> Nanou Peter wrote: > I'm trying to decide between these two lensen but I > can't make up my mind. Weight vs. optical quality seem > to be my twe concerns to decide on. I'd like it for > portraits and some travel around on a digital 1.6x > body. > > Would you share your experiences?
Peter, as an "enthusiastic amateur" (ie. my photos aren't much chop <g>), I've just bought the 70-200 2.8IS as my first L-series lens (for by 10D). If you purchased this lens, IMVHO you could not be disappointed in the technical quality of the resultant images. As I think I said once before, it was like when I bought the 100 2.8 Macro - it was an eye-opening difference. I shoot low-light, handheld, quite regularly, and the IS works for me (though, as others have pointed out, moving objects are a different thing). Images that are sharper than my usual, at speeds less than I should be using, impress me (note, I *did* say I'm enthusiastic - not talented <g>). The shallow DoF is wonderful, when desired, with the out-of-focus bits going all sweet and creamy in contrast to the sharpness (and I have a tendency to desire shallow DoF a lot - just my "style"). Saying all the above, this bugger is *HEAVY* if you're averse to using a tripod/monopod. The IS is needed, to cater for the build-up of lactic acid in your forearms after holding it for a while <g> (Okay, maybe I'm just a big wuss that should do more exercise and less typing). My understanding is that the 70-200 f4 is of (near-?) equal in optical quality, though not quite as good at f2.8 ;-) , and is much more usable as a carry-around lens in many respects (ie. it's not as *HEAVY*). It is probably the lens I should have bought, but the gear-head in me cried out for justice, and so I bought its holy grail instead. Seriously, it's a great lens, and I'm glad it's now "my preciousssss". I'd obviously like it to be less heavy, but the benefits "outweigh" that for me. I too though would be *really* interested in the opinions and uses by owners of the 70-200 f4. I probably should have asked for them *before* I purchased. <g> With the price difference, I wonder what the gear-head in me would've bought with the change... (There, Peter, does that just make it harder? :-) There are far more cogent arguments out there for *both* lenses. I don't think you're going to make a wrong choice with either if you think *really* hard about what you're going to do with it beforehand (and perhaps flip a coin)) Cheers, Marc Sydney, Oz * **** ******* *********************************************************** * For list instructions, including unsubscribe, see: * http://www.a1.nl/phomepag/markerink/eos_list.htm ***********************************************************
