Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

catza.net photos: Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM

• a lens that many dream about
• estimated retail price 2000 EUR
• in my use from 6/2008 to 11/2008
• I still have mixed feelings about this lens: you don't really know how it fits to your style of shooting until you try it

• perhaps the best zoom lens available offering a mixture of good low light performance and high image quality combined with the versatility of a zoom
• top-notch mechanical construction
• colors, definition and bokeh are in par with the best primes like Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM and Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM
• from f/5.6 the sharpness and contrast are in par with the best primes like Canon EF 135mm f/2.0 L USM and Canon EF 200mm f/2.8 L II USM
• IS works well
• you will look like a pro

• the weight slowed me down too much when shooting
• is a pain to be carried around due to its size and weight
• due to weight the lens is not recommended for the smallest bodies (Canon xxxxD and xxxD series) and I recommend to use a battery grip with medium-sized bodies (Canon xxD series)
• although sharp enough wide open (f/2.8) the primes are still sharper at f/2.8 (even mid-priced primes)
• when the light goes down you can stretch it with f/2.8 and IS but f/1.8 and f/1.4 primes (50 mm and 85 mm) will soon start to outperform