White lenses... good or bad?

White lenses can't jump, have small posteriors (white lens disease), no sense of rhythm, and have gotten me into far more events than they have kept me out of - so what's not to like about them? If I ever attend a pro event it will be because someone is paying me to be there and I'll have the best seat in the house right up front near the action.

JCH77Yanks wrote in post #5490922
Not to get off topic but, how do you like the Sigma? I don't like the white of the 70-200 series myself, and I was thinking maybe next tax season I'll look into one.

I just bought it last week, still waiting for it in the mail.......

When you see the "lens garden" at a sporting event and all those pros in their colored vests (modern version of a press pass) are sticking light gray Canon lenses toward the players, you get an idea of how valuable that color is as a marketing tool.

photoguy6405 wrote in post #5491391
All professionals use white lenses

Quite simply not true.
Not even close.
You may be surprised to find out that most of the best photojournalists in the world wouldn't touch a 70-200 white zoom.

In fact, I've met more PJs who's longest lens was a 135 L than anything else.
Wedding photographers & daily news photographer - DO use the big whites... but you find it hard to find these in war zones- they simply attract too much attention.

Nachtwey, for example, seems to find his 50mm 1.4 too long...

pixelharmony wrote in post #5492599
White lenses are sexy, so are thin red bands... I've fallen hard for the marketing

One born every minute

But black lenses with thin red bands...

Gidi Morris wrote in post #5496854
Quite simply not true.
Not even close.
You may be surprised to find out that most of the best photojournalists in the world wouldn't touch a 70-200 white zoom.

In fact, I've met more PJs who's longest lens was a 135 L than anything else.
Wedding photographers & daily news photographer - DO use the big whites... but you find it hard to find these in war zones- they simply attract too much attention.

Nachtwey, for example, seems to find his 50mm 1.4 too long...

Since you missed the point, which was clearly exaggerated to demonstrate a point, I'll include en expanded version of the quote...

photoguy6405 wrote in post #5491391
All professionals use white lenses, not all who use white lenses are professionals.

Not literally *all*, but you get the point.

JeffreyG wrote in post #5487905
I think the white color is a negative, though not a big deal overall.

Canon says the color is to deal with heat, but they apply it to all 'L' telephotos regardless of flourite use which calls the premise into question.

There's a misconception here that only the fluorite elements will be adversely affected by heat. Anything in your lens expands as it warms up, and with a telephoto that can move one or more elements out of their precisely controlled arrangement, causing distortions or OOF images. And I'd rather be using a white lens than a black heat sink on a hot day; I'd rather not need pot holders to use my gear.