Canon EF 70-200 f4L IS not perfect!

I hope this subject has not been covered much, I did a search and didn't find a lot of info.

I knew that this lens was not stellar at 200 mm and MFD ( minimum focus distance ). I bought it anyway. It is the sharpest lens that I own, at longer distances. To use the lens at close focus distances, I use extension. The use of the extension fools the lense, in that the distance reading is at maybe 15 ft, when in fact I'm only at 3 ft. Does anyone else do this?

Why... unless you have no desire to use it at infinity.

Mine is quite fine at MFD... the trait you describe does not affect all copies of the lens.

70-200F4IS is not perfect? Well, how about the 135L? Thats a perfect lens for sure! I sold my 70-200f4is to fund for my 135L

MinhThien wrote in post #6765075
70-200F4IS is not perfect? Well, how about the 135L? Thats a perfect lens for sure! I sold my 70-200f4is to fund for my 135L

Still not perfect, MFD is too far hahahah

It's perfect if you aren't pixel peeping. I dunno, I am quite happy with it at long and short.

I wouldn't sell my left arm to fund a right arm..... my 70-200 f4 IS isn't going anywhere.

Don Powell wrote in post #6764900
I hope this subject has not been covered much, I did a search and didn't find a lot of info.

I knew that this lens was not stellar at 200 mm and MFD ( minimum focus distance ). I bought it anyway. It is the sharpest lens that I own, at longer distances. To use the lens at close focus distances, I use extension. The use of the extension fools the lense, in that the distance reading is at maybe 15 ft, when in fact I'm only at 3 ft. Does anyone else do this?

Nowadays some people just keep on complaining about lenses and camera x and camera y from this and that manufacturer.

Shouldn't photography be a quest to capture amazing images?

I guess not anymore...

I never really heard any bad talk about this lens.........I have the non is & the only way I'll ever get rid of it is to upgrade to the IS.............

All lens have their limitations...........​....go shoot the damn thing & enjoy it!!

Yes it is

I just picked up this lens myself and I have noticed that it would have trouble focusing at a close distance - but then I switched the focus distance range kinda quick from 1.2m to 3m and then back to 1.2m and it would suddenly focus quickly and accurately, where as before I fliped that switch it would just hunt while trying to focus on the same object or spot in a room.

The lens is under warranty, but I'm not sure if its worth worring about - I think its going to be OK - other than that I am in love with the performance of this lens.

Maybe not perfect...

But, it is pretty darn close to a perfect lens.

My copy, luckily, doesn't seem to have the MFD problems apparently exhibited with other copies. That seems to vary from copy to copy. IMO, if I had significant image deterioration at the MFD; I would send the lens to the "Canon Doctor" at a Canon service Center.

I do wonder however if some of the problems at MFD might be from the extremely narrow dept of field inherent in using a 200mm lens at about four feet.

According to the depth of field calculator, using a 1.6x camera:

http://www.dofmaster.c​om/dofjs.html

When focused at the MFD, a 200mm lens at f/4 will provide a total depth of field of .18 inches (.09 in front and .09 in back of the point of focus). That is point one eight inches or significantly less than a quarter of an inch.

Using f/8 at the MFD; you have a total DOF of .36 inches.

In reality folks, IMO, that is a depth of field almost too narrow to work with and expect to get sharp images; especially when hand holding. Additionally, I wonder if most copies of Canon DSLR cameras have an autofocus capability so fine as to nail down focus when we are talking about one quarter to one third of an inch total DOF.

Even when I am shooting with my Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens (which is a superb glass for macro work); I tend to use manual focusing for extreme close-up work.

RPCrowe wrote in post #6768970
But, it is pretty darn close to a perfect lens.

My copy, luckily, doesn't seem to have the MFD problems apparently exhibited with other copies. That seems to vary from copy to copy. IMO, if I had significant image deterioration at the MFD; I would send the lens to the "Canon Doctor" at a Canon service Center.

I do wonder however if some of the problems at MFD might be from the extremely narrow dept of field inherent in using a 200mm lens at about four feet.

According to the depth of field calculator, using a 1.6x camera:

http://www.dofmaster.c​om/dofjs.html

When focused at the MFD, a 200mm lens at f/4 will provide a total depth of field of .18 inches (.09 in front and .09 in back of the point of focus). That is point one eight inches or significantly less than a quarter of an inch.

Using f/8 at the MFD; you have a total DOF of .36 inches.

In reality folks, IMO, that is a depth of field almost too narrow to work with and expect to get sharp images; especially when hand holding. Additionally, I wonder if most copies of Canon DSLR cameras have an autofocus capability so fine as to nail down focus when we are talking about one quarter to one third of an inch total DOF.

Even when I am shooting with my Tamron 90mm f/2.8 macro lens (which is a superb glass for macro work); I tend to use manual focusing for extreme close-up work.

Yes they do. I've shot reliefs in door handles at F/4 and 200 mm in AF. It is possible.

Kind regards, Wim

wimg wrote in post #6769871
Yes they do. I've shot reliefs in door handles at F/4 and 200 mm in AF. It is possible.

Kind regards, Wim

Can be tricky however

From personal experience, I want the f/4 IS because I primarily am shooting stationary objects with my 200 f/2.8 stopped down to at least f/4 to get everything in focus due to the distance im usually shooting at....

in other words, IS and f/4 are perfect for how i use it

is there really a "perfect" lens? cmon man...

nordstern1 wrote in post #6770752
is there really a "perfect" lens? cmon man...

[GIFS ARE NOT RENDERED IN QUOTES]

Yes there is.......Try the 200F2IS