Wallet full of $100 bills

[bob williams]

One of my concerns about the 70-200 2.8 II is the size/weight - not for going on a hike, but say, for pics at the playground, where I often need to let the camera/lens dangle from my neck with both hands free to lift the little one onto a slide, etc.

John, If you do decide on the 70-200 II, one of the black rapid straps would solve your problems regarding keeping your hands available for "quick toddler grabs". I use mine with a 100-400 and it works great and is very comfortable.


I also like your #4 Line up. The 24-104 is ideal for outdoor walkaround on a crop body--I have one and love it. The 135L provides that beautiful bokeh and outstanding IQ for those special and artistic moments and the 50 gives you the low-light ability when needed.----But.......It would be very hard for me to pass up the 70-200 II if I was in your position [:S].


Good luck,


Bob

[neuroanatomist]

Thanks, Bob!

If you do decide on the 70-200 II, one of the black rapid straps would solve your problems regarding keeping your hands available for "quick toddler grabs". I use mine with a 100-400 and it works great and is very comfortable.

I looked at the BlackRapid system a while back - it looks very appealing and comfortable, but I was reluctant to go that route because of the inconvenience of swapping out the FastenR-2 for the QR plates on the body or tripod foot. Some people apparently just connect the ConnectR-2 to the D-ring on the tripod QR plate, but i'm sure that thumbscrew is not designed to take the weight. I considered using the BR strap just for the white lens(es), attached to the tripod foot, but assuming I get the 695CX monopod, I'd get a 234 QR tilt-head for that, and be looking at a front-heavy monopod when attaching it to the camera, or still swapping plate forFastenR.


However, I think a BlackRapid strap will be a future purchase - according to BlackRapid's forum/blog, in addition to the new FasterR-3 that's now in production (one piece design instead of a D-ring), they're expecting to have FastenR's specifically for QR plates. Once those are available, life will be good!

I also like your #4 Line up. The 24-104 is ideal for outdoor walkaround on a crop body--I have one and love it. The 135L provides that beautiful bokeh and outstanding IQ for those special and artistic moments and the 50 gives you the low-light ability when needed.----But.......It would be very hard for me to pass up the 70-200 II if I was in your position

Yeah, it's a bit of a dilemma... But, on the balance I'd rather have too many choices than too few! I'm still grappling a bit with the duplication in the general purpose range (i.e. having the 17-55mm f/2.8 andthe24-105mm f/4L).

[bob williams]

I looked at the BlackRapid system a while back - it looks very appealing and comfortable, but I was reluctant to go that route because of the inconvenience of swapping out the FastenR-2 for the QR plates on the body or tripod foot

Absolutely right, I had a similar problem as well. When I bought my RRS tripod head, I also bought the RRS camera plate---My plate (7D)had a threaded hole in it that accepetd the d-ring swivel on the black rapid strap----works great, and I don't have to remove my camera plate.----Just a thought.


Bob

[Dave Johnston]

Go 5DII + 24-105... That's what I would do. Two good bodies... better than one.





Dave.

[neuroanatomist]

Hey wait. Do I know you? You're not Professor Tucker, are you?

Not last time I checked, no. [:P]

It's my favorite lens. I think you'll like it.

I do like the 70-200 II!! [] It's really a fantastic and fantastically sharp lens - from my limited testing, it's at least as sharp as the 200mm f/2.8L prime!


Here's a shot of a cooperative kestral from my walk around a local Audubon preserve last weekend (~50% crop):


[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.35.15/Kestral_2D00_Crop.jpg[/img]


EOS 7D, EF70-200mm f/2.8<span style="color: red;"]LIS II USM @ 200mm, f/4, 1/320 s, ISO 250

If you do decide on the 70-200 II, one of theblack rapid strapswould solve your problems regarding keeping your hands available for "quick toddler grabs".

That same walk around the nature preserve, trying to manage gripped 7D+70-200 and toddler, convinced me that the Canon neck strap was not the way to go. Thanks again for this great recommendation, Bob. I picked up a BlackRapid RS-4 on Tuesday and used it yesterday on a family outing - it's excellent!
<div>--John</div>

[Jon Ruyle]

I spent many years teaching medical students, and I often told them, "Your first instinct is usually right."

Hey wait. Do I know you? You're not Professor Tucker, are you?

Not last time I checked, no. [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]

It's just that I took an anatomy class at UC Davis, and Professor Tucker repeatedly said the same thing. Maybe it's an anatomist thing.

I do like the 70-200 II!! [img]/emoticons/emotion-2.gif[/img] It's really a fantastic and fantastically sharp lens - from my limited testing, it's at least as sharp as the 200mm f/2.8L prime!

I'm enjoying mine as well. And my wife has onlychastisedme a few times for spending all that money. Easily worth it. ]

[neuroanatomist]

It's just that I took an anatomy class at UC Davis, and Professor Tucker repeatedly said the same thing.

Ok, you're scaring me a bit - the degrees of separation just became a lot fewer. Actually, I think Richard might have picked up that saying from the same place that I did. When you wrote 'Professor Tucker' I dismissed that, as Tucker isn't exactly a rare surname. But I was teaching at UC Davis when he joined the faculty there (1994/95, I think), and my research lab was in MS-1A. It was a favorite saying of one of the senior faculty members in the medical gross anatomy course in which we both taught. I also taught a few lab sections of the undergrad anatomy course (CHA 101, IIRC?).


Feel free to start a Conversation if you'd like to reminisce!