soupcraze's Full Review: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 USM Lens
Growing as a photographer, I realized that I needed to fine tune my lenses to fit my needs. As you know, I have started using the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens as my main lens. The lens has exceptionally good L-Series optics, and I have caught the L-Disease. For my telephoto, I was previously using the Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM Lens, which by all means is a great lens, but doesn't fit what I shoot most.
Over a month ago, I purchased the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens with the $125 instant rebate from Beach Camera for $1,569. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM serves as a better option than the 70-300mm due to the wide maximum aperture of f2.8 versus f4.0. Essentially, this lens proves itself to be the perfect lens for shooting indoor parties where you need that extra reach to take candid photos and other such things from a bit of a distance while working with ambient light and high ISO (or just flash).
Currently the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM works like bread and butter with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens on my Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi. Both lenses are essential for achieving good results. While I use it for recreational use, there are countless photographers that rely on this exact lens to put food on the table. This lens makes up peoples' livelihoods. Also, for $1,700, which is about as high as the Canon zoom lenses go (Not including Sigma's highest-end super telephotos), you better expect a good product.
This review will be divided into two-parts. The first part will assume that the consumer is a very wealthy individual who wants to purchase this lens, and the second part will be for people familiar with photography.
--For Beginners Only--
So you're probably wondering what goes into the name of the lens. Here is what everything means...
Canon - This lens is made by Canon. It is designed for Canon EOS cameras.
EF - This lens uses the Canon EF mount. There are two types of mounts available for lenses. The standard EF which has been around since the 1980's, and the much newer EF-S mount. So what's the difference? If you have an EF-S lens, that means you can only use it on an APS-C camera, which ranges from the Canon Digital Rebel bodies up to the current Canon EOS 50D. It will therefore work on the consumer and prosumer bodies, but not with a semi-professional camera like an EOS 5D or professional Canon EOS 1D body. An EF-S lens will also not work with any film bodies. But luckily, since this is an EF mount lens, it will work on any Canon EOS auto-focus camera body, whether it is an APS-C camera, film camera, or professional body. You have the ultimate versatility with this lens, as well as room to grow in the future.
70-200mm - This is the focal length range of the lens. 70mm is the widest the lens goes, while 200mm is as far as the lens goes. One thing you should understand is that the focal length range of the lens does not determine the price of the lens. Therefore, even though the lens costs about 10x as much as a Canon EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 III Lens consumer lens that extends 100mm farther, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is superior in terms of optics and just about everything else. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM does not make a very good wildlife lens which the ##-300mm consumer and prosumer lenses are decent for, instead it serves a different purpose. For indoor events like parties, the 200mm reach works very well. There are other wide-aperture options for shooting farther indoors, yet they are very expensive. All other options exceed the $2,000 and higher mark, and I will mention them later. Nonetheless, 200mm is still quite far on an APS-C camera, and I simply move closer if I need more reach when needed. The 70mm on an APS-C camera works very well for across-the-table headshots or head & shoulders portraits. For general walking around or very small dinner parties, a smaller lens like the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens or the Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM would serve you well. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM should be a part of a kit, since it is too long to serve as a general purpose lens (Except for large venues perhaps, even then a wider lens still works better in many situations).
F2.8 - What does this number mean? This is the maximum aperture of the lens. The aperture is what lets in light. The lower the numbers, the larger the aperture. Compared to the prosumer Canon EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM Lens which I used to use, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lets in 2x as much light at 70mm @ f2.8 compared to the 70-300mm at 70mm @ f4.0. At the extremes of the zoom range, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lets in 4x more light at 200mm @ f2.8 versus the 70-300mm at 300mm @ f5.6 (Hmm... Not a fair comparison necessarily.). What does this all mean for you? It means that when you crank the ISO on your camera, you can take ambient light photos which good sharpness thanks to higher shutter speeds since the f2.8 maximum aperture allows so much more light. This lens maintains a constant f2.8 maximum aperture throughout its entire focal length range, so that even at 200mm, you can take good ambient light photographs. Using a lens with a maximum aperture of f4.0 or greater would require flash to stop action, or Image Stabilization would be required to take sharp photos of inanimate objects. There is nothing that substitutes for a physically larger aperture, and this is a neccessity for many photograpghers, especially that shoot indoors. The downsides to this are that the lens is considerably more expensive and is also much heavier. Since the f2.8 aperture helps get photos that are otherwise not possible, this is all worth it in my opinion.
L - This is part of Canon's L-Series of lenses. This stands for "Luxury." It has the red ring around the barrel to show for it. Also, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM sports a gorgeous off-white color finish. Are there advantages to paying so much money for an L-Series? Yes. The lens offers superior optics inside, which are comprised of ultra low dispersion glass, aspherical lens elements, as well as fluorite lens elements. The lens also is fully weather-sealed (Only when used with an EOS 1 body) and is made of high-quality magnesium which sports tank-like build quality. This lens is made to withstand professional abuse... err... I mean use. You can see it in the build-quality, as well as with the image quality.
IS - The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM uses something called image stabilization. On the bottom of the lens barel where the camera attaches to the lens, it says in gold letter, "Image Stabilizer." What is this exactly? This is a gyro-system located in the barrel of the lens which helps counteract camera shake. What this allows you to do is help avoid camera-shake induced blur when shooting at long focal lengths or shooting at lower shutter speeds. Typically, photographers are able to help counteract camera-shake induced blur when shooting at a shutter speed of 1/FOCAL LENGTH. Image Stabilization allows you to shoot slower than that while maintaining sharp images. This is very helpful in low-light environments, especially when shooting in ambient light. However, Image Stabilization does NOT stop action. So if you're attempting to shoot people, they must remain very still or else they will appear blurry. Everything else around them will be sharp, but since image stabilization works by allowing the use of a lower shutter speed, you will not actually stop peoples' movements. This is where the maximum f2.8 aperture shines. It can allow higher shutter speeds at higher ISO levels, and Image Stabilization helps ensure a sharper image if you have shaky hands or what not. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM utilizes Canon's 2nd generation 3-stop Image Stabilizer.
USM - This stands for "ultrasonic motor." This is Canon's high-speed autofocusing system. There are two types of USM, micro and ring. Ring is the fastest and is silent, and of course this lens has the latter. When using the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM in low-light situations without flash, I find the focus to be fast and spot on 95% of the time. When I used my old Tamron SP AF17-50mm f/2.8 Di-II LD Lens, I found the lens to hunt quite a bit despite having the wide maximum aperture. When using the flash assist from my Metz Mecablitz 58 AF-1 Flash, I had absolutely no issues with autofocusing. If you need high-speed focusing, this lens does quite well in the department.
-Lens Misconceptions- The Canon line of 70-200mm lenses are quite interesting, since it offers both a f2.8 and f4.0 maximum aperture models. There are people that compare both the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM versus the Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM. In reality, they have quite a few differences which I will outline.
1. With Canon's 4-Stop Image Stabilizer in the Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM, wouldnt it have the same low-light capabilities as the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM in a lighter and cheaper package?
This is partially true... If you take images of inanimate objects, using the F4L variant will allow you to achieve sharp images by using slow shutter speeds. I have never used this lens before, so I can not tell you how slow you can go, but generally speaking, if the lens does hit the 4 f-stops, then you should get pretty good results when shooting in ambient light with a high ISO.
But... Wait a minute... Let's think about the purpose of the Canon 70-200mm series. You see many wedding photographers using this lens on their camera bodies (Or at least that I have seen.) They are not shooting inanimate objects. They are shooting people. They are also trying to stop action. So when you are trying to stop action, you need to shoot either with flash or at a significantly higher shutter speed. Image Stabilization essentially helps cheaper glass (Since the F4L is already significantly cheaper than the F2.8L) "mimic" more expensive glass. This is at the cost of shutter speed, which you need to have good images of people and other animate things like animals.
Therefore, even though the 4-stop image stabilization system might allow the F4L to have very good low light capabilities, the slow shutter speed will not allow you to stop action. After all, a lens with an f2.8 maximum aperture allows in 2x as much light as a maximum aperture of f4.0. This does make a difference. So in the end, you will have very blurry people, while everything else around them might be sharp.
Why did I include this section here? Because when I first started photography and purchased my first image stabilized lens, the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens, I thought all of my problems were solved. I didn't understand the importance of shutter speed. Therefore, my non-stablized Tamron had a much higher keep rate than the 28-135mm lens. Therefore, I do not want amateurs to believe that image stabilization is the cure for all of their problems. Why have the mechanism then? It can help ensure a higher hit rate for images, especially when combined with a large enough aperture to allow for a quick enough shutter speed. Therefore, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM gives you the best of both worlds.
2. You can take pictures from a mile away with this lens!
If you seriously don't know photography, the large size of the lens might make you think that this lens goes very far. I have had people ask me if I can see the moon with this lens. I think many people would be surprised that the Canon EF 75-300mm f4-5.6 III Lens, Canon's lowest-end consumer telephoto zooms in quite a bit further. Once again, this is not really intended as a wildlife lens. So if you are reading this and don't know what I'm talking about, then don't buy this.
Those are some misconceptions to be aware of. The last one I posted is a bit silly, and is almost unfounded. However, the top one is a very important aspect of the F2.8L vs F4.0L argument. By the end of this review, I hope that many people will understand how they are dramatically different lenses.
-Beginner's Conclusion-
If you need a medium telephoto lens particularly for taking pictures at larger indoor venues such as weddings, large parties, or anything similar, this is a fantastic lens, especially when there is enough light to get ambient light photos with sufficient shutter speed. If you are trying to take picture of wildlife anywhere outside the zoo, don't even bother with this. That is not what this lens is intended for. If you use flash a lot (Like I did with my 70-300mm), then you might suffice with the F4L variant if you are not intending to take many ambient light photographs. This is a very expensive lens and can do a lot for you. This is by no means a "point-and-shoot" lens, you should be well aware of that. In other words, this is not recommended for beginners.
Now read on further to see what this lens has to offer...
--FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS FAMILIAR WITH THE SLR FORMAT--
The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is the cream of the crop, the crown jewel, of Canon's 70-200mm family of lenses. There are arguments that exist that the Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is a better lens, but I will look deep into that argument, and help show that in fact they are different lenses with very different capabilities.
-Who this lens is for...
Yes, this is a very large lens. But if you try capturing animals in the wild, you will be dissapointed. Even at the zoo, you might be dissapointed depending on how far the animals are. So yes, it might be large, but the 200mm maximum focal length range doesn't get too far for that type of thing. So... What is this good for then? Well, when you use this at large parties and weddings where you are able to shoot from a distance, the 200mm range works extremely well. Now, combine that with a large maximum aperture of f2.8, which is as fast as any Canon zoom goes, and then 3-stop Image Stabilizer, and you've got yourself the ultimate weapon for conquering indoor venues. This lens has superb low-light capabilities. Also, the f2.8 aperture allows for very diffuse bokeh, some of the best that I have ever seen, when it comes to shooting portraits. This lens provides excellent results for those that make a living by shooting pictures of people. The lens' f2.8 maximum aperture also allows it to be used effectively with the Canon Extender EF 2x II on any EOS body while maintaining autofocus and Image Stablization. This allows the lens to become a cheap super-telephoto zoom for those that occassionally distant objects. In conclusion, this lens is a must-have in any wedding photographer's or people photographer's kit. This lens works very well when complemented by a Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens on an APS-C camera, or by a Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM lens on a full-frame body like an EOS 5D or EOS 1D where the focal lengths of the two lenses seamlessly connect.
-PRICE-
The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is the most expensive Canon zoom lens available. The lens retails for $1,700. This is considerably more expensive than its nearest 70-200mm competitor, the F4L IS USM. Oh wait... What did I just say?
I just said in the above paragraph that there is a competitor. When you look at the specifications, there is NO competitor to the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens. This is the only 70-200mm lens available on the Canon EF mount that sports both a wide constant f2.8 aperture as well as Image Stabilization. Sigma does not offer this Optical Stabilizer system in their 70-200mm EX lenses. There are many boards online where photographers compare the F2.8L versus F4.0L variants of the Canon lens. However... They are very different with different capabilities.
I have mentioned earlier in this review that Canon's Image Stabilizer, while adding to the handholdability to the lens, does nothing in order to stop action. Therefore, even though the 4-stop mechanism of the F4L might theoretically have the same handholdability as the F2.8L, Image Stabilization will only aid in helping to reduce camera blur by allowing the photographer to hold the lens open for a longer period of time. As we all know, this does not stop action. Therefore, for photographers that like to take ambient light photos of people in poorly lit areas, the Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM might not produce the results, even though it has the 4-stop mechanism. It may fare well when taking pictures of inanimate objects, but as far as people go, I feel that the results may be dissapointing. Since I believe that the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is primarily meant for indoor photography of people, I believe that the F4L simply will not offer the same opportunities when it comes to people photography in certain ambient light situations.
Ultimately, there are no competitors against this lens, except for the non-IS version of this very same lens. There are other lenses though that may do the job though. They include the more expensive Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 EX DG HSM lens which is larger and doesn't offer Sigma's OS. You can also opt for Canon's wide-aperture telephoto lenses such as the Canon EF 200mm F2.0L IS USM, Canon EF 300mm F2.8L IS USM, and Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS USM. While they offer long reach and wide apertures, they are no practical for wedding photography or large parties. They are also far more expensive than the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM.
Therefore, the only other lens that comes close in flexibility is the Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 EX DG HSM. However, you do lose 50mm in the wide-end. I take many images at 70mm and also under 120mm. Therefore, this lens too, might not be practical for those that take many of the images at the lens' widest end.
If you shoot distant images every now and then that require super telephoto capabilities and you don't own a very expensive Canon EOS 1D camera, then you are in luck. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is fully compatible with the Canon extenders. I purchased the Canon Extender EF 2x II at the same time as the lens. This extender allows you to achieve a 140-400mm f5.6 lens with fully functioning autofocus and Image Stabilizer. While the quality deteriorates considerably with a considerable loss of sharpness and contrast, I found that shooting in RAW and at f8.0 at low ISO has produced "good" results. I am able to crank the contrast in DXO and use the unsharp mask function to achieve very satisfactory results. Getting a 140-400mm f8.0 lens out of the Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is a bit difficult since consumer and prosumer Canon bodies can autofocus only at a maximum aperture of f5.6. Therefore, using the F4L variant on such a body will not have autofocusing capabilties. Only the EOS 1D can autofocus with this, and that afterall, is a very pricey camera. So for those that don't want to drop another $1,000 or more on a super telephoto zoom and want the ability to turn their 70-200mm into one by using a teleconverter while maintaining all usable features such as AF and IS, then the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is a no-brainer.
Speaking of teleconverters... Apparently since you need to add a 2x converter in order to reach 400mm, this lens is not really intended for wildlife purposes. I have mentioned earlier that this lens does not make a good wildlife lens, and I would like to reiterate it in greater detail. 200mm is simply to short to hit birds in flight or other animals on the ground which are difficult to get close to. In reality, you would need something even further than 400mm for many purposes (The teleconverter couldn't get me close enough in many cases). The only time I managed to decently capture some animals without using the teleconverter was at the zoo. Even then, I often found 200mm a bit too short to get exactly what I wanted. When using the teleconverter, there is quite a bit of quality loss. Since I am an amateur and do not take photographs for money, I find the images to be quite acceptable. I do not know if professionals would feel the same way. I understand that many professionals use the Canon Extender EF 2x II with lenses such as the fast 300mm and 400mm primes where they are already tack sharp primes and still maintain superb image quality even with teleconverters added. Therefore, do not buy this lens if you are intending to use it for wildlife purposes, or you may be dissapointed by the lack of reach. Therefore, you might want to invest into another lens with greater reach. Such lenses include the Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS USM, Canon EF 400mm F5.6L USM, or some of the new Sigma telephoto zoom lenses.
Phew... Hopefully I made it clear that nothing competes with it. Alright, so what's left? Well, when you're paying $1,700 you expect good image quality. Assuming you have a good copy, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM sports excellent image quality with sharp photos with excellent color-saturation. Many photographers make their livelihoods with this lens. They expect many great things from it, and it does deliver. There are no substitutes, really.
-BUILD QUALITY-
The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is built like a tank. The lens is built to withstand professional use, which in other words means that it can be dropped on the ground and get hit, and it would still work. The large lens hood combined with a filter provide adequate protection for the front element.
The lens comes with the very large Canon ET-86 petal-shaped lens hood. The hood itself is made of very solid plastic, and has velvety material inside that helps to absorb stray light. I also use a B W MRC 010 UV filter with the lens. The lens has a 77mm filter thread, which luckily matches the thread size of other L-Series lenses. This makes it easy to share filters among the lenses, particularly circular polarizers which can be quite costly.
The body itself is made out of magnesium. It is built to withstand abuse. I do baby my equipment, especially a lens this expensive, so as of yet it has not been dropped. I am grateful for the metal body, since I know that if it does accidentally fall, it won't be the end of the world. The lens is an off-white color. Many people complain about this because it says it attracts thieves. This is just like any other flashy luxury item. It stands out where you want it to, and it stands out where you don't want it to. People always comment on this lens when they see it. They refer to it as the "Paparrazi lens." Therefore, there is a good psychological feeling about using it. The same kind you get when driving a Ferrari. Just be careful in areas where there might be thieves though.
Unlike consumer lenses, the zoom and focus rings are switched on this lens. The focus ring is on the front of the lens. This can be confusing for people that are borrowing your camera, since many of them are used to the zoom being in front. This was particularly annoying when I first got the lens since my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens has the zoom ring in the front while it has a much smaller focus ring closer to the camera body. I often grabbed the focus ring thinking it was the zoom. This caused me to miss some shots in the first day of the lens. Afterwards, I never confuse them, despite both of these lenses having the rings in the same places. Both of the rings are large in size and rubberized to provide excellent grip. Both of the rings turn very smoothly. I am able to easily move the focus ring with the tip of my finger if I need to manually fine-tune focus. The zoom ring also moves very smoothly with virtually no resistance. I am unable, however, to move it with the tip of my finger. It is not "sticky" in any way, but it's a bit heavier than the focus. I have used consumer lenses where effort was required to push the zoom ring, and the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM fortunately moves smoothly.
I am able to focus and zoom the lens with ease. I do have one complaint though. I use the lens on a very light Canon Digital Rebel XTi body. With the zoom ring located just in front of the camera body, I often get pain in my left wrist from zooming with the lens. It becomes painful after an extended period of time. It's less so now, since I have gotten used to the lens. But it does feel a bit awkward since the lens is so heavy while the camera is so light. I have never used this lens on a larger camera body, so I can not tell you how that feels.
The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is by no means a light lens. It is in fact quite heavy, and is uncomfortable on such a light camera body. However, you do get used to the lens. I do find it to be very handholdable, even for long periods of time. Though, you can feel pain after that. The Canon EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM is considerably lighter thanks to its smaller aperture, so if you do not need the low-light capabilities offered by the larger aperture of the F2.8L variant, then you might want to look into the F4L since it is more handholdable, especially if you are using a very light body such as a Rebel.
The lens also has numerous switches which allow you to switch the minimum focusing distances, AF/MF, as well as the Image Stabilizer. The switches are not fully recessed. This is why many professionals jam in tooth picks or tape them to make sure they don't get moved. I have nevfer had any issues with this. But if you want to be cautious, you can tape this over.
The lens is fully-weather sealed. On the rear mount, there is a plastic gasket which is supposed to fit seamlessly with the fully weather-sealed Canon EOS 1D body. So while the lens is weather-sealed, it will not be fully sealed unless you are using a 1D. If you are using a Canon EOS ###D or EOS ##D or even a EOS 5D, the whole set-up will not be completely sealed. Nonetheless, I have been caught in heavy rain on two occassions. Since I have to unmount the lens and put on the 17-55mm in order for the camera to fit in my LowerPro 200AW bag, I had to cover my camera with towels while exposing the lens to the rain. I have never had any issues after it has gotten soaked, though I try to avoid this if you can. I do not condone taking the lens into bad weather. Do it under your own risk. But with my own experiences so far, the lens held up well. With an EOS 1D body, assuming everything works properly, you can shoot effectively in rain and other less-than-perfect conditions.
So, everything seems perfect then, right? The lens is fully-weather sealed and built like a tank. Well, the only downside is that when you have the metal body combined with the large aperture, you unfortunately have a heavy lens. My early sessions with this lens were painful, literally. You do get used to it though, and seeing the resulting images makes the pain worth it. It would also help to have a heavier camera than a Digital Rebel, which would help balance it better. I found shooting with my flash on top was a bit more comfortable. Nonetheless, despite the weight, everything else is as perfect as it can be for professional use. Whether you are using this lens at a wedding, or exploring the Pyramids in Egypt, or exploring the Amazon, this lens will hold up to whatever you need it to. If I were making a living by doing photography, I would not hesitate to use this lens, I would trust it to live up to the abuse.
-FEATURES-
The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM has numerous features which help to make it into one of the most versatile lenses out there.
*Fast Maximum Aperture - The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM has a constant f2.8 maximum aperture throughout the entire zoom range from its widest point at 70mm, all the way to its longest point at 200mm. This is ideal for indoor photographers, especially those that enjoy working with ambient light. The large aperture is the lens' greatest advantage over the F4L variant. Even though the more expensive one has Image Stabilization, it still can't stop action in places where the F2.8L variant can. If you are deciding between the two variants, you should decide whether having 2x more light at the maximum aperture is worth it. For people like me or those that shoot indoors, it can be the difference between a good shot or a missed shot. The f2.8 aperture is also great for portraits. I find the bokeh produced to be incredible. In case you are unfamiliar with the term, bokeh is the blurring of the background when you isolate the subject. I have done a portrait shoot for a friend in a garden, and people asked me what "background" I used and where they could buy it. They could not believe that the creamy smooth "stuff" in the background was actually flowers! Therefore, if you shoot portraits, especially outdoors, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is an excellent choice. Another added benefit to the f2.8 aperture is that the lens can be used with the Canon Extender EF 2x II with any EOS body, whether consumer or professional while maintaining autofocus. The F4L can only be used with this extender on the EOS 1D body to maintain autofocus. Usage on another body will result in AF that does not work. Therefore, if you can afford to spend over $1,000 on a telephoto zoom, the 2x Extender is a great option with this lens. Unfortunately, there are two downsides to the larger aperture. The first is that the lens becomes significantly heavier. This is a very heavy lens, which can become very uncomfortable after extended use. I would like to mention that I am a weight lifter, yet the lens is still uncomfortable! It makes my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens fun to use, and people actually complain about its weight!
*Image Stabilizer - The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM features Canon's 2nd generation system which allows up to three f-stops of handholdability. It also features two modes. The first mode ("1") is intended for general use, while the second mode ("2") is intended for panning. I typically leave it in the first mode, but have used it in the second mode when following a moving subject. When combined with the large aperture, the lens is capable of getting me very sharp shots at slower shutter speeds than 1/FOCAL LENGTH. This is also very beneficial at longer focal lengths when the lighting is less than optimal. Image Stabilization is especially beneficial when shooting inanimate objects in low-light. I am able to use very slow shutter speeds and maintain sharp results. Unfortunately, Canon's Image Stabilizer does nothing to stop action. Action can be stopped with faster shutter speeds, and IS works its magic with slower speeds. That's why I feel IS is the added bonus after the larger aperture. In terms of my images, I have had very few images that have been subject to camera blur. My keeper rate is very high, and I would not have purchased the non-IS lens otherwise.
So how does it handle in real life? Before owning this lens, I own(ed) lenses that used both 1st and 2nd generation Image Stabilizer systems. The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens, my main lens that I currently own, has Canon's third generation system. It works very well. The system is also dead-silent and hardly vibrates when in use. It also does not cause the frame to skip, except for when I try panning with the lens. The system produces very effective results. My old main lens, the Canon EF 28-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Lens, featured the first generation system. It was loud, you felt it vibrate, and the frame skipped when it turned on. It also was not very effective compared to that on the 17-55mm lens. I still had blurry results in the end, especially when shooting indoors. I might have had better results now since I have become more experienced. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM uses Canon's 2nd generation system. It provides up to 3 f-stops of handholdability. It also features the panning mode, which I have found to be useful. Nonetheless, I have had excellent results with it so far. I find camera shake induced blur to be completely abscent when I hold the camera stil land use realistic shutter speeds. Also at long focal lengths shooting less than 1/FOCAL LENGTH, I still have very sharp results. The system also behaves far better than the first generation mechanism on the 28-135mm lens. It is very quiet, though audible when you put your ear fairly close. Unlike the 17-55mm, the room doesn't need to be silent to hear it. Also, there is a light spinning/vibrating motion in the lens. In no way is this uncomfortable. Also, the frame doesn't jump when starting up IS. Overall, even though it's not Canon's latest version, it still does a very fantastic job and allows me to achieve the good results I need.
Ultrasonic Motor - The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM features Canon's USM mechanism. It uses the ring USM mechanism, which allows for full-time manual focusing. The focus is also lightning fast and virtually silent. The hit rate is very good. I would like to note that I always use the center focus point selected in my camera. Even in darker settings, the lens focuses very well without hunting. This was an issue I encountered with my old Tamron lens. The focusing does slow a bit in lower light when using the Canon Extender EF 2x II. In optimal light, I find focus to be very fast nonetheless. If you need a lens that focuses very quickly and is dead-on-target 99% of the time, you've got it right here.
*77mm Filter Size - The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens shares the same filter thread size as many other L-Series lenses. Therefore, you can share polarzing filters among the different lenses in an effort to save money. I use the B W MRC 010 UV filter with the lens for added protection. I recommend always using a filter as protection, since this is very expensive glass, and it would be a shame if it got scratched or broken.
*ET-86 Lens Hood - As an L-Series lens, it comes with the Canon ET-86 lens hood. The hood is made of touch plastic, and has the felt material on the inside. It helps to reduce flare and also works as added protection. I always use the hood with the lens. Since it doesn't seem to flare significantly, I can imagine that you use the lens without the hood if you need to (Unlike the 17-55mm).
*Canon Tripod Collar - The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM comes with a tripod so that if you use a tripod, you can attach the lens, and not camera to the tripod. This makes sure that such a heavy lens doesn't rip the lens mount out of your camera. This may be an issue with cheaper plastic bodies like a Digital Rebel. I do not use a tripod and leave the collar off when using the lens.
*Lens Case - And it just keeps coming! The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM comes with a fairly large and nicely-made case so that you can carry the lens. It includes zippers, so unlike an over-sized pouch, it is secure. I'm not a fan of the peach color, however. But it is nice for Canon to include it. The lens lives at the bottom of my LowerPro 200AW bag, so the case sits in my closet for now. Nonetheless, it is a nice addition for those that wish to carry the lens separately.
-PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES-
Before talking about the image quality, I wanted to talk about something that I noticed with this lens. I like to take my camera every time I go to an event with people. Usually I take it with friends, and they know I like taking pictures. Sometimes I take it to family events, and they know I like to take pictures. I also took it to other events with people I know, but not that I know very well. On two occassions, when I took the lens out, people were shocked by it. They made comments saying, "Are you trying to take pictures of the pores on my face?" as well as other similar things. People were made so uncomfortable by this lens that they would cover themselves up if I wanted to take a picture. Therefore, on two occassions, my camera found itself in my bag for the rest of the night.
I am not saying this as a joke or I'm not trying to be funny. But seriously speaking, this lens can make many people feel uneasy. My 17-55mm already made some people feel uncomfortable because of large front element and large lens hood. The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM does this even more due to the off-white color, large front element, and its massive size. Since many people assume its a super telephoto because of its size, they may become even more uncomfortable.
Therefore, when taking pictures with those unfamiliar with SLR's, you might get a bit of a backlash. Believe me, this can be an intimidating lens if you do not understand what exactly it is.
-IMAGE QUALITY-
--The Good Stuff--
The Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM produces excellent results. Professionals rely on this lens to make money, and without a doubt it does the job quite well. It's not exactly perfect, but it is close.
*Color Rendition - The color rendition is excellent. Colors are very vibrant and the contrast is quite good. I shoot all images in RAW and modify them in DXO Optics v4.5. I use Fuji S5 color rendition (for realistic skin tones) and boost the saturation. I am able to get astonishing colors out of this. I feel that the colors stand out, and say, "Hey! Look at me!" I felt that my old Tamron lens was a bit more neutral. If you are looking for extremely vibrant colors, then this is a good lens. The colors were similar to the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens.
*Sharpness - Sharpness is very good, especially when stopped down one f-stop. I find images under f4.0 to be a bit soft (except in portraits?). They still look better than results I had with consumer lenses, but I find my Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens to be much sharper wide-open. So here is the issue. When I researched this lens, I looked at the ISO 12233 charts at The Digital Picture (A great website). The F2.8L variant appeared much softer than the F4L. Though these tests in fact are very hard on optical performance. Even the 17-55mm didn't look too impressive on the site. Photozone.de also said that on an APS-C camera, the lens is a bit soft. I do find this to be the case when shooting at a party, so I do not open up the aperture any wider than f4.0. But strangely enough, when I shoot portraits at f2.8, I receive the "perfect" level of sharpness where the image is sharp enough to be satisfactory, and there are no complaints of blemishes coming out (I get this with the 17-55mm). So therefore, I don't know why there is the discrepancy between candid "party shots" versus portraits. Maybe it is my technique. After all, I am using a telephoto with a narrow depth of field. So perhaps it does take technique to get used to this. Maybe I am not focusing properly? I feel that with time, when I master this lens well, I will get the full benefits. Otherwise, when the lens is stopped down to f4.0 and beyond, I get very sharp images. However, at f4.0, while images are sharp, I do not get complaints of blemishes. Therefore, I do essentially find the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens to be sharper overall. Though, I can't actually compare them since they are very different lenses. Overall, sharpness is very good. Wide-open softness (shooting parties and what not) I am assuming is due to my technique since I have excellent sharpness wide-open when shooting portraits. At f4.0 though, regardless of technique, I have very sharp images. I always apply sharpening in DXO Optics, but only in small amounts as to not over-sharpen the image.
*Bokeh - This is by far my most favorite lens to use when taking portraits that involve anything including the shoulders and above. Bokeh is the blurring of the background when the subject being photographed is isolated. Good bokeh is when the small circles are smoothly rounded, harsh bokeh is when there are rough edges. At f2.8, the lens helps create dreamy smooth bokeh. The bokeh is made up of perfectly rounded circles, so that there is no harshness in it. I have received many compliments on this, especially when using flowers in the background. Even when the lens is stopped down, I still find the bokeh to be very good. Without a doubt, this lens helps to create phenomenal portraits, and if you shoot portraits a lot, it is worth purchasing over the F4L variant.
*Macro - This is not a dedicated macro lens. It does allow for decent macro shots at 200mm when standing 1.4m from the subject. I have taken very good flower shots, but I do want to be able to focus closer. I will purchase extension tubes and see how that works.
*Teleconverter - When using this with the Canon Extender EF 2x II, I found the results to be acceptable. I would have been unhappy with the results in JPEG, but RAW gave me the flexibility to do heavy editing in DXO Optics. Color saturation remains very good while sharpness and contrast take a hit. I still found sharpness to be acceptable when using the lens at f8.0. Therefore, I would recommend keeping the camera in aperture priority mode, and shooting at f8.0 for a maximum aperture. The teleconverter works seamlessly, where the EXIF data is relayed. Unfortunately, DXO Optics recognizes the lens as a "140-400mm" and therefore is unable to do more fine-tuned corrections.
Overall, the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM has excellent optical quality. The color saturation is breath-taking and the contrast is quite good. I am unsure about the sharpness wide-open. I find it frustrating that I have excellent sharpness when taking portraits, but not at events. I think this might be due to my technique though. Otherwise, sharpness on this lens is very good, especially when stopped down one f-stop to f4.0. The wide-aperture combined with 3-stop Image Stabilization helps to take excellent pictures under low-light conditions. If you need excellent photos from indoor events, this may be the perfect lens.
--The Bad Stuff--
No lens is perfect, and the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM is no exception.
*Sharpness - The ISO 12233 charts at the Digital Picture do not look too impressive. Some review sites say the lens is soft wide open. My party images are soft wide-open yet my portraits are sharp. Hmm... I'll let you decide on this one. I guess the best thing to do is try out the lens, and see how it goes. Nonetheless, when stopped down, the lens performs extremely well as you would expect it to.
*Chromatic Aberration (CA) - This is the fringing of colors. This is a defect. CA makes images seem softer due to the color fringing. I noticed small amounts of CA, but have been able to correct this through DXO Optics to achieve sharp images. I also had to look very hard to notice this. In terms of purple fringing, the most dreaded form of CA, it is not present. Therefore, in terms of chromatic aberration, it is well-controlled in this lens.
*Distortion - In order to test for distortion, I looked at the image before and after in DXO Optics. There is virtually no barrel distortion with this lens. This is a non-issue. There is very little for DXO to correct.
*Vignetting - Vignetting is the darker corners that you see at the edges of the frame. There is no visible vignetting present in the photos that I have taken.
*Lens Flare - Lens flare is very well-controlled. The hood does a very good job. I have only received lens flare when pointing the lens directly into sunlight. The Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens is far more prone to flare than the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM. I haven't used this lens outdoors without the hood, but am assuming that flare would remain well-controlled.
-THE VERDICT-
Is the Canon EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM lens all it is cracked up to be? Well, you can see that this lens helps many professionals make a living. And it does a pretty fine job doing that! The lens has a high-quality magnesium body that is fully weather-sealed (On the EOS 1D) with a gorgeous off-white finish. It is built to take professional abuse and to take pictures in all parts of the world. The optical performance is excellent. Colors and contrast are very good. I don't know whether the lens is soft or not wide-open since I receive different results depending on the types of shots I am taking. I feel that my technique might be problematic since I am still only an amateur. Otherwise, stopped-down to f4.0, sharpness is excellent. The f2.8 aperture also gives the lens excellent low-light performance and it makes it an ideal zoom lens for portraits. This lens works very well combined with the Canon EF-S 17-55mm f2.8 IS USM Lens on an APS-C camera, and with the Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L USM on a full-frame. This lens is a must-have for wedding photographers and those that shoot indoors. This lens is not for nature photographers. It was very frustrating using this lens to capture animals outside the zoo. Luckily, it can be used with the Canon Extender EF 2x II, though the image quality does take a hit. Is the lens worth $1,700? Yes, for everything it does, especially since it does it well, it definitely is.
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