Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L Non-IS USM Telephoto Lens

This Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is a middle child in the extremely popular Canon L Series 70-200mm family. This is the non-IS version. The primary benefit the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L USM Lens has over the non-IS version is IS (Image Stabilization). Apart from that feature, the main difference IS makes is in the around $500 less asking price. Plus unlike its IS sibling, the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is not weather-sealed. Particular care should to be taken in wet circumstances.

This Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L USM Lens is often described as sharper than the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L USM Lens. The difference is believed to be the extra lens elements in the IS version. Even with a 1.4x or 2x extender attached, there does not seem see much dissimilarities between these two 70-200 lenses..

Like all L series lenses, this one is built extremely solid. It may feel fairly large and bulky to those who haven't used L series lenses before. The extra bulk is comes from higher quality glass and the use of more durable materials (metal vs. plastic).

One of the finest telephoto zoom lenses in Canon's EF line, this 70-200mm f/2.8 lens offers comparable optics to a single focal-length lens. The lens employs four UD-glass elements to minimize chromatic aberrations, creating sharp, high-quality images regardless of the application.

The constant f/2.8 maximum aperture, meanwhile, makes the lens extremely popular among professionals. Other features include an inner focusing system with an Ultra Sonic Motor (USM), a 4.9-foot close focusing distance, and a 77mm filter size. The lens--which is compatible with EF 1.4x II and 2x II extenders.

Case and Hood

First(ish) L, April 20, 2009

By Renewed Cynic (California, USA)

I bought this lens just about a month ago after an endorsement from one of the teachers at a photography class I was taking. (The fact that I was taking an introductory photography class should give you some sense of my skill level, and hence perspective...) I'd previously purchased and returned the 300M L, for both quality and usability issues.

I think the quality of L lenses has been covered pretty thoroughly by other reviews here - and this lens certainly lives up to them - so I'll try to give some feedback on usability for other amateur photographers who might have more money than experience.

Most importantly, the 70-200 is far more versatile than the 300mm fixed, even if it doesn't have the reach. I'd also previously purchased the 55-250 S, which literally fell apart after a couple months' of use. I don't see that ever happening with this lens as it's built more solidly than my car, but the shorter reach does come into play more often than I expected. Given the size of this lens, you somehow think it should be able to zoom in to just about anything, but I find that the long end really only covers me to about 25 feet for most of my pictures (flowers, kids, beach, etc.) and that's on a Canon 40D with a 1.6x crop factor (so the equivalent of 320mm lens).

What that ultimately means, though, is that you can use this lens a lot more frequently than you think, you just have to realize that it's probably not going to be for taking pictures of dolphins swimming 50 yards offshore, or your annoying neighbor clipping his toenails in the kitchen. Again. When my one year-old son is running around the front yard, this lens gives me the flexibility to zoom in tight to capture a facial expression or pull back to see the rose bush he's about to run into. The zoom ring is very tight, requiring only about 1/4 turn to go from end to end, so you can get both shots in just a matter of seconds, leaving plenty of time to head to the bathroom for band-aids.

In my (limited) experience, the f/2.8 aperture is great for blurring backgrounds outdoors, but isn't generally fast enough for indoor use unless you're willing to push your ISO up north of 800. For the most part, I still default to my 50mm f/1.4 for indoor picture-taking, but I admittedly don't take many indoor sports pictures, for instance, that might require a longer reach.

The last thing to consider is the weight/IS issue. I find that as long as I can adopt a proper shooting stance, the lens isn't too heavy to get an acceptably sharp hand-held picture at 1/200th of a second. I do notice the weight more when I'm zoomed in, as smaller hand movements result in more pronounced movement of my subject within the frame. The 300mm L that I returned had IS and it certainly made a noticeable difference in many cases, even outdoors. So if you find that you have trouble hand-holding lighter weight lenses steady, you might want to spring for the IS version of this lens. I've carried this lens around for a couple hours at a time, and although it can be a little cumbersome, it's nothing that bothers me too much. My mom, on the other hand, can't pick my camera up off the table when this lens is mounted to it, so your results may vary.

Four stars for construction, image quality, usability, performance - I'll leave a star off just because IS has to count for something.

By C. Maziarz (Buffalo Grove, IL United States)

Since I got this lens it pretty much hasn't left my 40D! I wanted to get it before my honeymoon in Kona/Hilo Hawaii so I made sure to get it a week or so before we left so I could get used to the weight. Yes, it is heavy but I knew that before buying it. I don't get why so many people that buy this lens whine about how heavy it is. You don't get a lens of this superior quality without trading off something! And I had no problem with paying that much either! You get what you pay for and that money bought me an incredible lens that is worth every penny!

The week before we left I shot a ton of pics all over of everything from planes overhead to people to flowers to buildings, etc, etc. I've been blown away with how awesome every picture has been! Once we got to Hawaii I've just been in heaven. I put on a 2x extender and from our hotel room I've been able to get shots of the sea turtles in the tidal pool below that makes it seem as if I'm right there. Yesterday we went to the volcano park and since you can't get right up to the activity this lens and at times this lens coupled with the 2x extender were perfect! I'm thrilled because I got amazing pics of the most beautiful place on earth and I have been saying the whole time "I freaking love this camera and this lens!!!"

Do no hesitate to get this lens! You won't be disappointed!