The EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS II USM was announced in January 2010 as a replacement for Canon's fast image-stabilized telephoto zoom, the EF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM, which dates from 2001. With the rapid increase in SLR sensor pixel counts placing lenses' optical qualities under ever finer scrutiny, the company clearly felt it was time for an update for this professional workhorse, and has revamped the design accordingly. In the process, it claims to have improved almost every aspect of the lens, including the optics, autofocus, image stabilization, and the mechanical design.
The optical formula is suitably complex - 23 elements in 19 groups - and includes no fewer than five ultra-low dispersion (UD) glass elements, plus one made from fluorite, to minimize chromatic aberration. The minimum focus distance has been decreased giving improved maximum magnification, the IS system updated to give a claimed 4 stops of stabilization, and the autofocus system revised to meet the demands of Canon's latest fast, high-resolution DSLRs such as the EOS-1D Mark IV. The lens is also, as is usual for Canon's L series optics, fully sealed against dust and water.
Of course all this comes at a considerable price - as usual with a new release, the 'II' lens commands a hefty premium over the previous version of the lens, which also makes it around four times as expensive as its (non-image stabilized) third party rivals from the likes of Sigma and Tamron. Indeed with an introductory price well over the $2000 mark, many potential upgraders will surely be wondering whether the improvements can possibly be worth the money. Over the next few pages we'll do our best to find out.
The pictures below illustrate the focal length range from wide to telephoto, on 35mm full-frame and APS-C camera bodies:
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| 70mm (full frame) | 200mm (full frame) |
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| 70mm (APS-C; 112mm equivalent) | 200mm (APS-C; 320mm equivalent) |
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| Price | • US: $2500 • UK: £2200 |
|---|---|
| Date introduced | January 2010 |
| Maximum format size | 35mm full frame |
| Focal length | 70-200mm |
| 35mm equivalent focal length (APS-C) |
112-320mm |
| Diagonal Angle of view (FF) | 34º - 12º |
| Diagonal Angle of view (APS-C) | 23º - 8º |
| Maximum aperture | F2.8 |
| Minimum aperture | F32 |
| Lens Construction | • 23 elements/19 groups • 5 UD elements • 1 Fluorite element |
| Number of diaphragm blades | 8, rounded |
| Minimum focus | 1.2m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.21x at 200mm |
| AF motor type | • Ring-type Ultrasonic Motor • Full-time manual focus |
| Focus method | Internal |
| Zoom method | Internal |
| Image stabilization | • 4 stops claimed • Dual mode - Normal and panning |
| Filter thread | • 77mm • Does not rotate on focus |
| Supplied accessories | • Front and rear caps • ET-87 Hood • LZ1324 Soft Case |
| Weight | 1490 g (3.3 lb) |
| Dimensions | 89 mm diameter x 199 mm length (3.5 x 7.8 in) |
| Lens Mount | Canon EF only |
| Other | Dust and moisture resistant Supplies distance information for E-TTL II flash metering |
* Supplied accessories may differ in each country or area
If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read some of our Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).
Conclusion / recommendation / ratings are based on the opinion of the author, we recommend that you read the entire review before making any decision. Images which can be viewed at a larger size have a small magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of them, click to display a larger image in a new window.
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Dpreview use calibrated monitors at the PC normal gamma 2.2, this means that on our monitors we can make out the difference between all of the grayscale blocks below. We recommend to make the most of this review you should be able to see the difference (at least) between X,Y and Z and ideally also A, B and C.
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Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $2,499.00 |
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $2,499.00 |
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $1,449.00 |
Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $2,337.59 |
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L II USM Standard Zoom Lens | Too low to display |
Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L II USM Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $819.00 |
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon Digital SLR Cameras | $1,349.00 |
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras | Too low to display |
Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM Standard Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | $1,750.00 |
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM UD Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras | $1,599.00 |
Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras | Too low to display |
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