Canon EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS USM review

Received lens today, WAY AHEAD of schedule. Good Job. Lens looks to be as advertised in very good shape. will try it out this week end at kids Taekwando meet and add to this review.

Beautiful lens. I shoot a combination of sports (college football, basketball, hockey, etc etc), social events ( weddings, dances, conferences, dinners, receptions), portraits, and nature photography. This lens excels at all of them. Originally I had bought the non-IS version, however I have found that the IS is essentially for low light photography. At 200mm on my 7D ( which is really 320mm), I can shoot at 1/30 and even 1/20 of a second and get good results with the IS. This lens also does a superb job at focusing in low lights, much better than my 24-70 f/2.8. When shooting sports this lens does a good but not great job focusing, for the most part it gets it right, however every now and then it will blow a photo out of focus ( EOS= every other shot). As expected, the DOF at 2.8 is shallow, and I'll often drop it to f/4 to give myself more room to work with. F/4 is also sharper than f/2.8, however f/2.8 is still perfectly acceptable to use. If you only shoot sports, IS is not necessary. However, I shoot enough other events that IS is greatly needed and appreciated. I recommend this lens to any photographer who needs a long focal length in low-light environments.

I purchased this lens specifically for weddings, and for trips. I have NEVER had a better lens. Yes, it is pricy. But you always get what you pay for (that's my motto). Definitely not cheap. But I will not buy a non L IS lens so when it came to getting a new zoom, this one topped the charts in my book. The output is absolutely incredible. It comes with AF and MF. Yes, you can hear the IS a little bit when in use. My first one was rather loud and "scratchy" sounding, right out of the box, and I had to send it back for a new replacement, but once I received my second one, it has worked like a charm from day one. This lens has been around the world with me, and has never once faltered. The photos are crisp, clear, and quite simply, amazing. Outstanding in low light settings! This lens is quite heavy, and bulky in my opinion, however, coupled with my D40, it balances itself out because the body of the D40 is also on the heavier side. Be aware of arm fatigue with this one, however with much use, my muscles are now loving this lens, and I don't enjoy light "flimsy" cameras/lenses anymore, even on a temporary basis. If there was one thing that I had to complain about (only a nit pick) is the fact that it is white. VERY noticeable when shooting. People tend to stop and look when I use this lens (thinking I am paparazi perhaps?), because it just seems out of place and bulky. But once I used it, I knew the trade off of lens color vs output, was worth it 100 million percent.

I purchased a used version of this lens. I was hesitant about the image quality, because I had read reviews and heard this lens tends to be soft at f/2.8. I was sold on it after taking two pictures with it. This lens is awesome and sharp, and the build quality is spectacular. Also, I've shot with the non-IS 2.8 version of this lens, and I have to say the IS really comes in handy when shooting without a tripod. It noticeably reduces blur. Also, the weatherproofing available only on the IS version is noteworthy.
Finally, I would have to say that if you are considering getting a 2.8 version, be it for low light or speed, go with this one if you can find a good deal on it. IS isn't enough to justify the $700 price jump between the USM and the IS version II, but it is for a couple hundred dollars more.
I am very satisfied.

I purchased a used version of this lens. I was hesitant about the image quality, because I had read reviews and heard this lens tends to be soft at f/2.8. I was sold on it after taking two pictures with it. This lens is awesome and sharp, and the build quality is spectacular. Also, I've shot with the non-IS 2.8 version of this lens, and I have to say the IS really comes in handy when shooting without a tripod. It noticeably reduces blur. Also, the weatherproofing available only on the IS version is noteworthy. Finally, I would have to say that if you are considering getting a 2.8 version, be it for low light or speed, go with this one if you can find a good deal on it. IS isn't enough to justify the $700 price jump between the USM and the IS version II, but it is for a couple hundred dollars more. I am very satisfied.