On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Well I am selling a lens today and it is time to buy another. I am thinking of buying the Canon 70-200 F/4 non IS. I pretty much want to use it for portrait purposes with a some nature stuff here and there. I live in AZ so most of the portraits I do are outside so I am not to concerned about light.... Any other recommendations? I do not plan on paying more than about $650. I know I know that most will say save for the 2.8 or the IS version but that is not an option for me. I also have the EF-S 17-55.
I didn't know if anyone had any non canon recommendations?
Thanks
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
I also do a lot of outdoor portraits. I have been thinking of this lens as well. I shoot almost everything on tripod so IS is not a have to have. I am sure you will be pleased with your purchase.
Mark
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Quote:
Originally Posted by metakephotos
I pretty much want to use it for portrait purposes
Excellent choice. On your APS-C camera the 70-200 gives you a very nice range of focal lengths. Some photographers find it to be a little too long, but since you'll be outside mostly, I think you'll just plan on using a generally more distance perspective. I use the 70-200 f/4 L IS for most of my portrait sessions, usually around 85mm (on APS-C) for most of the shots. If you go out to 200mm, you can get a very nice and diffuse background blur, even though it's only f/4.
If you would like thin DOF instead, you might consider the 85mm f/1.8. That will let you have a much closer perspective, much thinner DOF, and still achieve a nice background blur. But you lose the flexibility of a zoom, of course.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
I just purchased this lens and i couldn't be happier, I don't do much in the way of portraits but for my uses it is an awesome lens. I use mine mostly for compressed landscapes, and for more flexibility when out taking flower pictures. Bokeh is very nice, good USM, and is very solidly built. Its an excellent lens.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Quote:
Originally Posted by metakephotos
I am thinking of buying the Canon 70-200 F/4
Go for it... I did, and I love this lens.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
I think the 70-200mm f/4 L is probably the best quality-per-dollar lens in the entire Canon lineup.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
If you are not concerned about challenging light, the 70-200 4.0 takes ridiculously sharp pics. I had it for a while and it was a great portrait lens with strobes or well lit areas.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
You will be getting a great lens. I've had the 70-200mm f/4 non-IS since 2006 and love the quality it gives. Even though I have since bought the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS theoretically rendering the f/4 lens redundant, I have never felt the desire to sell my older lens and still use it, judging the IQ as good as the more expensive lens. It's also a lot lighter to carry on landscape expeditions.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
I just got my brand new Canon 70-200 F/4 L. It is awesome, thx for all the input. Also Amazon prime is simply amazing!
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
If portraits is what you will mainly shoot with this lens then consider the 85mm 1.8 (much cheaper but ultra sharp and much wider aperture for great Bokeh) and also the 135mm f2 L (again wider aperture and very sharp even at f2). My problem with the 70-200 f4 is that it really gets better at 5.6 or 8 and by then the Bokeh is not great. I really find this irritating and moreover because of the weight a lot of time there is unavoidable shake
For portraits you would need a wider aperture than f4 for really good background blur and the 85mm and 135mmfulfillthat
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvs742009
My problem with the 70-200 f4 is that it really gets better at 5.6 or 8
Could your camera/lens combo need calibration? Most people find the 70-200/4L to be very sharp wide open.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Maybe. I do find manual focus working better than auto focus, which is true with most lenses I have. But the bigger problem is the bokeh. I find my sigma 105mm f2.8 ultra sharp at 5.6 plus and with good bokeh but the 70-200 disappoints me
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvs742009
If portraits is what you will mainly shoot with this lens then consider the 85mm 1.8 (much cheaper but ultra sharp and much wider aperture for great Bokeh) and also the 135mm f2 L (again wider aperture and very sharp even at f2).
Good suggestions.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvs742009
My problem with the 70-200 f4 is that it really gets better at 5.6 or 8 and by then the Bokeh is not great.
I kindly disagree. It is very sharp wide open:
f/4 vs f/8 at 70mm
It cleans up a bit with stopping down, but it's plenty sharp for portraits. And at 200mm the difference in resolution/contrast between f/4 and f/8 is practically nothing:
f/4 vs f/8 at 200mm
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvs742009
I really find this irritating and moreover because of the weight a lot of time there is unavoidable shake
Huh? At 1.5 pounds it's slightly less weight than the 135mm f/2 that you recommended. I can shoot all day at that weight without experiencing any issues at all.
Or perhaps you meant that it was too light? So light that you get more shake? That's easy to solve,
just strap on some extra lead weights to the lens to help deaden your
shakey hands.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvs742009
For portraits you would need a wider aperture than f4 for really good background blur and the 85mm and 135mmfulfillthat
I get nice diffuse background blur at 200mm f/4 all the time: just as much as the 85mm f/1.8, in fact. If you want super-thin DOF (difficult to nail focus, only one eye in focus, eyes but not ears/nose, etc.), then the 85mm and 135 are a better choice. But if you want to have diffuse background blur *AND* deep depth of field, the 70-200 is a better choice. It will let you have the entire face in focus and still get background blur.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
I purchased a Canon 70 - 200 F/4 L (non is) for $575 from Adromona. It was a slightly used lens with no visible signs of wear.
The Lens is amazing; clarity, fast focus, accurate color. I highly recommend both the lens and Adromona. They have several
used Canon lens each at a different quality grade. you pick the amount of use the lens had had along with the corresponding price.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel Browning
Quote:
Originally Posted by pvs742009
I really find this irritating and moreover because of the weight a lot of time there is unavoidable shake
Huh? At 1.5 pounds it's slightly less weight than the 135mm f/2 that you recommended. I can shoot all day at that weight without experiencing any issues at all.
Or perhaps you meant that it was too light? So light that you get more shake? That's easy to solve,
just strap on some extra lead weights to the lens to help deaden your
shakey hands.
I found that the 70-200 f/4 L non-IS was too light. It did not balance out well with my 40D and I did experience a lot of shake. I just couldn't find a comfortable fulcrum point with it. I bet it would be great on a xxxD body. I never thought of adding weight to it. I ended up selling it anyway. I found myself needing that range at night and indoors so I ponied up for the 2.8 IS.
Re: On the verge of buying a Canon 70-200 F/4
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sean Setters
I think the 70-200mm f/4 L is probably the best quality-per-dollar lens in the entire Canon lineup.
What Sean said.
I had the f/4 (IS) and found it remarkably sharp and color-accurate, with beautiful background blur. The non-IS version is one of those lenses that you often see on Craigslist for a song.
