Canon EF 24-70 f/2.8L II Announced

[dstppy]

Looking at the chart, the optics seem much improved.  Is it worth the price?  Not sure to most, but it looks like they took a great lens and made it even better, IS or no IS

Agreed, I was looking at the charts, and the new lens is astounding compared to the current generation.

Current 24-70mm Overview - MTF

New 24-70mm Overview - MTF

How to read WTF Charts

WTF charts? 

Aren't those what Neuro posts with his awesome detailed posts?

Re: price, I think Canon heard too much about the one-percenters in the news and is trying to tap some of that market   Lenses are looking like cars do with me, every time I go to buy a nice car, I save up the money, and it's 3 years later and now the prices are much higher . . . back to saving for lenses I guess.

[Caps18]

Ah, so we get to thank the idiots on Wall Street and the Federal Reserve for f**king up the price by devaluing the US dollar.

And the thousands of Americans who were dumb enough to purchase a zero interest mortgage that they couldn't afford. If you're adult enough to buy a house, you should be able to look at the monthly payments and figure out that you can't afford them.

Nobody ever blames the real estate speculators.  The people you bought 1,2, or 10 homes and condos (some even before they were built), and caused demand to go up along with the prices.  Look at what cities were the most effected, Miami, Phoenix, Vegas, etc... There might have been a few poor people getting liar loans, but the majority were well off people buying homes to flip and make a quick buck off.


Anyways, the only way this lens would have been worth $2300 is if it had IS, had been a f/2, or had internal zoom.

[DzPhotography]

Anyways, the only way this lens would have been worth $2300 is if it had IS, had been a f/2, or had internal zoom.

f/2? 

[TokyoDekopon]

For those who are wondering about this new pricing, it is due to the very weak USD and Euro against the strong Japanese Yen in recent years.
The price of this new 24-70L II is actually almost the same as the current 24-70L in Yen on the website of Canon Japan (current 24-70L is 220,000 yen and new 24-70L II is 230,000 yen). The prices of many Canon products are based on Yen. Back in 2002 when Canon released the current 24-70L, 1 USD was 125 yen but today 1 USD is worth only 75 yen.

Ah, so we get to thank the idiots on Wall Street and the Federal Reserve for f**king up the price by devaluing the US dollar.

Yes indeed, as we can see from Canon's recent financial reports, they have been losing a lot of money because of the weak USD and Euro since the Lehman shock. So people should not think that the optics has improved greatly enough to justify the great difference in price. The "real" price difference in quality from the current version is actually just 10,000 yen (130 USD), the rest of the price difference is just to compensate the weak USD. For the Japanese market, this is a fantastic upgrade with a negligible price difference from the current version.

This means that we might also see a big jump in USD price for the new versions of the other old L-lenses and even for the 5D Mark II successor due to the devalued USD.

[Wrathwilde]

WTF charts? 

Aren't those what Neuro posts with his awesome detailed posts?

Re: price, I think Canon heard too much about the one-percenters in the news and is trying to tap some of that market   Lenses are looking like cars do with me, every time I go to buy a nice car, I save up the money, and it's 3 years later and now the prices are much higher . . . back to saving for lenses I guess.

Sorry I type on a Dvorak keyboard, the M and the W are right next to each other, slip of the finger for unintentional hilarity.

[EYEONE]

It's awesome that we care more about IS than improved IQ. This lens needed optical improvement and it looks like it got it. Bravo Canon. I'll take one! Well, when I need one that is.

[Justin]

I couldn't even read any comments. Once I read that the price of this lens was only $700 less than the new D800 36 mpx camera from Nikon, weather sealed, 100% viewfinder, DX crop built in, etc etc etc my heart sank. IN a marketplace there is no room for loyalty to a brand. My brand has left me behind. This lens appears to be evidence of the wrongheadedness of this company. NO IS! $2300! Astounding.

[7enderbender]

This is very disappointing. And now my window of opportunity is starting to close down on getting an original 24-70. And with the ridiculous price tag I don't see prices for the original go down. In fact, I see a potential that prices may go up once people realize what we might be looking at here: yet another cheapened plastic lens build to increase profit margins.

[Justin]

Global marketplaces call for global manufacturing and distribution. Would alleviate some of these yen problems the Japanese have been suffering through for god knows how many years.

They will figure out when actual demand for this lens is much lower than the pent up demand would otherwise predict that they don't know how to price a lens for a pro market.

Is it just me (and I am mad, so I'll be the first to admit I'm being emotional, but this emotion has been building for years, believe me) or is this company completely out of step? Can't deliver lenses announced over a year and a half ago. Can't get regular releases on their cameras. Can't price lens upgrades at less than an ~80% premium over their replacement's price. No answer to the Nikon 800D. Odd lens upgrades. Blaming woes on the Yen. Who wouldn't be fed up?

For those who are wondering about this new pricing, it is due to the very weak USD and Euro against the strong Japanese Yen in recent years.
The price of this new 24-70L II is actually almost the same as the current 24-70L in Yen on the website of Canon Japan (current 24-70L is 220,000 yen and new 24-70L II is 230,000 yen). The prices of many Canon products are based on Yen. Back in 2002 when Canon released the current 24-70L, 1 USD was 125 yen but today 1 USD is worth only 75 yen.

[Macadameane]

That settles it, I will get a 70-200 before a 24-70.  Perhaps the price is high because they want people to buy it as a kit with the new 5D camera.  Hopefully if that is the case, it will be heavily discounted.

[gene_can_sing]

This is one really expensive lens, especially considering you have to move up to 82mm filters. From 77mm (which is what all my filters are at) to 82mm is a pretty big jump in price, not to mention a whole new set of filters to carry around.

And as everyone has mentioned, no IS = No Go.

[ions]

I'm a bit disappointed too for some of the above reasons listed - no IS, 82mm filter size and certainly the price is a disappointing surprise. That said, it looks like it will be a strong performer. The problem, I think, is that Canon DID listen to its customers and since people are stupid that was a mistake. What was one of the loudest complaints about the Mk I? "It's too heavy! I'm frail and can't lift anything for very long and it would never cross my mind to work out even just a little bit so I could hold a camera for more than a half hour without whining like an annoying weakling." Isn't that the biggest complaint everyone has with the fantastically performing 70-200 Mk II? So, they made The Brick smaller and lighter. Features add weight. Kinda sucks that we get less than we could have because of loud whiny weaklings.

The benefit for those of us with Mk Is that we're more or less happy with is that the new version doesn't necessarily pack enough of a punch to motivate immediate upgrade. We can sit back and use what we have while we wait and see how well the new boy performs. Even wait it out until a few are on the used market. I'm skeptical that the Tamron is gonna blow my mind enough to make that switch.

For the record I have no problem using a 7D with the 24-70 Mk I mounted for an extended period, the 70-200 Mk II gets a bit heavy after a couple hours of shooting but I've let myself get into "photographer shape" I guess.

[7enderbender]

Global marketplaces call for global manufacturing and distribution. Would alleviate some of these yen problems the Japanese have been suffering through for god knows how many years.

They will figure out when actual demand for this lens is much lower than the pent up demand would otherwise predict that they don't know how to price a lens for a pro market.

Is it just me (and I am mad, so I'll be the first to admit I'm being emotional, but this emotion has been building for years, believe me) or is this company completely out of step? Can't deliver lenses announced over a year and a half ago. Can't get regular releases on their cameras. Can't price lens upgrades at less than an ~80% premium over their replacement's price. No answer to the Nikon 800D. Odd lens upgrades. Blaming woes on the Yen. Who wouldn't be fed up?

For those who are wondering about this new pricing, it is due to the very weak USD and Euro against the strong Japanese Yen in recent years.
The price of this new 24-70L II is actually almost the same as the current 24-70L in Yen on the website of Canon Japan (current 24-70L is 220,000 yen and new 24-70L II is 230,000 yen). The prices of many Canon products are based on Yen. Back in 2002 when Canon released the current 24-70L, 1 USD was 125 yen but today 1 USD is worth only 75 yen.

I'm pro trade and for open markets. BUT - there are certain things that I don't want quite yet from China. I want my cameras from Japan or Germany. I want my guitars made in America. And in comparison to what my friends in Europa are paying for their cameras we're still looking good here.
What I find more disappointing is the obvious fact that they are asking for a premium on what is obviously a lens that has even more plastic in it. I miss the feel and precision of my FD lenses...

[EchoLocation]

I couldn't even read any comments. Once I read that the price of this lens was only $700 less than the new D800 36 mpx camera from Nikon, weather sealed, 100% viewfinder, DX crop built in, etc etc etc my heart sank. IN a marketplace there is no room for loyalty to a brand. My brand has left me behind. This lens appears to be evidence of the wrongheadedness of this company. NO IS! $2300! Astounding.

Unfortunately, this has crossed my mind as well. The Nikon 24-70 is "only" $1850.

[Dylan777]

No IS = no new lens, save my money for 5D III.

Not to be a trader, but I can't wait to see what Tarmon f2.8 IS has to offer in real life.