Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS USM

oops sorry thought it was, here is the one I meant to put up

This lens is DISGUSTING!

Disgusting because it almost looks like it puts all others to shame! LOL

Never will have one, but going out buying a loto ticket and who knows, maybe will get lucky enough.

The nickname should be for this lens "The FastSharpDrool"

Borderfox wrote in post #5745873
oops sorry thought it was, here is the one I meant to put up


Crop

No difference...sharp as hell at f2.8 OR f2

fyi: price drop from b&h ($ 5,499.00 )
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ephoto_EF_200mm​_f_2L.html

LoremIpsum wrote in post #5764090
fyi: price drop from b&h ($ 5,499.00 )
http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …ephoto_EF_200mm​_f_2L.html

Great! So now it's only $5,500 out of reach!

I wonder how good this lens would be for weddings...

i was thinking that the other day^^
would be a bit of a luxury considering most wedding photographers dont really spend over 2k on a single lens (50L 85L 35L 16-35, 70-200is ect ect)

just imagine this for a wedding setup

1dsmk3 x2
24L
35L
50L
85L
100macro
135L
200 f2L is
16-35
24-70 (24-105is)
70-200 2.8is

probs like 25-30K just for gear..
should sell my virginity while im young.. lol

Ok guys. Have BOTH the 200 1.8 and the 200 2L IS to try out. The 1.8 is my personal lens. 200/2L IS is via Canon CPS. I have to do some head to head test shots - the results are already QUITE interesting.

Will post them up later when I get a chance. Already did a model shoot with the 200/2L IS.

Results coming soon. Be patient folks!

PM01 wrote in post #5764809
Ok guys. Have BOTH the 200 1.8 and the 200 2L IS to try out. The 1.8 is my personal lens. 200/2L IS is via Canon CPS. I have to do some head to head test shots - the results are already QUITE interesting.

Will post them up later when I get a chance. Already did a model shoot with the 200/2L IS.

Results coming soon. Be patient folks!

now this is what i ahve been waiting for!!! awesome!!!

could you also give your input on weight, usage of the lens?

thanks!

Weight wise, the newer 200 2 balances much nicer than the front heavy 1.8 lens. It feels more "refined" overall.

I've been shooting test targets of barn doors (great texture), power wires (shows CA or lack of) and other targets. The only thing that I didn't like was that the 200 2 had a front/back focus issue, and not by a small amount either. They might need to refine the CPU with the lens some more.

The lens itself belongs to a CPS tech rep - he didn't even shoot with the lens. I got the call asking "how close are you to Canon?" When he mentioned 200/2L IS I turned the car around quite fast!

It's light enough (for me) to be used in weddings. The IS is a much newer generation than what I'm used to. Pretty much all of the IS lenses prior to the 200/2L IS and the 800/5.6L IS were considered "first" generation according to the tech rep.

I usually stay AWAY from IS lenses because they DEGRADE the image quality. Mind you, this is on tripod, IS off. The degradation is there because of the additional air/glass surfaces that the light has to fight through. Yes, I also did a test on the NON IS versus the IS lenses and the NON IS lenses were always sharper and cleaner. Not by a small amount either. That includes the 70-200 2.8 versions as well as the 300 2.8 versions.

The new 200/2L IS changes all that.

Now if your hands shake, stick with the IS. If you're pretty much rock steady like I am, then go with NON IS lenses. The new 200 and 800 are the exceptions though.

PM01 wrote in post #5765021
The only thing that I didn't like was that the 200 2 had a front/back focus issue, and not by a small amount either. They might need to refine the CPU with the lens some more.

Nice review.

I for one am very sensitive to AF calibration in my lenses. Indeed, I've sent more than a couple of brand new lenses back to Canon for calibration. I'm fairly confident that your front/back focus issue with the 200/2L may be copy specific.

It is interesting that it would be a frant and back focus issue. My experience has been that a lens generally does one or the other.

My 200 1.8L does the same thing. You have to be careful of the front/back focus issue. I highly doubt that they are copy dependent. I'd say about 50 percent of the lenses out there, ime, have front/back focus issues.

OK folks.

PLACE YOUR BETS. 1.8 or 2.0 as the winner? This is in terms of IMAGE QUALITY ONLY, at EQUAL f/stops.

I'm looking at the samples right now that I took this afternoon. Still can't believe the results.

The pictures that I took were MANUAL focused with Liveview at 10x. That way there's no excuse for the lens if it WAS back or front focuses.

Let's hear your guesses...and why.

Seems like nobody is willing to guess. Wonder why?

MY REVIEW IS UP.

http://www.clublexus.c​om …2432&posted=1#p​ost3622432

Yes, its on that "car forum" again. Deal with it and enjoy the review!

more images less chat