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Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

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Andy_99
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Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:37 pm
Location: Hebburn

Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by Andy_99 » Thu Dec 15, 2016 12:45 pm

Hi All,
I've just returned from the Abu Dhabi F1 & have decided that I need an alternate 'Fast' Lens to compliment my 100-400 L Mk 2.

Despite the track being floodlit I found I was having to use higher ISO setting than ideal to keep the shutter speed up to something that could freeze the action.

So I'm now looking at purchasing a 70-200 (ish) lens to use in lower light so looking at f2.8 versions as opposed to F4 where I may as well stick with the 100-400.

Anybody got any experiences with the various f2.8 options ?

Looking at these so far

Sigma-70-200mm-f2-8-ex-dg-os-hsm - Approx £700
Canon 70-200 F2.8 l Mk 2 - Approx £1300 (ish)
Tamron 70-200mm f2.8 SP Di VC USD - Approx £1000

I know that panning etc.. would have allowed me to use a slower speed but.... not easy in a packed grandstand.

Will also look at a 2nd body in the new year to sit alongside the 70d, current thinking is the 7d MkII

Supra
Posts: 2699
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:01 pm

Re: Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by Supra » Thu Dec 15, 2016 2:24 pm

Only own/use the Canon Lens! I find it's excellent, but that's not a 'fair' assessment because I've only tried the others at camera exhibitions.
Please allow me to make a couple of other observations,
1] You don't really want to 'freeze' F1 action, best to see wheels & background blurred for impression of speed. If you mean get the subject in focus, that's different.
2] You don't say the problem with higher ISO, but I'm guessing noise? There are numerous post-processing noise-reduction programmes available to minimise this.
3] 2.8 aperture can make depth of field critical on a three-quarter approaching shot, be it F1 car or aircraft. Particularly in the case of the overall length of say a B52, where the wing-root is in focus but the nose & tail are not! Fine for 'Sammy side-ons' but otherwise tricky, even given the quality of the edge definition on a Canon 70-200.
4]Maybe think laterally. If excellent high ISO / Low-noise qualities are required often enough to justify the cost of a 2.8 lens, try to research a second-body that has this attribute & allocate the lens cost to that instead? Great high-ISO performance Canon Bodies are out there. Allied to the 100-400 Mk II this would not disappoint.
Hth.

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Skip
Posts: 1650
Joined: Sun Sep 29, 2013 1:34 pm
Location: Norwich

Re: Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by Skip » Thu Dec 15, 2016 3:45 pm

Have to agree with Supra about Canon lenses, I've used Sigma and at the time they were good but once I got an L series lens I never looked back. I used to have a Canon 6D and the high iso is up there with a Canon 1DX, I reckon you could get a second hand Canon 70-200 non IS 2.8 mk1 and a second hand Canon 6D body for the price of the Canon 2.8 that you have posted ;)
The last time I saw an F22 at Lakenheath i DIDN'T photoshop it...
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Andy_99
Posts: 964
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:37 pm
Location: Hebburn

Re: Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by Andy_99 » Thu Dec 15, 2016 3:54 pm

Supra wrote:Only own/use the Canon Lens! I find it's excellent, but that's not a 'fair' assessment because I've only tried the others at camera exhibitions.
Please allow me to make a couple of other observations,
1] You don't really want to 'freeze' F1 action, best to see wheels & background blurred for impression of speed. If you mean get the subject in focus, that's different.
2] You don't say the problem with higher ISO, but I'm guessing noise? There are numerous post-processing noise-reduction programmes available to minimise this.
3] 2.8 aperture can make depth of field critical on a three-quarter approaching shot, be it F1 car or aircraft. Particularly in the case of the overall length of say a B52, where the wing-root is in focus but the nose & tail are not! Fine for 'Sammy side-ons' but otherwise tricky, even given the quality of the edge definition on a Canon 70-200.
4]Maybe think laterally. If excellent high ISO / Low-noise qualities are required often enough to justify the cost of a 2.8 lens, try to research a second-body that has this attribute & allocate the lens cost to that instead? Great high-ISO performance Canon Bodies are out there. Allied to the 100-400 Mk II this would not disappoint.
Hth.
Thanks for the info Supra I'll bear it all in mind.
High ISO was just giving me grainy images as opposed to a lot of noise, The seats we had limited a lot of panning opportunities but I did manage to get some shots with a bit of motion blur. Maybe I'll have to look at investing the cash into a higher end body ;)

Other issue at Abu Dhabi is the Security at the Circuit deem any person with a Lens & Body combination over over 30cm as being a professional. I spoke to various other amateurs like myself who were refused entry with a 100-400 lens on the camera, they had to check the camera in to a storage locker. However as they were all shipped from India & working to a strict process document that stated that Camera & lens should not exceed 30cm, the way around it was remove the 100-400 & attach a wee lens I kid you not :clap:

Don't get me started on the Selfie Stick argument at the After race Concerts :S

davem
Posts: 1084
Joined: Mon Oct 05, 2009 8:48 am

Re: Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by davem » Fri Dec 16, 2016 2:30 pm

I remain to be convinced that the mk2 70-200 2.7 L IS is that much better than the mk1 apart maybe from better IS.
When a lens gives me sharp whiskers on a horse's muzzle at 100% enlargement at an indoor dressage comp then I'm happy with that performance and you can get mk1s for less thank £1k now.
HTH
Dave.

Supra
Posts: 2699
Joined: Tue Jun 15, 2010 8:01 pm

Re: Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by Supra » Fri Dec 16, 2016 3:59 pm

I'm much inclined to agree with you davem! I have owned a non-IS Mk I since 1992 & still have it now. It was my 'go-to' lens especially for static/taxi shots on base-visits where there was nobody or anything in the way. Sharp as a tack throughout the zoom-range. At that time I was using slide-film & it was the 'dogs' straight from the camera (PP clearly not an option in those days ;) ) & is still spot-on now. I have, as noted also got a Mk II which merely allows you to get adventurous in the prop'/rotor blur department. IQ is in my opnion comparable!

Andy_99
Posts: 964
Joined: Tue Jan 28, 2014 12:37 pm
Location: Hebburn

Re: Best 70-200 f2.8 Lens

Post by Andy_99 » Mon Jan 02, 2017 6:32 pm

Well I took the plunge & ordered one from HDEW over the Christmas break.

Next purchase will be a 7d MkII methinks

Thanks for all the advice.

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