Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS vs No IS

[pagnamenta]

I've been looking at these two lenses and am wondering whether or not the IS is really worth the extra cost. Most photos you take have high shutter speeds so there is very little need for the IS. There is only a small niche where IS is really necessary. Has anyone tried both lenses. What do you have to say?

[JTL]

If you haven't already read this, you may find it of interest: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/70-200is.shtml

[Bluedog]

The IS version will be more useful by far.

[pagnamenta]

I see the slight difference. It seems the IS really helps when enlarging to %100. However, I won't be doing that, so I can't really justify the $600+ extra that this lens costs. I'm going to lean towards the non-IS version.

[jamison55]

I think you'll be hard pressed to find a 70-200 IS owner who would ever go back. As a former 80-200 f2.8L owner, I can testify that this IS lens sees far more use than the non IS ever did because I can use it more. The old lens had amazing image quality, but was rather limited to an outdoor lens by my need for fast shutter speeds to tame the shake. These days, I actually have a hard time thinking of reasons to take it off the body that holds it, and I haven't even touched my poor 135L (an optical gem in Canon's lineup) since I bought the IS lens. As good as the 135L is, I need too fast a SS to handhold it... :D

[cdifoto]

I love my non-IS but do wish it had IS.

[DonSchap]

I love my IS jewel... and am darn glad mine has it. ;)

Look... when you are at f/2.8... and slow shutter... IS will seriously save the shot. It eliminates shake and contrails. It is included as an OPTION... but when you go for it... it is there.

My EF 70~200 f/2.8L IS USM is the only lens I have with this capability... and it is a noticeable difference. Hey, if I notice it... so will 98% of your viewers. Save yourself loads of embarrassment and criticism... just plunk down the scratch and get it. You are already spending a lot on the lens... get all of it.

Not getting IS, on a lens that offers it, is kind of like driving three-quarters of the way to someplace... then giving up and driving back. :rolleyes:

[jamison55]

Wow Don's endorsing the more expensive OEM version. Is the world coming to an end? :D ;) :eek:

[cdifoto]

Wow Don's endorsing the more expensive OEM version. Is the world coming to an end? :D ;) :eek:

lol I think so. He even backed me up over on the L POTN thread you just hit too. :eek:

[aparmley]

Wow Don's endorsing the more expensive OEM version. Is the world coming to an end? :D ;) :eek:

Its hard once you see the light as canon intended it to be seen! ;)

Kinda like thinking originally that my Sigma 70-300 was quite the lens, then I bought an USM lens. . . .whoooooo buddy. When you don't know how good it can be - you just don't know. With that said - apply the previous statement to IS Pag - And its not something that can be seen at enlarging - camera shake can bee seen clear as day at normal size - even printing a 3x5. . . I've never used it but having really learned about photography I've come to appreciate the concept of IS so much that I know how useful it can be - Plus when you have people like Peter and Jamie - two extremely talented photographers talking about the advantages of IS - how can you not listen, but more importantly, how can you not hear them. At first its a little like not listening to your parental gaurdians - "What do they know. . . " Oh, they know!

I think either lens would be an outstanding addition to any lineup - but with IS you extend the usefulness of this lens 10 fold!

good luck

[some guy]

I just don't have the money for this. Plain and simple. Why am I always torturing myself by reading all these?! :(
Should've went to the Origami class instead of the Photography class! :rolleyes:

[aparmley]

By one useful high quality lens - and you can shoot with that for a long time while you save up for the other ones!

Some Mentor's will tell the photography student to shoot with a 50mm prime - in the days of Film - maybe 30-35mm prime with crop body - for 1 year.

But I agree - its really hard to look at it this way - but really - Photography isn't much different than wardrobes - it takes time to build a nice collection.

[DonSchap]

I've said it time and again... and it keeps ringing true. You have to have at least decent equipment to turn out reasonable work. You can not make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.

If you want your photographs to ring right... good glass, plain and simple. Many times, you only get one "click" to make it work. There's no going over the cliff a second time, right?

To be honest, yes I could live w/o IS on my 70~200mm f/2.8 lens. I do w/o IS on my TAmROn SP AF200-500mm f/5-6.3 Di LD and it shoots fine, hand held...depending on your shutter speed. But then again, it only weighs 2-3/4 lbs.

When I decided to go with the Canon EF 70~200mm f/2.8L IS USM... I asked myself, "Self... if you are going to spend $1200 for a non-IS lens... doesn't it really make more sense to look into the future with an investment of this size?"

Self replied, "Yes, Don... not having it, in the long run... for all those shots until you can finally feel okay with it... you are just going to hate yourself for not biting the bullet. You'll still be out $1200, anyway... make it count. The Canon lens is heavy enough (52oz) to be shakey when handheld, unlike the TAmROn's 43.6 oz. Plus, you know you hate getting rid of anything... you'll wind up with TWO!!!"

So I listened to myself... and bit the bullet. I've got the teeth marks to prove it. I popped for the extra coin knowing it'd probably be worth having... than not having. It eliminates the hassle of trying to sell the non-IS for the upgrade, too. Over the past few weeks... I'd have to say SELF was right. What a lens! If TAmROn makes one of these at 24-28 oz with IS in it... it'll be incredible. But, that's not until September and Fotokina. :rolleyes:

Remember: It may not be paper-folding... it's folding money! :D

I need to take a photograph of a stack or two of 1800 silver dollars... right next this lens... just to remind myself to...

GET THE SHOT!
I certainly paid for it!

[cwphoto]

Depends what you plan on shooting Pagna. If you're doin daytime sports I can see the attraction in non-IS as it's not an insignificant amount of money we're talking about here.

A couple of other advantages of the IS-version though (apart from the obvious):
1) It focuses closer (1.4m vs 1.5m)
2) It is weather-sealed (not much help unless you are shooting 1-series)
3) It works better with Canon's Extenders (central AF point only on the non-IS)

[aparmley]

Depends what you plan on shooting Pagna. If you're doin daytime sports I can see the attraction in non-IS as it's not an insignificant amount of money we're talking about here.

A couple of other advantages of the IS-version though (apart from the obvious):
1) It focuses closer (1.4m vs 1.5m)
2) It is weather-sealed (not much help unless you are shooting 1-series)
3) It works better with Canon's Extenders (central AF point only on the non-IS)

Sleeping with the Canon Rep again? :p You dog!

[cwphoto]

Sleeping with the Canon Rep again? :p You dog!

Nah he's not my type.;) Woof!

[cwphoto]

Wow Don's endorsing the more expensive OEM version. Is the world coming to an end? :D ;) :eek:

What odds can I get that Don's signature will be all red by the this time next year?!:p :D

[DonSchap]

My hope is that the TAmROn SP AF70~210 f/2.8 XR Di LD will be every bit as dynamite as the Canon EF 70~200 f/2.8 USM.

I really can't get anyone to commit to whether or not it will have IS in it, but the rest of lens is on the way to Fotokina, in September. Remember that song, "See you, in September", by the Tempos, in 1959?... well, they were singing in preparation for this lens. LOL :D

Nah... I won't be duying any other lens for quite some time. This current 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM is just a band-aid. Admittedly, the most expensive band-aid I ever had... but nonetheless... I need it to "limp along" (oh woe is me... me and my Canon lens) until the TAmROn is released. :eek: Life can be so hard, sometimes... right, Andrew?

[cdifoto]

My hope is that the TAmROn SP AF70~210 f/2.8 XR Di LD will be every bit as dynamite as the Canon EF 70~200 f/2.8 USM.

I really can't get anyone to commit to whether or not it will have IS in it, but the rest of lens is on the way to Fotokina, in September. Remember that song, "See you, in September", by the Tempos, in 1959?... well, they were singing in preparation for this lens. LOL :D

Nah... I won't be duying any other lens for quite some time. This current 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM is just a band-aid. Admittedly, the most expensive band-aid I ever had... but nonetheless... I need it to "limp along" (oh woe is me... me and my Canon lens) until the TAmROn is released. :eek: Life can be so hard, sometimes... right, Andrew?

Why on earth would you trade the Canon for a Tamron? Just to save a few bucks? Heck you've already spent the money...

[DonSchap]

Why on earth would you trade the Canon for a Tamron? Just to save a few bucks? Heck you've already spent the money...

The TAmROn lens promises to be half the weight... and half the price. I really am saying that I must wait and see... like everyone else. :rolleyes:

I tell you, that LowePro bag is something else to tote around with these monster lenses strapped to it. Losing a couple pounds would be a blessing.

It's not always about the big bucks... but, I am not a young buck, either. My heavy toting days are definitely behind me.

[cdifoto]

The TAmROn lens promises to be half the weight... and half the price. I really am saying that I must wait and see... like everyone else. :rolleyes:

I tell you, that LowePro bag is something else to tote around with these monster lenses strapped to it. Losing a couple pounds would be a blessing.

It's not always about the big bucks... but, I am not a young buck, either. My heavy toting days are definitely behind me.


Ah ok. Is it supposed to have any kind of USM-ish motor? I don't know of any Tamrons that do so far. USM's my biggest thing. I had trouble with my 50mm f/1.8 and I just don't trust much of anything without at least some sort of USM/HSM motor.

[cwphoto]

The TAmROn lens promises to be half the weight... and half the price. I really am saying that I must wait and see... like everyone else. :rolleyes:

I tell you, that LowePro bag is something else to tote around with these monster lenses strapped to it. Losing a couple pounds would be a blessing.

It's not always about the big bucks... but, I am not a young buck, either. My heavy toting days are definitely behind me.

Half the weight seems unlikely.:(

[cdifoto]

Half the weight seems unlikely.:(

I dunno C-dub. They did it with the 28-75 f/2.8 - by leaving off USM and tank-like build quality.

[DonSchap]

I will muddle through with the Canon, though. Struggle with steadying that IS enabled beauty through shot after shot, this weekend.

Fireworks... eagles... boating... biking... and God only knows what else. It's back to Northern Wisconsin... armed with better glass... polarizers... the filter bags... and the new Powershot S3 IS. Hey... I don't think I brought enough hands! :eek:

Anyway... you dudes enjoy the holler-day! :D Hey, mate... wait just a minute... what does Australia do for the "Fourth of July"? Dig out snow drifts? It's the middle of winter, ain't it?

[ReF]

if someone's got the coin for a light weight alternative to the f2.8 IS and is going somewhere where he knows the IS isn't needed...

3) It works better with Canon's Extenders (central AF point only on the non-IS)

off center AF points work fine with my 70-200 f2.8 and canon 1.4x TC II

Pagnamenta: having the non-IS version i have definately found several situations where IS would have been extremely helpful. so it just depends what you want to shoot. if you have the $$$ laying around then go for it

[coldrain]

Anyway... you dudes enjoy the holler-day! :D Hey, mate... wait just a minute... what does Australia do for the "Fourth of July"? Dig out snow drifts? It's the middle of winter, ain't it?
Why would Australia do anything for the 4th of July? Do you not know what your 4th of July is about? Or do you celebrate Anzac and australia day too, and our 5th of may, Don? No, we do not celebrate thanksgiving either, we did not rob land from indians.:p

[ReF]

Why would Australia do anything for the 4th of July? Do you not know what your 4th of July is about? Or do you celebrate Anzac and australia day too, and our 5th of may, Don? No, we do not celebrate thanksgiving either, we did not rob land from indians.:p

dude lighten up

[cwphoto]

Anyway... you dudes enjoy the holler-day! :D Hey, mate... wait just a minute... what does Australia do for the "Fourth of July"? Dig out snow drifts? It's the middle of winter, ain't it?

We go to work Don, we don't normally celebrate the American Independence Day...:confused:

[cwphoto]

we did not rob land from indians.:p

I think we may have...:o

[cwphoto]

off center AF points work fine with my 70-200 f2.8 and canon 1.4x TC II


Let me clarify: they are able to be used - they just aren't recommended due to inconsistencies.

[DonSchap]

not enjoying the July Fourth holiday, we'll try to provide some interesting stuff while we are soaking up the sun... in celebration that the Indians were so kind in helping us free ourselves from English tyranny and taxation w/o representation... only to eventually lose the land to big business and other pursuits of the wallet. :p

1776 - no cameras to speak of... that means no IS either. How barbaric.
1876 - the end of Civil War and photography is just gettin' warmed up... still no IS.
1976 - Jimmy Carter, Disco-fever ('nuff said) and still no IS... shake shake shake
2006 - IS is here... the sun is here... summer is here... so here I go!

See ya on Wednesday! Click - Click - Click - Click and other Canon/TAmROn combination noises... :rolleyes:

[24Peter]

not enjoying the July Fourth holiday, we'll try to provide some interesting stuff while we are soaking up the sun... in celebration that the Indians were so kind in helping us free ourselves from English tyranny and taxation w/o representation... only to eventually lose the land to big business and other pursuits of the wallet. :p

1776 - no cameras to speak of... that means no IS either. How barbaric.
1876 - the end of Civil War and photography is just gettin' warmed up... still no IS.
1976 - Jimmy Carter, Disco-fever ('nuff said) and still no IS... shake shake shake
2006 - IS is here... the sun is here... summer is here... so here I go!

See ya on Wednesday! Click - Click - Click - Click and other Canon/TAmROn combination noises... :rolleyes:
Schapster - do they have therapy where you are? ;)

[boog]

I purchased the IS version about 4 months ago and I love it. Take alot of pictures inside( one wedding, sports, general shots around house) and I would sale everything else and keep that one.