Is this a keeper? (measurebating apology in advance)

Sorry to do this, but I think I need a second opinion. I just got my 70-200 f/2.8 IS and I feel like its a bit soft (especially at 200mm), but I was hoping to get a second opinion before sending it back. I'm not a pixel peeper, but I just want to know that I'm getting my moneys worth here.

So below are 3 100% crops, all taken at f/2.8, 1/640, ISO 640, tripod, MLU, IS off, etc. So if you just spent $1600 on this lens, would you keep it?

@200

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It'd be a ton easier to judge sharpness, color, etc with a real world shot. Looks like a keeper though.

cdhender wrote in post #3208513
It'd be a ton easier to judge sharpness, color, etc with a real world shot. Looks like a keeper though.

Agreed.

It might be a tad soft, but no more than expected wide open. I bet if you print that image 8x10 it'll look pin sharp, or at least as sharp as your printer is capable of.

I just got the lens yesterday, so I haven't had much of a chance to use it yet. However, last night when I got home I was taking a few casual pictures with it and I was a little disappointed with the results I got so I decided to do this test this morning. I realize that using a 200mm lens at f/2.8 probably takes a bit of practice to get the focus 100% so I don't want to rush to judgement (hence, this post).

Here's one of the pictures I took last night, with really minimal post processing (pretty much just what Aperture does by default), resized for web.

EXIF
Date/Time: 14-May-2007 18:53:48
MakeCanon Model: Canon EOS 5D
Flash Used: No
Focal Length: 200 mm
Exposure Time: 1/1000 sec
Aperture: f/2.8
ISO Equivalent: 200

HTTP response: 404 | MIME changed to 'text/html' | Byte size: ZERO

That last shot looks great to me! I got mine yesterday too! Congrats. It is difficult, I found, when you first get this to achieve sharp images at the long end with the aperture wide open. I spent some time on the first day hand holding it and testing it out. Some where great and some where a bit soft. Even with IS, if there is enough of a shake or not focusing correctly, it will soften the image. I've set mine to the middle AF point only.

I've been out today at lunch time, still at work, to try out some more shots with different aperture, lengths, shutter speed just to give the boy a little bit of a workout. I don't expect to get "sharp" images throughout the test as my holding technique needs refining with this lens.

Haven't tried a tripod yet, may do that tonight. Need to find a duck though! None around in City area of London!

Remember that even with the best lens in the world ever, the pics will be slightly soft because of the filter that is in front of the camera sensor.

You make some good points, Rammy. At this point I've owned all variations of Canon's 70-200 and have never been disappointed by the IQ of any of them. When I had the 70-200 f/2.8 non-IS I also had a 20D at the time, so I have to keep in mind that my DOF was greater when I used that combo. I think f/2.8 @ 200mm with the 5D isn't going to leave much room for error.

I'll keep plugging away with this baby and see if I can get more comfortable with it. Its certainly a beautiful lens!

i just got mine yesterday too, so far, it's been great.

Looks ok to me. Here is my comparison of the non is and IS version, you can see it here and see.
http://tomyi.smugmug.c​om/gallery/2158458#114​316560

If it was me, I'd just go out and shoot. If I remember reading the photozone.de review correctly, the lens should be the softest wide open at the long end.

Maybe Canon should just put a sharpness Graph on the side of every box they sell and get it over with?

Looks pretty sharp to me. For a shot of zeros.

640 is hardly the industry-standard for focus tests.

Looks good to me as well. The 70-200 like any zoom is not going to be perfect throughout the range. I wouldn't be with out one though. Congrats.

Not sure, ISO should not affect AF speed or accuracy, just noise and shutter speed.

Looks fine to me

Looks terrible. I'll take it for $20. I know, I'm generous for taking busted goods.

Ref, your first post: For that ISO & aperture, it looks spot on to me, the same as I would expect from mine.