canon 24-70mm f/4.0L IS USM v canon 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM

I am stuck with getting either lenses to replace my ageing "brick" i.e. 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

My Canon 70-200mm is helping me produce tack sharp images while the brick is sometimes I think is missing focus at important time

What lens would you suggest that I should replace my 24-70mm?

In the pit or up close to stage I am almost always with a 24-70mm II. I can't imagine a better pair of lenses for concert photography than this and the 70-200mmL f/2.8 II.

I LOVE my 24-70 f/2.8 and that's the I. If it EVER gave up the ghost, I'd be at B&H with credit card in hand for the II before my computer went to sleep! I would think the extra stop of light would be a gimme for your work, too.

To be honest, I just think it's just the focusing problems associated with the Mark I, one washer comes loose and the focusing, while not completely gone, still has its problems

Oh well, guess I've got to start saving for the new mark 2 lens then

RichSoansPhotos wrote in post #17817209
I am stuck with getting either lenses to replace my ageing "brick" i.e. 24-70mm f/2.8L USM

My Canon 70-200mm is helping me produce tack sharp images while the brick is sometimes I think is missing focus at important time

What lens would you suggest that I should replace my 24-70mm?

Heya,

While the 24-70 F4L IS is a nice lens, for applications where handheld, low light still shooting, or for tripod use stopped down for depth of field (landscape) or even video work, this makes a lot of sense.

At concerts, performing arts, etc, anything involving people moving, I'd rather have F2.8.

In this case, I'd do the 24-70 F2.8L of any flavor. The MKII is of course a beast of a lens, prime-like in many ways. So good.

But if budget is a concern, you can compare to the Tamron 24-70 F2.8 VC. It's nearly as good and has stabilization!

Very best,

I have been considering the same 2 lenses as well, for theater shooting. I currently use mostly my Canon 50mm 1.4 or the 35mm f2 IS, and sometimes the 85 1.8, but it sure would be nice to have a zoom that was fast enough to use in poor lighting. I shoot with a 6D and since it is so good in low light, was thinking that I might be able to get away using the 24-70mm f/4L IS and saving some $ over the 2.8L II. Does anyone have experience with either of these lenses with the 6D in low light?

That's the kind of work I do. I have the 2.8L II on the 5D MkIII and it is my workhorse.

Thanks for the link to your website Al. You've done a great job with it and I really enjoyed looking through the shots and reading the summary of each shoot, specifically any challenges you had. If I were fortunate enough to make a living with my camera, that is exactly how I would like to do it. Just curious, approximately how many shots do you take per show? Do you ever get access to preview the show before you take pictures, or do you just show up blind and take them? I'm assuming you have access during dress rehearsals. My work is all community theater, but they give me full access in the house during dress rehearsals, and I usually get 2 nights to shoot. I'm sure in NYC you are a lot more restricted. I can see by many of your comments, regardless of where the theater is, lighting is usually the biggest problem.

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed my work.

The number of shots I take depends on the complexity and visual interest of the show -- if it's people sitting at a table talking for two hours, I'll take fewer shots than a movement based piece, for instance. That said, I'd say I average 1,000 shots per show. I rarely get a preview and I only shoot one show. I will ask my contact, the director and/or the stage manager if there are any very specific moments that I should know about. If there's a big moment that I miss, I'll ask if we can re-stage that moment after the run-through (that's happened twice in all the shows I've shot). I prefer to shoot dress rehearsals when I can have the run of the house, but I do have a few recurring projects that have no real dress rehearsals (10 min. play festivals), where I'm shooting the actual performances -- so yeah, pretty restricted for those!

Very interesting. So, to try to stay on the thread topic, when you use your 24-70 in challenging light (which is probably most of the time) how often are you shooting wide open? Or I suppose, do you shoot more at f4 and increase your iso so as to give yourself more depth of focus?

I'd say I'm at 2.8 more often than not. Honestly, the DoF isn't that shallow, at the distances I'm shooting and f/4 doesn't gain me that much more. I'd much rather keep the ISO down (for noise) and manage my composition for the DoF.