70-200mm f/2.8L IS II not fitting securely to 5DMKIII body???

[Gino]

There is a tiny bit of play when my 70-200 lens is attached to my 5DMKIII....and when I say a tiny bit of play, the lens hardly moves, but it is noticeable. This is my second 70-200 lens (I returned the first lens, because it had dust in it), and both lenses had the same amount of play when attached to the camera body. Is this play normal for the 70-200 lens? It doesn't effect the image quality (attached are a few photos I took with the lens).

By the way, my other lenses (24-105 & 50 f/1.4) attach securely to the camera body and do not move at all.

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

There is a tiny hole in the lens part of the mount that is slightly oval in shape. The locking pin from the body drops into the hole to lock the lens.
This allows a tiny bit of rotational play. It has to be that way due to build up of tolerances. Depending on the matchup of tollerances between the camera, lens, and position / size of the hole, there can be some play.
Longtime usage of a large lens usually opens up the hole larger and you get more play. It doesn't hurt anything, and its unlikely to go away unless you match a camera body and a lens.

 

[87vr6]

There is a tiny bit of play when my 70-200 lens is attached to my 5DMKIII....and when I say a tiny bit of play, the lens hardly moves, but it is noticeable. Is this play normal for the 70-200 lens?

It must be. I have a new (one year old) copy of this lens, and noticed the same thing on my 5D2 and now my new 5D3. None of my other lenses exhibit this, but as you said, I cannot discern any difference in IQ.

 

[Viggo]

Same with the ones i have had (4 of them) strange but the 300f2,8 had less play. The 24 has none whatsoever.

 

[Aglet]

all my L lenses have a wee bit of rotational slop on all my bodies.
slightly annoying when working on a tripod. I try to standardize the slop by rotating the body CW when I'm trying to keep my horizons level.

 

[Cannon Man]

My 70-200 2.8 IS II had some play when i had a 5D II but has no play in any of my 1D Mark IV bodies.

 

[bigmag13]

I have that play in my 5D2 and the # with my 70-200mkii doesn't affect photos tho.

 

[jondave]

Rotational play shouldn't be a concern, it's a given due to manufacturing tolerances. Play along the sensor plane is what you should be watching out for, because it's that which will affect the AF and IQ.

 

[pwp]

Like most other posters have indicated, a slight amount of movement is to be expected, even with a brand new lens/body combination. It can be a bit alarming when you first notice it but don't lose any more sleep over it.

-PW

 

[Studio1930]

Yep, all three copies of my 70-200 lenses (v1 and v2) have had some play in them. Never a big deal and never affected images. Smaller lenses don't have the play in them but the heavier/bigger ones do (like my 200 f/2). No worries.

 

[M.ST]

No problems with the EF 70-200 2.8 II in combination with my cameras.

 

[lopicma]

This would be a problem if the lens/body combo is supposed to be weather sealed! I was under the impression all the white "L" series lenses are water sealed. I don't know about the 5D.

 

[Northstar]

Gino...I have the 5d3 and 70-200ii and I also have "play". I noticed it right away when i bought the lens. Like you, I don't get it with any of my 5 other lenses, just the 70-200.

I'll often notice a slight "jiggle" at times when I move the camera or walk around with the lens pointing down.

It bothered me so much at first that I drove to two different camera stores to see if the same thing happened with their demos...it did. Now 6 months later, I've been to several different camera stores and checked them out and every single one had this "play"....including nikons with 70-200 mounted.

It is very normal...I've checked at least a dozen combinations and every single one had some "play".

 

[Studio1930]

This would be a problem if the lens/body combo is supposed to be weather sealed! I was under the impression all the white "L" series lenses are water sealed. I don't know about the 5D.

They are weather sealed, not water sealed. Dust, sand, mist, rain etc.. are mostly blocked. They are certainly not weather/waterproof and care must still be taken. I have been in steady rain as well as off road dust storms without anything getting into my 1 series bodies.

Even with some wiggle I have not had any issues whatsoever with weather getting into the body and affecting the images. A bit of wiggle in the lens/body mount does not mean that it is not still weather sealed.