Customer Reviews
Still one of my favorites! 
2008-09-04
This lens is still one of my favorites and used most of the time. Good all around zoom lens.
You Get What You Pay For! 2008-09-04
At first I was hesitant to get this lens because of its price. I looked at the cheaper non-IS and the f4 version. But after a lot of research I bit the bullet and made the purchase. I have to say I do not regret it one bit. If you look on ebay, craiglist and many forums you'll find a lot of people selling their f4 versions. The reason they often gave was "going to upgrade to the f2.8 IS". So I thought id just save myself the pain of buying and selling, and just get the lens I really wanted.
Now that I have it, this lens is awesome. Nothing short of it. Whether its sports, portraits or wildlife, this is THE lens to have. I'll just break it down more simple:
Pro's:
- Awesome image quality
- f2.8 w/IS makes shooting low light events now possible.
- Autofocus is very fast.
- Zoom range is good
- This version of the lens is dust/water resistant.
- Built like a tank.
Cons: (not sure if these are all truly cons, just observations)
- Its heavy. After shooting a full day race event my arm was sore. Id guess it somewhere around 3.5 to 4 pounds
- It will attract looks and attention. People will assume you work for a news paper or magazine.
- Its a big lens. There's no hiding this under your jacket to get it in somewhere.
- Price. Unless your Richie Rich, a $1700 lens is considered a major purchase.
This is a real gun 2008-08-29
It's really difficult to add something new as everybody agrees that this is an amazing lens. Before I bought this lens I had owned Canon 70-200 f/4 non-IS version. It was also excellent lens in terms of image quality but this one adds faster aperture and more importantly excellent Image Stabilization.
Lens is really heavy comparing to non-IS version of 70-200 f/4 but that extra weight is worth of it. Pictures are excellently sharp, you can shoot hand-held with times below 1/100 sec. which is a dramatic improvement.
I believe any of Canon 70-200 lenses is great but not each is usable in low light conditions without tripod. 70-200 f/2.8L IS excels in such situations so if you're sure you'll be dealing with low light, this lens is for you.
It's excellent for wedding photography, portraits, nature, animals etc.
Amazingly quick autofocus, but a little heavy 
2008-08-28
I bought this lens for shooting softball action in early evening, twilight, and night games. The autofocus is unbelievably quick and impressive. It's important to remember to set it to IS mode 2 during action. I forgot a few times and the images were not clear enough. The zoom ring is smooth and is conveniently placed. I chose this over the 80-300 mm because the 70-200 got better ratings regarding picture quality and it has the f/2.8. The range of 70-125 is great for infield and shallow outfield, but beyond that it needs to be on a tripod or monopod. I'm thinking of renting 100-400 to see if that works better for my needs. I've taken a few shots indoors of my dog and wasn't impressed -I'm sure it is due to my lack of skills and not the lens itself. I haven't learned to use a monopod so I've been hand holding it while attached to the Canon 40D. I don't think it's too heavy, but I've been getting flair-ups in my carpel tunnel pain the day after using this lens.
great lens! 2008-08-13
This is a wonderful lens. Well worth the money. The senior portraits I took came out beautifully. Works great for outdoor shots!
Plain and simple: GET THIS LENS. 2008-08-10
The Canon USA 7042A002 70mm to 200mm /f2.8 IS USM is an exceptional zoom lens for use with a Canon SLR camera body (35mm or Digital). A unique feature is that this lens incorporates Canon's second generation Image Stabilization technology. Maximum Diameter x Length, Weight - 3.4 x 7.8, 3.24 pounds
This is the one! 2008-08-06
I have done a lot of researches before decided on getting this sweet baby. I chose this over the regular f2.8 and f4 IS because I know I want the best. A lot of people complained about the weight and I have to admit it is quite heavy especially carrying it the whole day. After the first day of shooting, I couldn't wait to put my CompactFlash into the digital photo frame to evaluate the quality of the pictures. I immediately forgot about the weight and I appreciated so much on the picture quality. Then I remove the card and load all the pictures on my 24" IMAC. The result are more stunning! Next, I tried printing one of my best shot onto a premium photo paper. You know what I am going to say! The image is tack sharp with great contrast. I tried a lot of other "L" zoom lens including the f4 non IS and none of them give me the same level of quality images. Although I still think prime lens are the best for quality but I don't think you can find a better zoom lens on the market. This is the one!
One of the best lenses available 2008-08-01
There is a reason why this lens is so expensive: everyone is prepared to pay the price. This is simply the best portrait lens available. It's fast - through the whole range from 70 to 200 mm it can operate at f/2.8. Wide open it produces a really great bokeh that rivals that of prime lenses. The AF focuses quickly, and very quietly (which, considering that this is a zoom lens, is not that important). Operating the zoom ring feels almost perfect, as it is positioned exactly where you expect it, and it is wide enough not to accidentally touch the focus ring.
The lens has an image stabilisator that is more than capable, and *very* helpful when trying to follow motion (the lens provides a special IS mode for this). The IS is nicely balanced, and does not jerk the image when activated (the slight oscillation it induces on the hand holding the lens takes some getting used to).
It's incredibly sharp at one stop above 2.8, and no discernible vignetting fully open (I'm using it on a 1.6 FOV body). Since the lens uses internal focusing, the front will not turn, making using circular polarizers much, much simpler than with other lenses that do not have this feature.
One thing that is of concern, and will always be, is that this lens is heavy. At almost 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) it is by far my heaviest lens, and makes that camera/lens combination top-heavy. Luckily, the lens comes with a tripod ring that helps alleviating this problem (you do have a tripod, right?). One of the reasons that this lens is so heavy is the way that it is build: metal, and professional grade environmental sealing. It is safe to assume that unless you are using an equally professional camera (which i do *not*), the lens will outlast the body it is mounted on.
My lens came included with tripod ring, a hood, and nice bag (with it's own shoulder strap) - so stay away from any bundles that offer a carrying bag or hood. The only thing I needed to purchase was an UV filter (I use it to protect the lens) -- I recommend B&W filters -- and a tripod plate. I also got the 1.4x extender, but have found little use for it so far.
The reason I find this lens so good is that it produces excellent pictures -- especially for portraits. Since it produces beautiful bokeh (the blurriness behind the focused object) and operates in fairly low light conditions without a flash while still giving sharp images it will allow you to shoot incredibly beautiful pictures. And having a 200mm zoom allows you to give your model some space to relax, while the range of 70-200 allows you to quickly adapt to the situation without having to change the lens. The result many times are downright stunning. If there is a perfect portrait lens, this is it.
I wholeheartedly recommend this lens over its more affordable brethren (the non-IS and the slower variants of this lens). You get what you pay for. If there is one L lens you want in your lineup (or better: can afford to have) make it this one.
Better than expected 2008-07-28
There are four models of Canon 70-200 L lenses. Two are F/4.0-5.6 and two are F/2.8. Each set of two has an imaged stabilized and non-stabilized version. The pricing starts at about $700 and moves up to this one that is about $1699.
After reading many reviews, it seemed to me worthwhile to invest in this one rather than the 4.0 versions. It is great to have constant F/2.8 all the way through the zoom range, and also to have image stabilization. I crank it up to ISO 1600 then shoot wide open at F/2.8 and people are amazed I can get pictures even in fading daylight without flash.
It seemed rather strange to read reviews saying that the color was great, but after experiencing it I now know what they mean. Wow, what great images and the bokeh (out of focus background) is absolutely wonderful. Not many told me about that great benefit.
If you think you can only afford the least expensive model ($700) then carry your lunch for a while and go all the way with the savings! Turn down your heat 2 degrees or turn up the temperature on your A/C by 2 degrees. Eat chicken instead of steak weekly. Car pool! This lens is worth making some sacrifices!
One caveat: some reviews I saw elsewhere have said that Canon optimizes this lens for full-frame SLRs (the expensive ones from about $2,000 (5D) to $8,000 (1DS), while Nikon optimizes its version for cropped frame SLRs. Therefore, I am not sure it will be as much of a "wow" on a cropped camera because I have not been able to try it. I have a 5D and have been lending out my 20D to my son-in-law for the last couple of months.
Very sharp crisp iamge 2008-07-22
I am very happey with Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8 IS USM , it's a great lens , very sharp crisp iamge
