Renting a lens sure is a cost saver but...

when you have spend time MFAing the darn thing, I just dont think its worth it!

Ugh...I rented a 70-200 Canon f2.8 ii 2 weeks ago and the lens performed without any need of MFA. However, I had another shoot and got another 70-200 and had to really dial that thing in...W+5, T+9.

I told myself, just keep looking for a good "For sale" on that lens and buy that...no more renting!

It takes just a few minutes to do the adjustments, but yes if you keep renting the same lens only to buy it later, you are losing money.

kezug wrote in post #18493792
when you have spend time MFAing the darn thing, I just dont think its worth it!

Ugh...I rented a 70-200 Canon f2.8 ii 2 weeks ago and the lens performed without any need of MFA. However, I had another shoot and got another 70-200 and had to really dial that thing in...W+5, T+9.

I told myself, just keep looking for a good "For sale" on that lens and buy that...no more renting!

I've never tried renting. Buying used/refurbished is way less expensive. The only glass I've ever taken a beating on is: NEW, EF-s. Since I lost my butt on a brand new 18-135 IS ($599 new, gave it away), the only new lens I've purchased is a 100-400Lc. But I knew I'd be keeping that for a while. I can buy most gear, use it for 3 to 12 months, and get close to my money back. Sometimes I even make a buck or two. Renting is for people who can write it off as a business expense.

I know exactly what you are all saying. I thought as I now have progressed into being paid for portrait work (senior photo's and some family photo's) that I would try out the famous 70-200 Canon f2.8 II USM ens. This lens is every bit of everything you have seen, read or heard about it, if you have never shot, touch or seen one up close.

I am not going to rehash all the information out there about it...but damn, its nice...sharp, beautiful bokeh, and its heavy but it is also cool locking that beast onto my 70D!

Anyway, yes, I figured...I will rent it if getting paid...but I would only rent it twice...then I either find one to buy or never touch that lens again.

I will be hunting around to buy one now its that good.

I did have trouble doing the MFA...I followed Canon's instructions and not the DOT Tune method. It was time consuming for me to get the proper setup but I had horrible lighting in the house...so I have to retest again out doors...its just that I have only done MFA once before and just have to reaclimate myself with the method.

Before buying, I would say, if you're shooting APS-C, rent the Sigma 50-100 F1.8 ART first and taste that.

Very best,

Once in a while rental is fine but it can get expensive. For me buying/reselling is much cheaper but this is for the case where I want to use a lens for longer time. Also with mirroless all these MFA things are mute. Yes focus can be slow on some cameras but with recent Sony and eye detect, not sure why I would need dSLR for lot of cases. And I am saying this as someone who still has 5dmk3.

I won't rent lens that I have to use often. If you are on a budget, there is the Tamron 70-200 g2, which is really nice and newer than the Canon mark II version. I used to own the Canon mark II version when I was shooting Canon more than 6 years ago??? Of course, you can buy used too...

Use DOT tune. 10 minutes from setup to completion, even with a zoom. Do the rest of your lenses at the same time.

The 70-200L f2.8 is a wonderful lens. You shouldn't feel bad about owning your vey own copy.
You might also consider the 135L instead.

It takes just a few minutes and you don't need DOT tune. Just put something outside on the sidewalk or low cut yard that is bright like a toy, go back to just have th toy take up 1/2 the metering circle on the center AF point, open the lens up, get your shutter speed up to 1/640th or faster, as low as the ISO can go in these conditions and do a couple of test shots. If front focusing, use positive numbers, if back focusing use negative. Go 5 at a time then back off a couple. It shouldn't take more than 4-5 shots to lock in a setting.

Yeah..you don't need fancy software or products to fine tune the AF. I just test the lens in the semi real world situation and real life objects. Pick 3 or 4 shooting distances..MFD, 6ft or 10ft, 30ft, and infinity. Any shooting distance beyond 10ft, I have to pick objects outside of my home (cars, license plate numbers, or a house). Wide open. Testing them under all the focal lengths marked by the lens barrel. First, focusing them in LiveView. Then, focusing them in the viewfinder. The lens focusing distance scale on both methods should match. If not, the lens is either front or back focusing focusing through the viewfinder. Apply AF adjustment as needed to get them both matched. This will get you the correct AF values in the ballpark number within +-1.... You have to begin to pixel peep to see how the real difference with an extra or minus 1 setting.

Ideally, your ballpark AF value would work under all the focal lengths and shooting distances...assuming the lens is working and focusing correctly. It does happen that the ballpark value may not work with a shorter shooting distance or either the shortest or longest end of the lens.....

Bassat wrote in post #18493797
Since I lost my butt on a brand new 18-135 IS ($599 new, gave it away), the only new lens I've purchased is a 100-400Lc.

Same lens that you reviewed early in October? I thought you were quite pleased with it!

If he was happy with it then I'm sure it was the 18-135mm IS USM or at least the 18-135mm IS STM - the standard 18-135mm IS is a well-known dud.

-Joe

John from PA wrote in post #18494199
Same lens that you reviewed early in October? I thought you were quite pleased with it!

Nope, not the same lens. I recently acquired an 18-135 USM, and am extremely pleased with it.

The comment above is about buying the ORIGINAL 18-135 for retail when it first came out. THAT lens is/was a pig. I believe I paid $599 for it. I gave it to a friend. Well, traded for an 18-55II she had.

EDIT:
I never owned the 18-135 STM.

TeamSpeed...thanks...I have been mostly going with this method. A couple of quick questions...
1) when you say "1/2 the metering circle on the center AF point", does it matter which half it is? On my 70D, its a little focus square...and at 200 m out at about 30 feet...the center AF point would cover most of the target.
2) is it OK if the center AF point is fully on the target?
3) When you this focus method, do you just use the screen to verify (zooming into the picture) or do you load it up on computer screen and view/verify
4) on a lens like 70 200...are you doing this at the recommended 50x focus lenght? (ie...about 11ft at 70mm and about 32ft at 200mm)
5) Do you try to keep the camera parallel to the ground or do you just shoot as normal but angled down at the subject?


Thanks...this method is very similar to Canon's recommended method, but I find Canon's directions a little bit misleading and causes for a couple of questions.

TeamSpeed wrote in post #18494034
It takes just a few minutes and you don't need DOT tune. Just put something outside on the sidewalk or low cut yard that is bright like a toy, go back to just have th toy take up 1/2 the metering circle on the center AF point, open the lens up, get your shutter speed up to 1/640th or faster, as low as the ISO can go in these conditions and do a couple of test shots. If front focusing, use positive numbers, if back focusing use negative. Go 5 at a time then back off a couple. It shouldn't take more than 4-5 shots to lock in a setting.

It is easy to say this. And I have watched quite a bit youtube videos but in real life it was hard. Different distance to subject also comes into play. Canon as far as I know doesn't support multiple distances. Reason I still prefer to use my 85L at f2 not f1.2. With mirrorless you hit the nail every time. Canon is missing eye detect big time IMHO.