L lens wish list

[Vern]

Sometimes I just wish I had a focal length/f-stop combination that doesn't exist in Canon's L line-up. I shoot my daughter playing indoor volleyball and the lighting is just dismal. I currently use the 85mm 1.2L II on a 5DMKIII b/c this is the only lens that gives me enough speed - f1.2, 1/1000 sec, ISO 2500-3200. This combo is great when it focuses in time and I was hoping the 5DMKIII AF would be a big improvement over shooting on the 5DMKII in these conditions - but I haven't noticed a big difference in 'keepers' based on OOF shots - the frame rate does help a lot though. This is a great lens, but the focus speed is a real limitation for sports. A little longer focal length would also be nice.

My wish = a 135mm, f1.4 with the AF capabilities and IQ of the 70-200 f2.8II or even better, one of the series II tele's (300 2.8 II like IQ would be pleasing). (In well lit venues, the 70-200 2.8 II is just about perfect for volleyball.) I'm not fixed on including IS, since for sports this is not essential, but I need the f-stop and the fast focus capability. I could imagine that there would be demand for this focal length among the pros that shoot indoors. Would be pretty sweet on a cropped frame body too. I have thought about the 135 f2, but I just don't think it is fast enough to bother - and I'm not overly impressed with the wide open IQ. The 200mm f2 is more tempting.

How do these wishes get on Canon's list?

Anybody else have some L-dreams?

[Kayaker72]

oh, yes, I have dreams....

1 (by far...literally have money set aside waiting)...update to the 100-400L IS
500 f/5.6 L IS

EFS (with L quality optics, build and weather sealing)
15-85 f/4
40-120 f/2.8

[iND]

The 85 1.2 is probably the slowes autofocusing L series lens I own.
Too slow for action, this is a portrait lens.

Indoor sports can be a challange.

You might also try the 85 1.8 very fast
135 2.0 very fast

I would use one of these and push the ISO higher (especially on the 5d III) I think you will get more keeps.
THe gold standard is the 70-200 2.8 if 2.8 is fast enough.

[dsiegel5151]

oh, yes, I have dreams....

1 (by far...literally have money set aside waiting)...update to the 100-400L IS
500 f/5.6 L IS

EFS (with L quality optics, build and weather sealing)
15-85 f/4
40-120 f/2.8

Man, I'd die for a 500 f5.6L IS for $2500-$3000...but I think a 500 f6.3L is more likely (although that more likely is still a slim to never chance) and I'd fork out $2500 for that too as long as it performed as well as the 400 f5.6L.

[Richard Lane]

Sometimes I just wish I had a focal length/f-stop combination that doesn't exist in Canon's L line-up. I shoot my daughter playing indoor volleyball and the lighting is just dismal. I currently use the 85mm 1.2L II on a 5DMKIII b/c this is the only lens that gives me enough speed - f1.2, 1/1000 sec, ISO 2500-3200. A little longer focal length would also be nice.

I have thought about the 135 f2, but I just don't think it is fast enough to bother - and I'm not overly impressed with the wide open IQ. The 200mm f2 is more tempting.

Anybody else have some L-dreams?

I would think that the 85mm f/1.2L would be way too slow for auto-focusing. I barely nail candid shots with it, especially with that shallow DOF.

The 135mm f/2L is definitely fast enough for indoor sports and so is the 85mm f/1.8, 100mm f/2.0, and 200mm f/2L I$ as you mentioned.

You may want to rent the 135mm just to check it out.

You should definitely be pushing the ISO up to 6400 to 12,800 especially on the 5DIII, then just use a little noise reduction if necessary.

You could even get away with 1/800sec if you like a little arm blur and/or ball blur on spikes.

Noise Ninja and TopazLabs DeNoise are both good for noise reduction and both offer a free trial. I have tried both and ended up with DeNoise due to it's more polished user interface.

My wish list had included a new 35mm f/1.4L II that was also weather-sealed, but now that the new 24-70mm II is out I may just go for that, but it doesn't have f/1.4.

My other wish list would include a 400mm II, 500mm II, or 600mm II, and/or a 200-400mm.

I would also like to eventually get the 8-15mm f/4L fisheye.

[Joel Eade]

Wish List

Existing Lenses:
600mm II
24mm TSE II
17mm TSE
14mm f/2.8 II
24-70mm f/2.8 II

Wishful thinking :
14-24mm f/2.8 equal to Nikon quality
400mm f/4 with IS
300-800mm with built in 1.4 TC with "L" image quality and IS

[btaylor]

Wish List

Wishful thinking :
14-24mm f/2.8 equal to Nikon quality

That'd do me just fine. The Nikon 14-24mm f/2.8 is a superb lens, but pricey.

I'd love to see an ultrawide with a wider aperture than f/2.8 though for night shots. A 14m or 16mm UWA @ f/1.4 (or even f/1.8) would be fantastic. I'm obviously imagining that one, I imagine I probably couldn't afford it either.

[Dr Croubie]

Anything zoom with f/2.0-2.8.
They've done variable-aperture L zooms in the past, and it's a bit more realistic to expect a f/2.0-2.8 than it is an f/2.0 constant zoom.
I'm thinking something along the lines of EF 50-150 f/2.0-2.8 L, *the* ultimate portrait zoom, that on a 5D3 would make an excellent wedding-kit (IS or not, i'm presuming with IS it would be *huge*, it it's not already).

Any long zoom. The 200-400 f/4 seems nice enough, if not expensive.
There used to be an FD 150-600 f/5.6 L zoom (the first internal zoom ever, iirc). Bring that back with EF and AF and price is maybe somewhere $7k ish and i'd be happy (I couldn't afford it, but i'd sleep better knowing it existed).
Or the Tamron 300-800, make something to compete with that. (400-800 f/5.6L would be nice?)

Portraiture is also nice, there's nothing between the 85/1.2 and 135/2.0, except for the 100 f/2.8 macros and f/2.0 (which is a nice lens, but 20 years old and not exactly L). 100mm f/1.4 L maybe? A new 135 would be nice, 135 f/1.8 L IS? (Ok, it'll be expensive).


And anything EF-S, if it's weathersealed, especially on the ultra-wide end like EF-s 11mm f/2.0 L, or 9-16 f/4.0 L. Anything above 16mm and there's sealed alternatives (although they're expensive, at least they exist).

[thekingb]

My biggest L lens wishes: EF 400 f/5.6L IS at $1600 and/or an EF 500 f/5.6L IS at __??

[Agilulfo]

I currently use the 85mm 1.2L II on a 5DMKIII b/c this is the only lens that gives me enough speed - f1.2, 1/1000 sec, ISO 2500-3200.

I never had been in a volleyball game, but I'm sure that you can freeze a fast moving car at 1/500 and at 1/250 you can deal with jumping guitar players. Maybe you should try to shot at a lower speed.

Image quality, as ever, it's a matter of how large do you print your pictures. The 135 f/2 it's more than enough for a double page in a well printed magazine.