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EF 70-200mm 1:4L USM with or without IS

Started May 16, 2013 | Questions
Damoo Senior Member • Posts: 1,102
Re: EF 70-200mm 1:4L USM with or without IS

IMHO, all the four 70-200mm lenses from Canon have been positioned appropriately. Comparing them is a matter of what you would really need. If one stop light matters, then f2.8 matters. No matter how good is the f4.0. If IS matters, then f4.0 IS or f2.8 IS wins over the non IS.

Its purely your choice. Try both the lens shooting inside the shop and outside the shop and see if you are comfortable handholding the non IS version. If so, go for it. If not, settle for the IS.

A monopod is not a bad to couple with the 70-400mm f4L non IS version.

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OP frapapa New Member • Posts: 2
Re: EF 70-200mm 1:4L USM with or without IS

Hi all,

And many thanks for your comments and perspectives! In the end the decision is up to me and I will have to ponder the issue for a bit longer I suppose. However, I now strongly tend towards the IS version ...

Again, many thanks!

Frank

brightcolours Forum Pro • Posts: 15,885
Ponder away
1

frapapa wrote:

Hi all,

And many thanks for your comments and perspectives! In the end the decision is up to me and I will have to ponder the issue for a bit longer I suppose. However, I now strongly tend towards the IS version ...

Both are very good lenses, with their very own strong points and weaknesses.

Pro IS:

  • Even sharper lens.
  • A bit better contrast with strong backlights
  • Weather sealed
  • IS
  • Even faster AF (non-IS is already no slouch)

Again, many thanks!

Frank

MASTERPPA Contributing Member • Posts: 870
Re: EF 70-200mm 1:4L USM with or without IS

Having owned both the IS and NON IS, the IS is slightly sharper, and NEVER less sharp.

The IS version came out 7 years later and has some optical upgrades. Mostly the corners are sharper on the IS.

Picturenaut wrote:

frapapa wrote:

Hello,

I am pondering whether to buy the EF 70-200mm 1:4L USM with or without IS.

Frank

I have the IS version, and a friend of mine had the non-IS version. She needs this lens for her jobs. When she tested mine on her 5D II she immediately traded-in hers for an IS version. She said that my lens produced much sharper pictures. So it may be worth checking some lab reviews before going for the cheaper and older non-IS version.

IS, too, is a nice feature if you do stills or don't shoot fast moving objects since you can get sharp images at 1/30 s, I managed even 1/15 s when I had a good day. So it can compare a bit that this is no fast lens.

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