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F/2L 28-70 expensive, but you get what you pay for

Started Dec 6, 2019 | User reviews thread
havanna60 Senior Member • Posts: 1,640
Canon RF 28-70f2L would deserve a Canon camera with IBIS and non-cropping 4K

maiaibing wrote:

Still you can confidently shot it @f/2 most of the time (which really is the only reason to get this lens). As for lacking IS I expect Canon will "fix" this by offering IBIS on their next R-series body.

Excellent review. I used to have an EOS R, and there there were only two badly missing features for me: IBIS and crop-less 4K internal external.

This lens along with the TS-E 17mmf4L mandates Canon to make an EOS R mark II or whatever to include IBIS and crop-free 4K. I can use the TS-E brilliantly on Pansonic S1, S1R, S1H, Nikon Z6, Z7, Sony A7III, A7RIV, A7RIII, A9, A9II all with excellent in-body image stabilization, and full-frame non-cropping 4K. I know, Canon has no IBIS technology today, but I don't believe that Canon cannot keep up with the competition. This brilliant lens, the 2870f2 do deserves at least a semi decent Canon body with IBIS. Techart already made a Sony E to Z mount adapter , but not for RF to Z, so we have to wait for Canon or Techart when we want to use this lens on an IBIS camera.

I personally dislike that it extends (the lens length changes as you zoom in/out). but not everyone else will care.

Excellent point. At this price internal zoom would be justifiable. Yesterday I had a chance to experiment with the new Tamron 17-28 f2.8 III , and its internal zooming was brilliant. On the other hand the no-slouch Tamron 28-70 f2.8 has no internal zooming either.

BTW, I was absolutely stunned how great these newly designed-for-mirrorless Tamron lenses were. I guess, when and if Tamron has the RF protocol, these lenses would be available for RF cameras, too.

I do not do much video and cannot comment on the noise levels while zooming, but the lack of IS already makes it less interesting for the video crowd.

Even if it did, the hilarious 1.8x crop in 4K both internal and external of EOS R gives an "50mm FOV" as the wide end to this lens.

Final thoughts: some standard zoom users will be unhappy that it "only" goes to 28mm at the wide end. And yes - it does make a difference from being able to go to 24mm. If you want to use this lens as your only wide angle lens its worth considering this limitation. If not you gain more than you lose by having an amazing f/2 zoom lens in your hands allowing for very low light photography at a very high quality. So five stars from me.

Your conclusion makes me even more sure that Canon must make a camera matching this lens next year. Or, at least Techart to make the RF - Z adapter.

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