24-70 2.8 L II - any images/first impressions online?

[squarebox]

Just out of curiosity, how long do you think one might have to wait till we would see a price drop in the new 24-70mkii?

It is not a big difference money wise, but psychologically speaking $1900 and $2200 is huge. I'm just thinking that earlier adopters also lose out more when they decide to sell the lens and trying to hedge my bets just in case.

 

[Bosman]

I came up with this one question:
-Buy old version of 24-70 f2.8 or wait until II comes out?
Both of them got amazing image quality so any thoughts about this, get older for $1299 or get newer for $2299?

Save your dough and get the older version why? Its pretty much a perfect lens, it focusses as fast as my 70-200, no lie i shoot sports with both those lenses and cant see the speed difference. It might be there but i cant discern it.

The new one will be kick butt but IMO not $1000 kick butt. When I get what i do with what i have i dont need it, and i am the beta tester type who has to always have the best and latest. The other thing is i always shoot with a hood on my lens and the old version zooms in and out but you dont notice it on the old 24-70. The new one has the hood locked on to the end of the barrel and the whole hood moves out when you zoom. It looks gay to me and doesn't offer the protection that a hood fixed on the lens protecting the barrel does.
Those are some of my experiences with it. Hopefully new or older version you get exactly the results you are looking for!

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

There aren't big difference between old and new versions:

- MK2 9 blade diaphragm, MK1 have 8
- MK2 18 elements in 13 gropus, MK1 16 in 13.
- MK2 82mm filter, MK1 77mm
- MK2 Inner focusing with USM, MK1 front focusing method
- MK2 805g, MK1 950g

So is $1000 worth to cover those changes

Umm and what about the fact that the MTF charts for the Mk2 totally, utterly blow the Mk1 out of the water? The MTF charts look even better than the Canon 24 1.4 II prime! Of course the real test will be in the real world but it appears as if it may be the sharpest non-esoteric zoom ever made.

This looks to be the standard zoom that may finally deliver on high-density sensor FF like the 5D2/1Ds3/5D3. Pricey, but the MTF charts look so insanely good, it's probably worth it. A few people tried them at shows and said that f/2.8 there was no hint of purple-fringing on specular highlights and it look crazy sharp.