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

Product Information

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By and large, 70-200mm lenses like the Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM shown above, are built to withstand all sorts of abuse.

70-200mm F2.8 Sports: In the Lab

However, these lenses are designed for pros, and as such they tend to come with hefty pro-level price tags. If you're looking for something a little more budget-friendly, 70-200mm f/4 lenses can also be a good choice. They have the advantage of being lighter to carry, so can be a great choice for keeping your kit relatively lightweight and mobile. Some 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses, as we'll see, are seriously hefty bits of kit! The 70-200mm F2.8 falls short of competitors in one area—macro photography. The Tamron 70-180mm G2 and the Sony FE 70-200mm F2.8 GM II focus closer, for 1:2.6 and 1:3 magnification, respectively. The Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 manages 1:5.2 at its 200mm focal length and 39.4-inch minimum focus distance, so it matches up more closely with the Lumix S Pro 70-200mm F2.8 and its 1:5 macro focus. The lens focuses to 25.6 inches at 70mm, but the wider angle results in less magnification. For macro photographers who don't mind an F4 zoom, the FE 70-200mm F4 Macro G OSS II is the best in the class thanks to its 1:2 reproduction. Sony a7R IV, 70mm, f/2.8, 1/500-second, ISO 100 (Credit: Jim Fisher)

First, it has six extra-low dispersion elements to take care of chromatic aberrations. Plus, it has fluorite and HRI coatings. To prevent the lens from getting easily smeared with fingerprints and grime, a fluorine coating has been used.Prime lenses will beat out zoom lenses in the image quality and sharpness departments just about every time. You can shoot portraits at the wide end, wildlife at the long end, and just about anything else you can think of in between. Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (on Canon EOS R5) at 1/125 sec, f/7.1, ISO250 (Image credit: James Artaius / Digital Camera World) Lab results

The presence of fluorite & ultra-low dispersion lens elements ensures that chromatic aberrations are suppressed. In addition, the lens has a full-time manual focusing override, just like the two Nikkor lenses above. Like the more premium Nikkor lens above, this one too has a focus delimiter switch. As we’ve come to expect in S-line lenses, the construction is fairly lightweight but has a really solid, high-quality feel. The 70-200mm is fully weather-sealed and features fluorine coatings on its front and rear elements, to repel moisture and greasy finger-marks, while also making for easier cleaning. Nikon DSLR users will love the AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8E FL ED VR, which is built like a tank and boasts lightning-fast autofocus, while mirrorless users should look at the Z 70-200mm f/2.8 S, an even more impressive (if pricier) option. And as with Canon’s mirrorless system, you can choose to mount a Nikon AF-S lens on a mirrorless body using an adapter. And the 70-200mm lens is also a fantastic choice for landscape photography. While most photographers tend to equate landscape shots with ultra-wide angle lenses, you can use a 70-200mm lens to zoom in and capture gorgeous shots of distant subjects (e.g., mountains), as well as details within the larger scene. Lighter than DSLR versions, this lens is trying its best to match the size of mirrorless gear (but it is still large). That being said, weight is reduced by about 29% which may not seem like a large number, but when you’re out in the field shooting for hours – you will feel the difference!Alexander, Andrew (9 September 2009). "Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM". imaging-resource.com . Retrieved 6 June 2018. That being said, for DSLR users, the Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM SPORT is an excellent choice, available in most DSLR brand mounts! This lens is durable and great quality. Canon RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM (on Canon EOS R5) at 1/200 sec, f/2.8, ISO100 (Image credit: James Artaius / Digital Camera World) Verdict Thanks to the 70-200mm f/2.8 low-light capabilities, it’s a must-have lens for indoor sports photography and event photography. It’s also useful for low-light wildlife shooting.