Hi Guys! Well the new 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II was waiting for me in the living room last night when I (finally) got home from work.
Initial impressions are:
- It's bloody heavy compared to the 70-200mm f/4L IS!!!
- Build quality is simply amazing. On the zoom ring you can ever so slightly feel the gears working which I really like. Everything is built really well. The new lens hood snaps into place nicely and the tripod collar is rock solid. There's nothing I would improve in terms of build.
- Image quality is outstanding, very very sharp wide open. In fact I don't think I've taken a shot stopped down yet because I'm so happy with it wide open. As good as, if not better than my 70-200 f/4L IS wide open. Contrast is spot on, bokeh is delicious.
- Autofocus is very very quick, and silent.
- IS works very well, hand holding as low as 1/10sec is easily achieved.
- It looks rather sexy on my 5D2.
Here's a few test shots I just took of the dish lickers (Jack and Tilly) in the back yard. Nothing too special just yet but I wanted to be able to post something for you to look at.
5D2, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II @ ISO 200, f/2.8, 200mm, 1/2000sec
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/4718.IMG_5F00_3500.jpg[/img]
100% Crop:
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/0246.IMG_5F00_3500crop.jpg[/img]
5D2, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II @ ISO 400, f/2.8, 190mm, 1/1250sec
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/6114.IMG_5F00_3579.jpg[/img]
100% Crop
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/8507.IMG_5F00_3579crop.jpg[/img]
5D2, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II @ ISO 400, f/2.8, 102mm, 1/2500sec
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/0741.IMG_5F00_3605.jpg[/img]
100% Crop
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/1526.IMG_5F00_3605crop.jpg[/img]
5D2, 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II @ ISO 400, f/2.8, 200mm, 1/640sec
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/6116.IMG_5F00_3616.jpg[/img]
100% Crop (You can even make out the reflection of me sitting on the steps in Matilda's eye.
[img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Discussions-Components-Files/8/1106.IMG_5F00_3616crop.jpg[/img]
All images are straight out of camera, exported to JPEG from CS4. Needless to say I'm pretty stoked. I had some issues getting it because it was stuck in customs in Cairns for a bit and the cyclone came through and flooded the customs warehouse, luckily the lens didn't see any water.
I had to give it a -1 autofocus microadjustment so it's pretty close straight out of the box. I'm glad I upgraded, it's a really fantastic piece of gear that will now last me a long time.
I'm off to take it for another lap out and about now.
Cheers,
Ben.