WAKFT - the 70-200 f/2.8 Mark I is selling for $1900 new. The best deals on Craigslist I've seen in the past 2 weeks were for about $1550. I agree with the "save up and buy the best" idea but I don't think a 300% increase in price is going to sit well here. The 70-200 f/4L is actually a sharper lens than the 2.8 Mark I, and complement the 70-200 f/4L with an 85 f/1.8 and he'd be fine.