Love my Canon 70-200mm f/4 L USM

[agonzalez]

The more pics I take the more I love it... It is soooo sharp!
Maybe these are not the best examples, but they are not that bad (talking about sharpness, they are random pics)...

 

[DeepSpring]

I got the same lens about 2 weeks ago. LOVE IT

 

[table1349]

I did to until a couple of weeks ago when I traded it in for the f2.8. They are both real sweet lenses and really sharp. Enjoy that lens, it is one of the best.

 

[agonzalez]

I did to until a couple of weeks ago when I traded it in for the f2.8. They are both real sweet lenses and really sharp. Enjoy that lens, it is one of the best.

Can you trade in lenses?? or youre saying it as a different way to say that you sold it and got the 2.8?

 

[Benjamin_T]

Agree, this is a very good zoom lens indeed, and for its asking price:

Canon L glass.

Fluoride (U.D.??) elements.

And very consistent + very good edge to edge sharpness (even wide opened). :up:

This lens has some secrets though...

 

[agonzalez]

This lens has some secrets though...

Can you share them with me?

 

[lkWinnipesaukee]

ARRRGH! JEALOUS! That is the next one on my list. ...Either that or the Sigma 10-20.

 

[table1349]

Can you trade ion lenses?? or youre saying it as a different way to say that you sold it and gt the 2.8?

No I actually traded it to the local photography shop I have dealt with for years. He allowed me a price which I was very happy with and I paid him the difference for the f2.8. He now has my old lens for sale in his shop. He has dealt in used equipment for a long time. He got a good used lens to sell at a price a lot of people would gladly pay and I moved up to an f2.8..

That is the advantage of dealing with the local Mom and Pop shop.

 

[Riggaberto]

I've been using one for a while, but more and more I'm wishing it was the 2.8.

 

[table1349]

I've been using one for a while, but more and more I'm wishing it was the 2.8.

There is a tradeoff from the f4 to the f2.8 that people alot of time do not think about and that is weight. The f2.8 is much sturdier built with bigger optics = more weight. Not that the f4 is any slouch in the build department. The f2.8 is heavier to carry around, heavier to hand hold and get good shots. I loved my f4 but found I needed the extra speed for indoor sports. That was the reason for the change. I do not do a lot of low light photography that IS would have benifited from such as weddings etc so I choose to spend the $700 difference on other good glass rather than IS.

If you have no real need for the f2.8's speed then I don't really see a reason to trade up unless you like the extra weight.

 

[Benjamin_T]

Can you share them with me?

You sure you want to hear about it???

Well, the "fluoride" lens elements found in certain types of CANON L zoom lenses are very brittle, so CANON always uses a white colored lens barrel for all those lenses containing the brittle fluoride lens elements; to prevent the sun or heat from damaging those fluoride lens elements. (The white colored lens barrel helps to absorb most of the sun rays or infrared waves that could crack those fluoride lens elements.)

This is the secret of all the CANON white L lenses.

 

[lkWinnipesaukee]

So could a drop also crack one of the flouride elements? I thought the L lenses were built like tanks...

 

[Benjamin_T]

So could a drop also crack one of the flouride elements? I thought the L lenses were built like tanks...

You should never drop any lenses, especially one containing brittle fluoride lens elements! :!:

One person dropped his Canon 70-200mm F4L USM before and the whole thing screwed up after that! The image quality was no more. (I believed that the fluoride lens elements in the lens must have got damaged, and it is those fluoride lens elements that contributes to such superb image qualities.)

Nikon doesn't want to use fluoride lens elements because fluoride crystals are very brittle and cracked easily; Nikon have designed their own E.D. glass elements which are more stable and durable. (The Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5G ED-IF AF-S DX Nikkor lens features three of those specially Nikon designed E.D. glass elements; the resulting image quality are very contrast and focussed with that lens. (Extremely low CAs and purple fringings.)

 

[soylentgreen]

Yeah the F/4 70-200 L was my most prized lens until my recent upgrade to the f/2.8 IS version. Definitely can't beat the price for an L lens. Wish Canon would make more "budget" L's. Desperatley miss the lighter weight of the F/4 though. Got a bit faster and image quality, but this new lens is 3.5 POUNDS!!!! Like wearing a cinder block around your neck.

 

[Sobek5150]

Good to hear you're loving the lens. It's my next purchase.. as soon as I get about 300 more dollars I can't wait.