70-200mm options

[davidd]

Morning folks...

I have, for an age fancied a canon 70-200 2.8 IS... Mainly for fast moving stuff (animals, cars, children etc) outside and the odd event indoors like Childrens assemblies etc.

The mkII is canon version is nearly £2k, if I forgo IS then it is about half, or I can look at sigma..

http://www.carmarthencameras.co.uk/product.php/316...

Which seems to be a lot less, and has IS...

I am a wobbly so and so but this will be going on an 5d3 so I can shove the iso up and generally have decent shutter speed..

I would appreciate thoughts from you lot.

cheers

D

[paul13walnut5]

I can only speak for my own usage of the 70-200 f2.8 (nonIS)

Great lens great price.

If you use a UV or skylight its better at f4.  If not it's good from wide open.

Doesn't hold back focus as you zoom -be careful if using for video.  If you change focal length, you'll need to refocus.

Not weather sealed (all of the IS 70-200's are)

The f4 IS is reputed to be marginally sharper and is weather sealed.  If you don't really really need f2.8 it's also roughly the same price.

You have the canon in your head, and you can't go wrong really, if you buy the sigma, which I'm sure based on my own experience of Sigma EX lenses will be very good, the canon will still be in your head.

[neuroanatomist]

With a 5DIII and not as much worry about bumping up the ISO, I'd be inclined to the f/4 IS version. If you intend some portrait use, though, I'd hold out for the f/2.8 IS II - it's really a stellar lens.

[RJSY]

+1 what neuro said...

[AdamJ]

Since you say you're wobbly, I'd firmly recommend at least a monopod if you go for the non-IS. Hand-held, I doubt you would ever see the benefit of its superior optics compared with the similarly priced Sigma f/2.8 OS. Personally, at that price point I would choose either the Sigma or the Canon f/4 IS.

On a related note, I don't buy into the 1/focal length shutter speed rule for non-stabilised lenses. With today's sensor resolution, you can detect camera movement at higher shutter speeds than that. I haven't done the math but I'm sure someone here could calculate how many pixel-widths of blur you get if your 5DIII's sensor shifts by 1 mm or rotates by 1 degree during exposure at 200mm with a subject 10m away.

[Razor2012]

I have the 5DIII & 70-200 2.8II, it's a killer combo.  In low light that lens rocks, and with the MKIII, no flash required. 

[cezargalang]

I have the version 2, and if you really dont want to worry about much when shooting, guess it's the version you should get. I burrowed a mark3(cause i only have a mk2) with the version2 and it was just a breeze to use

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've owned all three of the canon 70-200mm f/2.8 (more than one of each model), and one f/4 IS.  All are very good, but for pure IQ, I'd rank them like this.  I haven't owned the f/4 non is, but it is not as good as the IS version according to all the lens testers.
 
Its really hard to go wrong, but if you want to use a TC at 200mm, I'd avoid the f/2.8 IS MK I.
 
1.  f/2.8 IS MK II - Supurb
 
2.  f/4 IS - Suburb (close Second)
 
3.  fl2.8 Non IS - Excellent +
 
4.  f/2.8 IS MK I - A very fine lens, weakest at 200mm