My Take On The New Canon 70-200mm f/4L IS Mark-II Lens

[rpcrowe]

Canon has upgraded their venerable 70-200mm f/4L IS lens which I have been using since it was introduced.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/explora...35423645394537

The Mark-I version of the 70-200mm f/4L IS has been my favorite lens which I have carried all over the world in tandem with an EFS 17-55mm f/2.8 IS lens on a pair of crop cameras. I can carry these two lenses and a pair of bodies at about the same weight as the 70-200mm f/2.8L (series) lens and the 17-55mm lens and a single body. The f/4L IS Mark-I is also my favorite portrait lens for people and the hundreds of rescue dogs I photograph each year.

I don't think that any major improvements are needed for the f/4L IS Mark-I lens. My philosophy is, "IF SOMETHING AIN'T BROKE, DON'T FIX IT" However, the MFD decrease from 4-feet to 3.3-feet would be nice.

I went the "el-cheapo" route when I purchased my first tripod ring for the Mark-I lens and bought a third party offering from Bay. It was an absolute piece of crap and I got rid of it and found a used OEM ring on eBay for a fraction of the new price. On the other hand, this lens is light enough to use with the camera mounted to the tripod. The tripod ring is nice but not a necessity. BTW: IMO, Canon has really dropped the ball with their tripod rings (for all their lenses) by not milling a pair of groves at the bottom which would allow the rings to mount directly to an Arca Compatible clamp. I have recently begun using a third party Kiwiphotos Arca Compatible quick release plate on my f/4L IS lens. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Kiwifotos-L...53.m2749.l2649 This plate seems to work fine. Anyway, I use my 70-200mm f/4L IS Mark-I lens hand-held most of the time...

I wish that Canon had produced a lens hood for the 70-200mm f/4L IS lens with a door to rotate a CPL (like the hood for my 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II). The original OEM hoods for the Mark-I lens are crappy and will not lock on securely. I lost one in Venice and another in China and have taken to securing the hood with gaffer's tape and or using a third party screw in hood (when I shoot with this lens on a crop camera).

I certainly won't trade in my f/4L IS Mark-I lens for the middling improvements of the Mark-II model but, I would recommend a person purchase the Mark-II as their first 70-200mm f/4L lens. Unless (and this is a big unless) they can get the 70-200mm f/4L IS Mark-I at a much better price than the Mark-II...

[Donald]

Agree with all that.

The only advantage of a tripod mount is that you can swing the camera into portrait mode and still keep it on the centre of gravity. I got a 3rd party one that I have now discarded. What I thought was movement caused by the weight of the gear, was in fact the tripod ring having altered shape and the lens was moving inside it.

[DanK]

It's also one of my favorite lenses. As of now, the difference in price at B&H is $200. If I were buying a new one, I would buy the II, but I can't see enough reason to trade up, which (given the likely low price of used version I lenses).

[rpcrowe]

It's also one of my favorite lenses. As of now, the difference in price at B&H is $200. If I were buying a new one, I would buy the II, but I can't see enough reason to trade up, which (given the likely low price of used version I lenses).

That's my point exactly! Sure, the closer MFD is an advantage but, nine inches is not that great of a difference. There may be improvements in the coatings but, I am pretty darn satisfied with the performance of my present lens. The more efficient Image Stabilization would also be an advantage but, I work quite efficiently with my present lens.

You do pay a slight price in weight. The Mark-2 is 40 grams heavier.

Canon touts the nine bladed aperture as an improvement but, I don't think you can get too much smoother bokeh than these...





If I were not so darned happy with the Mark-1, I might consider the Mark-2 but, the Mark-1 does everything that I ask it to do...

Besides, the new lens would require a new CPL and ND filter. The Mark-2 is 72mm and my present lens is 67mm...

[apersson850]

As far as I can see, the new lenses, i.e. the EF 70-200 mm f/4L IS II USM as well as (and perhaps even more) the EF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS III USM, are mainly of interest if you don't have any, but want to get one. Then of course it makes sense for Canon to upgrade these important pieces of optics, compared to their competitors.
But they aren't revolutionary enough to motivate me, who has the EF 70-200 mm f/4L IS USM as well as the EF 70-200 mm f/2.8L IS II USM already, to switch to a newer one.
I haven't even replaced my EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM with the improved EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM yet. I did replace my EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS USM with the new EF 24-105 mm f/4L IS II USM, but that was just because it broke down. I would not have bought the 1DX Mark II either, hadn't the 1DX stopped working after an incident.

In short, if your gear addiction is difficult to handle, then your photography will usually fare better if you get something you don't have, rather than buying a different edition of something you do have.