buying advice: 24-70 2.8 v1 or v2

[chasinglight]

Hi, I am on the fence about which to get for an admittedly silly reason: filter size. The majority of all my lenses and filters are 77mm. The issue with the filter size is two fold: 1) I hate to buy filters over again in 82mm 2) when traveling bringing filters in another size is an annoyance.

So the question is for those that have owned both lenses, is the v2 thaat much better (IQ and AF) than the v1? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[Khalai]

There is a significant IQ improvement as well as noticeable less weight in the v2 lens. Filter thread is annoying however, if you have the rest of the crowd 77mm.

Do you need that f/2.8 speed? You could get e.g. 24-70/4L IS, save some money, weight and use the filters you already have...

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I've owned five version 1 24-70L lenses, and did not like any of them. The one MK II version I have is much better.

I'd stay away from a used version 1, there are lots of subtle issues that can cost you $$$ to get repaired. If you can pick up one for a low enough price to cover repairs, then its still a marginal lens.

I don't use a filter on mine.

 

[chasinglight]

There is a significant IQ improvement as well as noticeable less weight in the v2 lens. Filter thread is annoying however, if you have the rest of the crowd 77mm.

Do you need that f/2.8 speed? You could get e.g. 24-70/4L IS, save some money, weight and use the filters you already have...

Thanks for your advice. Yes, the main reason I am looking is for f/2.8 for shooting in lower light situations. I already have the 24-105 f/4 so despite any advantages of the 24-70 f/4 IS I have not considered it.

 

[Freddie]

I had a V.1...

When it was six-months-old, the lens hood mounting ring fell off. We were just leaving for Alaska within days of that event so, needless to say, it didn't make the trip.
I have no experience with the V.2 lens. I did sell my V.1 and get the 24-105 which was lighter, smaller, cheaper, and, unexpectedly, just as sharp.
If you need the f/2.8, I have only hearsay that the V.2 is somewhat sharper.
Here is a comparison page.
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=114&Camera=9&Sample=0&FLI=0&API=0&LensComp=412&CameraComp=0&FLIComp=0&APIComp=0

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Hi, I am on the fence about which to get for an admittedly silly reason: filter size. The majority of all my lenses and filters are 77mm. The issue with the filter size is two fold: 1) I hate to buy filters over again in 82mm 2) when traveling bringing filters in another size is an annoyance.

So the question is for those that have owned both lenses, is the v2 thaat much better (IQ and AF) than the v1? Thanks in advance for your help.

OTOH, swapping filters from lens to lens is a major annoyance and quite slow. So each time you say swap from 16-35 f/4 IS to 24-70 II and back you have to waste a lot longer time which gets to be a drag.

Monetarily it's very nasty, but it's way, way more convenient in my opinion to drag a few extra filters along than to constantly swap filters back and forth every lens change.

And the 24-70 II is so much better! It even has better AF (at least paired with a recent body like the 5D3 or 1DX that can make use of ultra-precision AF motor breaking slippage data). Apparently the Mark I is prone to internal stud breakage which makes it go soft at one end too. The Mark II appears to be better built internally.

 

[kbmelb]

I owned the 24-70 v1 for years but was always reluctant to use it. I'd only use it for event coverage. When shots really mattered, I'd have two cameras with two primes, either 35, 50, or 85 depending on the situation because I thought the 24-70 IQ was terrible.

Now, in my opinion the 24-70 v2 give prime like image quality through the range. It is very impressive.

I rarely use filters so 82mm is not an issue. I may finally pony up for a polarizer now that I have two lenses to share it between.

The latest crop of zooms from Canon are blowing me away. My collection of primes is dwindling. 135 was a casualty of the 70-200mkII. Now the 35 might be on the auction block.

 

[martti]

Be careful with the old version. The front element goes very easily out of alignment. There are lots of bad samples around. The new version is much sturdier construction and the picture quality is a lot better.
I have had the old version now 8 years, it has been repaired many times and now it is OK again.
I am not professional so for me the quality is good enough. Otherwise, no question about it, the version II.