Can anyone around South London help me test my 70-200?

Bit of a strange request this one!!

I purchased the Canon 70-200 F4L a few weeks back and haven't been too happy with the results on my 20D. Due to not having a tripod I've not been able to do any proper focus tests. This might just be down to camera shake and/or bad technique on my part.

I'm based in Bromley and was wondering if anyone nearby could spare me 30 mins of their time for me to meet up and help me run this lens through some tests using a tripod. I'm tempted to send it back to Canon for calibration but would like to do a decent test (and get a second opinion) before doing so.

Annoyingly I've already butchered the box to send off for the £70 rebate so can't just return it to Jessops under their 30-day refund policy.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Pete

you have any shots with it? i was worried that mine might have problems but i am going to just shoot more with it and see if it gets better

The only ones I have to hand were posted here:

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=72197

They look okay at that size, but not as good at 100%. Did another shoot last weekend, and the lens is very sharp where it is focused, but I'm sure the focus point isn't quite where I was pointing the camera! It may just be down to a small movement between focusing and actually taking the photo.

Edit: Just uploaded another (large!) image. I was focusing on the pigeon's head, but check the feet - the focus seems perfect here. Again, may be down to shooting at F4 and recomposing before hitting the shutter.

http://homepage.ntlwor​ld.com …aylor/photos/im​g_0180.jpg

Pete, the head and feet in that shot are more or less in the same plane so I'm not surprised that both are in focus. None of your shots look bad to me, in fact the squirrels are very nice and are consistent with the type of shots my 70-200 is producing and the bokeh is very good. f/4 is a very narrow DOF for birds and small animals, maybe f/5.6 would serve you better.

if you are at all concerned you can do a test yourself following a reasonably simple method as outlined here

ignor the waffle about 10D focusing woes, but do this test and it'll start you out if you think there's a problem. i don't have the lens but I think I'm right in that L series have a set of focus adjustment screws at the rear of the lens which you can twiddle to set the focus plane correctly.
Basically you need to go read up on this before you do anything dumb like open/twist/fiddle with any part of the lens as it'll void your warranty...

It probably is just my inadequate hand-held skills!!

I was trying some focus tests the other night (thanks for the link by the way - I was trying to find that page recently but kept getting a different one instead). It's kind of tricky to run these tests without a tripod, especially indoors under artificial light.

If the weather's good tomorrow I'll try some more real-world tests, this time trying to keep in the same 'focus plane' and using a smaller aperture. Less caffeine might help too!

yes. caffiene = shakes.

mmm, I shoot fine with 8 cans of diet Dr. Pepper in my system each day.

I got a 70-200 f/4L a few days ago, and I LOVE mine! Fantastic lens. If your not happy with it though, don't even bother with focus tests, sell it, or return it or something and try a different lens.

I got a 100mm macro for my first lens. Thing was nice, but didn't work for me. I returned it 2 days after buying it for the 70-200 f/4L and I'm very happy. I think it should be about what makes you happy.... especially when your blowing hundreds on the darn lenses.... Maybe you could save your cash and get the next step up? 70-200 f/2.8L or an entirely dif lens or something

Pete

The shots look fine to me. Nice colour and contrast and maybe just a tad of USM needed to give that final sharpness. From experience with my ex 70-200 they like decent light, otherwise pretty uniform quality, as your shots are.

This is surely due to the paranoia that has infested these forums where poeple cannot judge whether a lens is adequate. These are fine!!!

If these forums did not exist, people would be taking photos and being really pleased with them (compared to regualar snaps).

It seems that people cannot be happy unless they have absolutely the best lens and everybody says so. One dissenting voice puts the willy's up people and then the bandwagon rolls into town and it becomes fact.

If those squirrel shots don't make you proud, then you will never be happy.

Photography is about art and not science.

Graham

Thanks everyone for the reassurance. I really should look into getting some tripod legs soon (seeing as I've had a Manfrotto 468RC2 ballhead sat in the cupboard since Xmas!).

Hopefully once I put an end to my lousy shaking hands, and maybe take more care with my shots, I'll be happy with the results. If not... it's off to Canon