Canon Releases Six New L-Series EF Lenses and Two New Extenders

[Tom Wertman]

The new 70-300mm f/4-5.6L is potentially the most interesting of the lineup, but franklyI'm pretty thoroughly<span class="bbc_u"]unimpressed by this new lens.

Sounds premature at this point since we have not had a chance to hold it, try it or even see some samples. For those of us who know you just bought the DO it also sounds a bit like sour grapes. Maybe not but that is how you come across.


I'm probably mistaken about not extending, although it would be nice. Good point, I read too fast.


I think DO is dead for a few reasons: 1) nothing in over 4 years from Canon or Nikon. 2) newest releases don't have it as of today. 3) smaller sensor development with higher resolution over the past 4 years may have killed it alone because I think they would highlight its shortcomings regarding IQ. 4) high price for inferior IQ from 200-300mm (my opinion based on samples I saw). 5) bad press


If the new lens is better the price of a used 70-300 DO is going to plummet.


Tom

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

This is the BEST time for those who want to buy the 300 f/2.8L IS, 400 f/2.8L IS and 500 f/4L IS and 600 f/4L IS.Since new lenses cost so much, the prices of the old ones would stay the same until they're all sold out. If you wait, your only option is to go with the new and very expensive lens.

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

This is the BEST time for those who want to buy the 300 f/2.8L IS, 400 f/2.8L IS and 500 f/4L IS and 600 f/4L IS.Since new lenses cost so much, the prices of the old ones would stay the same until they're all sold out. If you wait, your only option is to go with the new and very expensive lens.

[neuroanatomist]

Sounds premature at this point...

<div>Yes, it definitely was. [:P] It's not what I was hoping for, but that's no reason to bash it! </div>

Sounds premature at this point since we have not had a chance to hold it, try it or even see some samples. For those of us who know you just bought the DO it also sounds a bit like sour grapes. Maybe not but that is how you come across.

Well, I'll admit that I was really hoping for a 35mm f/1.4L II. Overall, of the 50% of the announced lenses that cost less than several thousand dollars, two are teleconverters, one is a fisheye zoom (why??), and one is the lens we are discussing. That part is sour grapes, for sure. I'll have to content myself with the hope that some shorter and improved primes (and one notably absent zoom) are announced with a 1DsIV (before Photokina??).


I don't plan on pre-ordering the new 70-300. But it's not sour grapes - I really like my 70-300mm DO for it's size - it's incredibly convenient, equivalent to the 17-55mm and 24-105mm, fits perfectly in a Lowepro Lens Case 1W slip-locked to the side of a Lowepro Toploader Pro 65AW for a quite versatile, convenient and small (for a dSLR) kit. But I had no illusions - I knew was sacrificing IQ in favor of a smaller size, compared to the 100-400mm. With this new lens, it seems likely that I wouldn't besacrificing IQ, although the size decrease compared to the 100-400mm is less than for the DO lens.

If the new lens is better the price of a used 70-300 DO is going to plummet.

If I'd just bought the DO lens new, I'd definitely be feeling sour - you're right! But since this new lens will likely debut at full MSRP ($1500), and I paid 35% less than the going retail cost of the DO, I can sell it for half the cost of the new lens and still come out even. (As a side note, when the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II came out at a cost of several hundred more than the MkI, the retail price of the MkI went up, and the used lens prices rose in parallel). Either way, a hundred dollars or two is not that big a deal for me, so it's win-win.


I think you were wise not to jump on the DO, though, Tom - you're right in that if this new lens has better IQthan the DO(as I'm sure it well and the MTF charts support), and you are fine with the larger lens, this new 70-300mm L might be great for you (and perhaps me, as well, we'll see...)!

[Richard Lane]

I'll.... hope that some shorter and improved primes (and one notably absent zoom) are announced with a 1DsIV (before Photokina??).

I also think that this is going to happen! We all know that the 1Ds MkIV is right around the corner. What better place to announce it, then at Photokina at the end of September?


If true, as most people speculate, then I can't imagine Canon is going to announce their new Flagship Body and then say.., oh.., by the way the 1Ds MKIV, will also work great with our new 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS, or our upgraded big white lenses and extenders ...., NOT!


So.., I think there will be some new and exciting prime and/or zoom lenses announced, to compliment their new 1Ds MKIV.





Rich

[canoli]

Man this is one #$%#% expensive hobby!


$500 for the new TCs eh? yikes. I understand they're supposed to be much better than the current models...and at nearly twice the price I certainly expect them to be.


And what's with the vari-aperture "L"? I thought that was an oxymoron - "L" glass is supposed to be constant aperture, that's what makes is a "luxury!" It's a nice-looking hunk of glass and all but I'll be danged if I'm going to pay $1500 for f/5.6 - unless we're in the super-tele line of course. I can't see spending anywhere near a thousand dollars for a lens that doesn't open up past f/4. Ridiculous!


Seriously, f/4 is bad enough. I just bought the 70-200 f/4 because I figured I'd carry it more often than my 2.8. The jury is still out since I've only had it a week, but at $600 at least I don't feel I got robbed. But $1500 for a 4-5.6...and I'm guessing by 200mm it'll be 5.6. Ugh. I don't know Canon, you lost me with this round of products...

[darklord]

Man this is one #$%#% expensive hobby!


$500 for the new TCs eh? yikes. I understand they're supposed to be much better than the current models...and at nearly twice the price I certainly expect them to be.

A crop body is the best 1.6 TC that you lose not IQ to get. If I have a FF body, I'll just pick up a used crop body for less than $500 and won't bother with the TC. If I'm using a crop body, chances are, I won't care much for TC, much less a $500 TC that's almost the same cost as my camera body.

[neuroanatomist]

And what's with the vari-aperture "L"?...I can't see spending anywhere near a thousand dollars for a lens that doesn't open up past f/4.

The 100-400mm, which is a very good wildlife lens, is formally the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6<span style="color: red;"]L IS USM - variable aperture and at it's shortest/fastest end it isn't even as wide as f/4. List price for that lens is $1800, and street price is usually ~$1600. I have one and use itfrequently- it's a great lens.

[nickds7]

and for the people still holding off on the 24-70 2.8, waiting for the IS version...well keep just crossing your fingers [:P]

[JJphoto]

The new extenders, hmmmm... The possible bright spot for me in these announcements is an optically improved 2x III Extender - I'll wait until Bryan gets one in his hands and tests it with the 70-200mm II. The 100-400mm is optically superior to the 70-200 II + 2x II Extender, but if the 70-200mm II + 2x III is optically equal to the 100-400mm that would give a weather-sealed 140-400mm f/5.6 with 4-stop IS (well worth losing 2/3 of a stop at the short end).

neuroanatomist, let's say even the TC II is as good as what you want, the 140-400mm 5.6 with 4 stop IS will still has slower AF speed, this might make this lens tc combo almost useless for faster moving subject, and the cost, $3000?!


not even mentioned this


"Each extender also features a newly developed microcomputer that
increases AF precision when the extenders are used with a IS Series II
EF super-telephoto lens."


I have to admit that I really really like and respect your "nerd-ified" posts here, but every time I look at your lens line and wonder why not trade some of your lenses for a big white lens since you already put a lot of money on it?[*-)]