $1450
Canon 70-200 F4 L IS $1550
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L $1800
Canon 70-200 F2.8 L IS II $2950

As much as I would love the MK II IS I think I might be better off using that extra money to upgrade my 500d backup body to a second hand 5D2 and make my 7d my back up

IS isn't hugely important to me and I have had an IS failure with my 100-400 which scared me a bit
I wouldn't mind selling my 100-400 and my 10-22 and getting a 70-200f2.8 and a 2X and a 5d2 but somehow I think im going to be about $2k short

I'll do a bit or research into the options under $2000 and then maybe go for a little top-up from the wifes bank account

Cheers
Jason

if that tamron price is for the new 70-200f2.8 PZD VC...i don't see how it wouldn't be the best bang for the buck...also is the sigma the OS version?

I have to go with best VALUE: Sigma 70-200 f/2.8 OS HSM.

However, if you are being paid for these wedding shots, you really don't want best VALUE, you want best LENS. That would have to be the Canon EF 70-200 f/2.8L IS USM II.