Canon Store having refurb sale right now

[ahsanford]

As some of you may know, Canon sells refurbished gear at attractive prices.  Coming form Canon, these items are usually as functional as new.

When they put a sale on top of a refurb price, the good lenses disappear immediately.

Some of the prices summarized:  http://www.the-digital-picture.com/News/News-Post.aspx?News=4467

Actual store link for lenses:  http://shop.usa.canon.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductListingViewAll_10051_10051_-1_22751?WT.mc_id=C126149

Of note, some ultra-rare (to the refurb store) L lenses are still in stock, including the 100L Macro for $713 and the 35L for $1005.  Both are stellar deals.

- A   

[Policar]

Passed on the 135 L but sort of regret it. Just for reference, how much better is this than the 70-200mm f2.8 L (non-IS) at 135mm? Is it much smaller? I dislike the weight of the zoom.

[bdunbar79]

Passed on the 135 L but sort of regret it. Just for reference, how much better is this than the 70-200mm f2.8 L (non-IS) at 135mm? Is it much smaller? I dislike the weight of the zoom.

It's better than that zoom lens at 135.  It's really, really sharp at f/2, f/2.2, f/2.5, where the zoom can't go if that tells you anything.  I also like the color and contrast better using the 135L.  It is smaller and lighter than the zoom.  However, as you already know, it's much less flexible than the zoom.  The zoom is also sharp and a great lens, it's just the 135L at 135 is better.

[Policar]

Thanks. Maybe I'll have to pick one up next time they're on sale. But even $700 is a lot to spend to get slightly better IQ and an extra stop at one focal length I already have covered decently. But it does look like a much nicer lenses for what it does.

The 100mm f2.8 macro is my other most-wanted and it was in stock, too. Hmm.

[Mt Spokane Photography]

They actually start the sales late Saturday night, and many, if not most of the highly desirable lenses are gone by Sunday Morning.
I did get a 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L MK II last time, I'm hoping for a 24-70 MK II, the old 24-70 was up on the site briefly a couple of months back.

[bdunbar79]

Thanks. Maybe I'll have to pick one up next time they're on sale. But even $700 is a lot to spend to get slightly better IQ and an extra stop at one focal length I already have covered decently. But it does look like a much nicer lenses for what it does.

The 100mm f2.8 macro is my other most-wanted and it was in stock, too. Hmm.

I agree with your diminishing returns concern.  If you do not need to go the extra stop, I wouldn't do it.  I had to because I was shooting in unacceptable lighting for sports and had to f/2.2, just to keep ISO at 5000.  Only then did I discover how sharp the lens was.  However, that was sort of a by-product for what I was using it.  I agree the IQ gains may not be enough to warrant its purchase. 

The opposite is true on the lower end.  The new 24-70L II zoom lens is better than the 24L, 35L, and 50L stopped down, by what my eye detects to be quite signficant on my files.  In your case, not so dramatic.

[bwfishing]

I think they have been running a sale at the end of the month for the last few months or is it me? Around the 22-24th...

[Darkmatter]

I see at the top in the address that it says USA.

Does this mean that you can't buy any of their refurb stuff if your from Canada?

[Policar]

Thanks. Maybe I'll have to pick one up next time they're on sale. But even $700 is a lot to spend to get slightly better IQ and an extra stop at one focal length I already have covered decently. But it does look like a much nicer lenses for what it does.

The 100mm f2.8 macro is my other most-wanted and it was in stock, too. Hmm.

I agree with your diminishing returns concern.  If you do not need to go the extra stop, I wouldn't do it.  I had to because I was shooting in unacceptable lighting for sports and had to f/2.2, just to keep ISO at 5000.  Only then did I discover how sharp the lens was.  However, that was sort of a by-product for what I was using it.  I agree the IQ gains may not be enough to warrant its purchase. 

The opposite is true on the lower end.  The new 24-70L II zoom lens is better than the 24L, 35L, and 50L stopped down, by what my eye detects to be quite signficant on my files.  In your case, not so dramatic.

The 135mm f2 does seem like a uniquely nice portrait lens, though. I mostly shoot video (with a C100) so I try to find lenses that are useful for both video and stills and both 1x and 1.5x crop sensors, but unfortunately leaning heavily on my video needs means I've amassed a lot of subpar lenses for stills (like the Samyangs, which are useless for stills, and their 24mm f1.4 is just poor optically). The 24-70mm II looks like the lens to have for stills, but for video it's not so nice.

Maybe I'll pick up a refurbished 50mm f1.4 to replace the 50mm f1.8 that has bokeh I can't stand when stopped down, though. Or splurge on the Sigma, which seems rather special. Choices...

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I see at the top in the address that it says USA.

Does this mean that you can't buy any of their refurb stuff if your from Canada?

That's true, unless you can have it shipped to a friend in the USA.