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Customer Reviews for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Ring-USM and new AF algorithms result in fast and quiet AF
Built-in Optical Image Stabilizer w/4-stops of correction
Fluorite and UD lens elements for excellent chromatic aberration correction
Circular aperture produces beautiful images
Average Customer Rating:
(7 Reviews) 7
Rating Snapshot (7 reviews)
5 stars
7
4 stars
0
3 stars
0
2 stars
0
1 star
0
7 out of 7(100%)reviewers would recommend this product to a friend.
Customer Reviews for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Review 1 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: JohnT
Location: Houston, TX
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Canon Enthusiast: 1 to 5 years
Product replacement: Yes
this lens makes me look brilliant
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:February 29, 2012
Pros: hard storage case, aluminum lens hood - protects accidental bumps
Cons: heavy when using for extended periods or walking, does not work in small rooms (~2 m min distance)
Used this lens over the past 4 months and it never ceases to amaze me. Whether I am shooting a low-light dance/music recital or a portrait of a newborn & mother, this lens beautifully portrays the intimacy of the moment I am trying to capture. Simply, this lens makes me look brilliant (which I am not).
6 of 6 people found this review helpful.
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Review 2 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: f6
Location: USA
Used this product for: more than 1 year
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Product replacement: No
worth the $ and the weight
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:December 8, 2010
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, versatile, low light conditions, b o k e h ...
Cons: heavy but for good reason
I thought long and hard before purchasing this lens over one year ago. Two things were worrying me...the weight and the cost. I need not have worried.
There is no doubt that this lens will become the one to go to when the very best in quality is the goal. There is a reason it is heavy....it has a lot of superb, the best Canon can make, glass. An f/2 allows almost twice the amount of light an f/2.8 allows and this makes for a super fast lens that can be used in low light situations without a second thought. While the lens is heavy, I have used it with great success, hand held, in air shows where people using 400 and 500mm lenses were using tripods and missing all the shots because there is no tripod or monopod that can be as free as a hand held. It has IS and that makes it so much more hand holdable even if the light is only mediocre, since it is such a superfast lens. Furthermore, with a lens as fast as this, action photography is a joy. Portraits? that is the strength of this lens. The dreamy background blur of the lens will spoil you and makes for extraordinary portrait shots.
There is no doubt that this lens will become the one to go to when the very best in quality is the goal. There is a reason it is heavy....it has a lot of superb, the best Canon can make, glass. An f/2 allows almost twice the amount of light an f/2.8 allows and this makes for a super fast lens that can be used in low light situations without a second thought. While the lens is heavy, I have used it with great success, hand held, in air shows where people using 400 and 500mm lenses were using tripods and missing all the shots because there is no tripod or monopod that can be as free as a hand held. It has IS and that makes it so much more hand holdable even if the light is only mediocre, since it is such a superfast lens. Furthermore, with a lens as fast as this, action photography is a joy. Portraits? that is the strength of this lens. The dreamy background blur of the lens will spoil you and makes for extraordinary portrait shots.
I have the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II as well and between these two lenses I am in lens heaven. The Canon 1 or 5DM2 are perfect for these lenses.
If you are on the fense for the f/2...go for it...you only live once and those photo ops don't come but once in a lifetime.
26 of 28 people found this review helpful.
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Review 3 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: Mike
Location: New Jersey SHore
Used this product for: 3 to 6 months
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Product replacement: No
Wonderful, expensive lens
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:June 24, 2010
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images
Cons: no front cap
I own the 70-200mm MkII so buying this seemed like overkill but it is worth it if you can afford it.
Fantastic images with gorgeous bokeh. Heavy but you can handhold it for quick shoots. Monopod is your best friend. Focusing is super fast. Surprisingly little 'hunting' for focus. Low light focusing good so far.
I use this for nature and outdoor and indoor sports. For indoor sports or anything where you have motion and low light, this is your lens. I can dial in nice fast exposure times and even stop it down a bit to increase DOF when desired. This is what the lens was made for, and it excels here. Superb. Superlatives are overused, but for image quality and fast optics, this lens is indeed superb.
The IS on this is lens is the best of all I've used, and I've owned many. It comes as close to freezing' the lens in place as one could imagine.
Lend hood is a bit akward, the silver knob assembly that attaches the lens doesn't have the sturdy 'feel' as other lenses, and the knob is big enough to get you wondering that this could have been designed some other way that was without knob.
A lens cap to fit over the lens hood or front element would be nice for a lens this price. The lens has to have the lend hood reversed to fit into the case, so while out of case, even with hood on, there's nothing to protect the lens.
Carrying case is wonderful and sturdy, not sure how sturdy the lock is.
Tripod attachment will leave some shaking their heads. Can be removed but you have to remove four allen screws. I can imagine some ending up holding the lens by the attachment.
The lens can rotate within the tripod ring with 90 degree detents. Great feature for quickly switching from portrait and landscape and back.
The price of the lens will be the deciding factor. You get what you pay for with this lens.
17 of 19 people found this review helpful.
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Review 4 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: David H
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Used this product for: 6 to 12 months
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Product replacement: No
Favorite Lens
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:March 22, 2010
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, versitle
I own a dozen L lenses and this one is my favorite because of its amazing versitility. I use it for portrait and nature work as well as both indoor and outdoor sports photography. Sure, it is heavier than a typical hand-held lense like the 70-200mm L IS USM, but I find that I actually use this lens for walking about anyway because of its ultra-sharpness and amazing fast speeds. I also own the 300 2.8 L, but because of the weight differential, that lens often gets left behind now that I have this one. Paired with my 1D Mark IV, this thing is ridiculous.
11 of 12 people found this review helpful.
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Review 5 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: Shooting Seattle
Location: Seattle
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Professional or Expert
Product replacement: No
amazing lens
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
4
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:October 10, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus, great in low light
Cons: havent found any to date
Aquired this lens earlier this week WOW.! The auto focus speed is simply amazing, with both the 5D MKII and the new 7D. The optics are the best to date of anything that I've used - I believe it's better than the current Canon 300 F/2.8 and the 500 F/4. The weight isnt bad, hand-holdable for me, and the 'little white whale' works well with both the 1.4 and the 2.0 extenders.
Would highly recommend this for sports, as a second lens - in addtion to carrying a 400 or a 500.
Would highly recommend this for sports, as a second lens - in addtion to carrying a 400 or a 500.
I gave this a go an engagement (wedding) shoot. A little large, but for interior shots, in low light, this really worked well.
It utilzes the same drop in filters as the other telephotos, and I believe it may take the place of my 300, for a number of projects.
My hats off to the folks at Canon.......again!
33 of 36 people found this review helpful.
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Review 6 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: lensman
Location: los angeles
Used this product for: 1 to 3 months
Expertise Level: Hobbyist/Enthusiast
Product replacement: Yes
best lens owned in this range .
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
5
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:February 17, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus, well balanced with 1d
color , sharpness , focus speed , resolution are top class .
i could not find a flaw in this lens .
very hand holdable and I.S. is what makes this lens unique . i have tested shooting shooting handheld at 1/5" with good result .
from portrait in ambient low light to early morning first light photography this lens has proven it's capability in delivering what i expected .
i could not find a flaw in this lens .
very hand holdable and I.S. is what makes this lens unique . i have tested shooting shooting handheld at 1/5" with good result .
from portrait in ambient low light to early morning first light photography this lens has proven it's capability in delivering what i expected .
33 of 37 people found this review helpful.
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Review 7 for EF 200mm f/2L IS USM
Nickname: dissidently
Location: Hawaii
Used this product for: Less than 1 month
Expertise Level: Advanced Amateur
Product replacement: No
Best Portrait Lens!
Overall Rating
Features
5
out of
5
Performance
5
out of
5
Price/Value
3
out of
5
Quality
5
out of
5
Satisfaction
5
out of
5
Date:January 14, 2009
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus
Cons: little heavy, 1.9metre minimum focus
maybe sports as well. Just insanely fast, brilliant bokeh and the best color imaginable. A little heavy. But I need the workout. Sharpness beyond question. This is THE lens for shooting anything moving fast or wanting to pull something off its background. Can isolate eyes!
If I was going to beg for something, it would be a decrease in the minimum focus distance.
If I was going to beg for something, it would be a decrease in the minimum focus distance.
79 of 81 people found this review helpful.
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