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

Jul 21, 2010
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I started out using this lens on my 7D, where to be honest, I found the focal length to be a bit 'awkward' - often too long for indoor use (where the f/2.8 is useful), often too short for birds/wildlife. I found it most useful for outdoor event shooting. However, once I added a 5DII to my kit, the 70-200mm focal length became a lot more useful, and the f/2.8, excellent IS system (the first shot below was a 0.5 s exposure taken handheld!), and ISO capabilities of the 5DII make it an extremely versatile lens.

Here are a few shots to start off the thread, the first few from various locations in China, and then a few 'local' shots:


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 95mm, 1/2 s, f/5.6, ISO 100


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 190mm, 1/200 s, f/25, ISO 250


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 70mm, 1/400 s, f/2.8, ISO 100


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 200mm, 1/200 s, f/5.6, ISO 100


EOS 7D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS USM + EF 1.4x II Extender @ 280mm, 1/2000 s, f/6.3, ISO 3200


EOS 5D Mark II, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM @ 70mm, 1/640 s, f/2.8, ISO 100


EOS 7D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS USM @ 200mm, 1/250 s, f/2.8, ISO 200
 
Dec 13, 2010
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Both shot on a 1d4 + 70-200 II. The AF when these two get together is better than anything I have ever tried, it demolishes my 300 f2,8 L IS in accuracy, and that is one freakishly great lens. I find the 91-260mm focal just right for fast action use. Perfect in studio with the 5d2, not so great on a 1,6 crop, to little background blur and just long and longer focal.

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and1.jpg
 
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leGreve

Full time photographer and film maker omnifilm.dk
Nov 6, 2010
308
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Denmark
vimeo.com
Since this is my favorite lens I might as well chip in with some shots...

Beauty shot with flash around f/4.5, at 1/160 with extension ring on to get closer.

IamNoxious shot on f/11 at 1/160

DJ guy shot around f/8 at 1/40
 

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K3nt

"No good photo goes unnoticed!"
Feb 3, 2011
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My first attempts with this wonderful lens, c&c is more than welcome, hope to improve with your help :)


IMG_5424 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5433 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5447 - Version 2 by SphinXRa


IMG_5522 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5466 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5455 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5436 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5409 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5405 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5371 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5327 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5317 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5296 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5204 by SphinXRa, on Flickr


IMG_5078 - Version 2 by SphinXRa, on Flickr
 
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E

elmo2006

Guest
All shot with my trusty lil Canon 450D - LOL!
I love this lens.
I could go on and on but then I'd be considered *greedy*.


A different perspective by icymonkey, on Flickr


At home, on the beach, a 1000 miles away from anywhere! by icymonkey, on Flickr


“I'm not really a heavy smoker any more. I only get through two lighters a day now.” ~ Bill Hicks by icymonkey, on Flickr


The CN Tower....as seen from the CNE Fairgrounds by icymonkey, on Flickr


Exhibition Place - Princess Gates by icymonkey, on Flickr

The last image was handheld whereas two others were shooting with tripods and they were enamoured by this lens.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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In a previous thread, kubelik got very nice results with the 2x III Extender and the 70-200 II. Based on that and other reports that the 70-200 II holds up better than other zoom lenses when it comes to teleconverters, I decided to pick up an EF 2x II Extender (not the MkIII) to use with my 70-200 II as a weather-sealed alternative to my 100-400. In fact, a 2x Extender and a 70-200/2.8 IS (I or II) is the only way to get to 400mm with weather-sealing (keeping AF on a non-1-series body) short of spending >$5K on a supertele).

My first impression (after one day of shooting with the combo, and no 'formal' testing which I'll get to at some point), is that the 70-200 II + 2x II performs pretty well!

Here's one of my first few shots with the combo - an Eastern Towhee on a walk through the rain yesterday (shot is uncropped):


EOS 7D, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L II IS USM + EF 2x II Extender @ 400mm, 1/160 s, f/5.6, ISO 3200
 
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Admin US West

CR Pro
Nov 30, 2010
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neuroanatomist said:
In a previous thread, kubelik got very nice results with the 2x III Extender and the 70-200 II. Based on that and other reports that the 70-200 II holds up better than other zoom lenses when it comes to teleconverters, I decided to pick up an EF 2x II Extender (not the MkIII) to use with my 70-200 II as a weather-sealed alternative to my 100-400. In fact, a 2x Extender and a 70-200/2.8 IS (I or II) is the only way to get to 400mm with weather-sealing (keeping AF on a non-1-series body) short of spending >$5K on a supertele).

My first impression (after one day of shooting with the combo, and no 'formal' testing which I'll get to at some point), is that the 70-200 II + 2x II performs pretty well!

Here's one of my first few shots with the combo - an Eastern Towhee on a walk through the rain yesterday (shot is uncropped):

When you get a chance, try low light AF in the evening while there is enough light, but its getting dim. Although my lens was wonderfully sharp, it failed to AF in diminishing light while my 100-400mm did fine with and without a 1.4x. That was part of the reason I returned it, along with the fact that I felt uncomfortable packing it around.
You might have different results.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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scalesusa said:
When you get a chance, try low light AF in the evening while there is enough light, but its getting dim. Although my lens was wonderfully sharp, it failed to AF in diminishing light while my 100-400mm did fine with and without a 1.4x. That was part of the reason I returned it, along with the fact that I felt uncomfortable packing it around.
You might have different results.

You mean the 70-200 II had trouble focusing in dim light with the bare lens, or with a 2x extender, or both? I haven't tried with the extender, but the 70-200 II on my 7D focuses well in dim light (outside 30' after sunset) and on my 5DII (indoors in dim light).

Why were you uncomfortable carrying it around? It's basically the same size as the 100-400. Or, do you mean carrying the 70-200 II and the 100-400?
 
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Admin US West

CR Pro
Nov 30, 2010
834
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neuroanatomist said:
scalesusa said:
When you get a chance, try low light AF in the evening while there is enough light, but its getting dim. Although my lens was wonderfully sharp, it failed to AF in diminishing light while my 100-400mm did fine with and without a 1.4x. That was part of the reason I returned it, along with the fact that I felt uncomfortable packing it around.
You might have different results.

You mean the 70-200 II had trouble focusing in dim light with the bare lens, or with a 2x extender, or both? I haven't tried with the extender, but the 70-200 II on my 7D focuses well in dim light (outside 30' after sunset) and on my 5DII (indoors in dim light).

Why were you uncomfortable carrying it around? It's basically the same size as the 100-400. Or, do you mean carrying the 70-200 II and the 100-400?

I meant with the 1.4X and 2X extenders. I bought the 70-200mm f/2.8 MK II thinking that it might be nearly as good as my 100-400mm L at 400mm. I use a 1D MK III which focuses pretty well in low light, but was suprised to find that the MKII seemed to struggle, in fact, it would not AF at all, while my 100-400 worked just fine when I removed the MK II and put on the 100-400 with a 1.4X TC. I tried on the 5D MK II as well, but it was getting darker fast, so the lighting had changed too much to make a comparison.

Not scientific, but I was a bit suprised.
 
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great pictures ions! what's the distance between you and your subjects? did you use an extender or have you cropped the images? i'm curious because a couple of weeks ago i used the lens (at 200mm) to capture a deer, but i really couldn't get close enough to get a nice shot :( since then i'm considering to get a 400mm f/5.6
 
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oninspiratieloos said:
great pictures ions! what's the distance between you and your subjects? did you use an extender or have you cropped the images? i'm curious because a couple of weeks ago i used the lens (at 200mm) to capture a deer, but i really couldn't get close enough to get a nice shot :( since then i'm considering to get a 400mm f/5.6

Thank you! :) The animals in that set were taken at a wildlife refuge in Ontario where we were allowed in the pens with them. Although they are kinda domesticated they are still technically wild animals and we had to keep a bit of distance. That said the lighter wolf passed so closely that she was too close for the MFD of the lens at one point.

And for sure, if you want to photograph animals in the wild you're going to need to go much longer unless you go to places where you can get a bit closer because they're used to people. Unfortunately I do not own this lens, the above shots were with a rental, but when I do get it, and I will, I will also pick up the 2.0 extender III for that extra reach.
 
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