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REVIEWS:  Manufacturers:  Canon:  35mm Primes:
EF 200mm f/1.8L USM Lens

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Canon EF 200mm f/1.8L USM Lens


 
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Rating
Reviewed by: 

joetheslug

( Casual)

Review Date
July 26, 2006

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.20 of 5,
5 votes

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Review 1 of 18

Price Paid:  $1800.00 from ebay

Summary:

Compared to the 70-200mm IS 2.8, this lens produces brighter and more colourful pictures, which one wouldn't spot unless you have both lenses, otherwise don't lose any sleep over it.
Was it worth the money. Well I paid £1500 for the 70-200 from Jessops, so thats £300 less than the 200mm 1.8. However the proof is in the pudding. Since getting the 200mm 1.8 it has been constantly on my camera. The pictures are far more pleasing. That is not to say the zoom is poor cos it is not. The only drawback is th slight increase in weight, but I still handhold this lens. In low light then the pod comes out.
If this lens sold at £500-£1000 then Canon would have had a supply problem, it is just sheer quality. If you have the money by one.

Strengths:

Superbly built, picture quality brilliant, never had so many females come and talk to me!
Price, it still holds a high resale value, just hope Canon don't bring out an IS version. Superb in low light.

Weaknesses:

Weight, but not really any issue for me, use a lightweight monopod with it.
Price in terms of second hand still costs between £1800-£2500, but resale excellent.

Similar Products Used:

Canon ef 70-200mm is 2.8

Customer Service:

N/A



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Rating
Reviewed by: SingLO
 (Intermediate)

Review Date
January 28, 2004

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
2.67 of 5,
6 votes

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Review 2 of 18

Price Paid:  $2860.00 from London

Summary:

This is my all time favourite lens. It is ideal for gymnastics and any other indoor sports. Also it can be a very good portrait lens-the beautiful out-of-focus boken is breathtaking. With the 1.6X crop factor of my 10D, it becomes a formidable 320mm f1.8 with extremely fast and snappy AF. Stop down to f2.8 to f4, the image becomes razor sharp that shows dazzling contrast and colours. The large diameter hood is designed to cover the tripod mount when it is mounted in reversed position for transport. It is shame that Canon discontinued this classic speed giant last year.

Strengths:

ideal for indoor sport very sharp even at f1.8

Weaknesses:

very expensive and heavy

Similar Products Used:

EF 300 f2.8L EF 135 f2L EF 70-200 f2.8L and many Contax Zeiss glasses



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Rating
Reviewed by: Terrey
 (Expert)

Review Date
December 1, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5,
1 votes

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Review 3 of 18

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:

Recently rented the 200 1.8L for a weekend shoot. My son plays Ice Hockey and my 80-200 2.8L just couldn't give me enough speed. I teamed this with my 135 2L and left all my other lenses home. I had seen the lens and looked at the spec sheets and wondered how good it is. Well, I am amazed at the quality. Using my 10D (focal length is 1.6x for 320mm)at ISO 800 I was shooting 1/500 @ f2. Not alot of DoF, but the images are the best I've gotten in 4 years of shooting hockey. I also shot my horses with it in daylight with outstanding results. Time to go shopping. This lens with a 1.4 will be my new workhorse.

Strengths:

Image quality. AF Speed. Handling. Oh-My factor. BAckground blur

Weaknesses:

Weight. Sort of expensive, but worth it.

Similar Products Used:

Tokina AT-X AF Pro 28-70 2.8, Canon 135 f2L, Canon 80-200 2.8L, Canon 300 f4L,Canon 300 2.8L

Customer Service:

My 80-200 has some barrel loosening going, but from what I have read, I don't know if I want to send it to Canon for repair.



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Rating
Reviewed by: Inner Visions
 (Professional)

Review Date
September 10, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5,
1 votes

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Review 4 of 18

Price Paid:  $2250.00 from Ebay-USA

Summary:

WOW! The image quality from this 'weapon' is unbelievable. It is razor sharp even at f/1.8, infact it is equally superb across the whole range. This bit of kit took some convincing for approval with the wife but even she now acknowledges the stunning image quality improvement in my shots, even comparing it to my beaut 70-200f/2.8L which I think is terrific.

Strengths:

This thing will improve the images you shoot because 1. With f/1.8 even low light dilema's become a thing of the past and 2. Image quality is like nothing else with excellent contrast & true colours.

Weaknesses:

Only weakness so far is my arms trying to hold this thing up- at 3kg- its a beast!. But what would you expect with all that fast glass. I'm still grinning anyway.

Similar Products Used:

70-200f/2.8L

Customer Service:

N/A



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Rating
Reviewed by: GODZILLA
 (Intermediate)

Review Date
August 3, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
Less than 1 month

Visitors rate this review
4.25 of 5,
8 votes

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Review 5 of 18

Price Paid:  $2800.00 from EBAY

Summary:

I've been using EF16-35mm f/2.8L USM lens on my EOS 1D all the time till I bought this EF 200m f/1.8L lens. This is the best lens I've ever used so far. Lucky I didn't buy EF70-200mm f/2.8L IS. If you go to ebay, there're a lot of it but very rare you can find EF200mm f/1.8L. It's like comparing to honda civic with Ferrari modena. I've seen the lens sold as low as $1500 to as high as $2800 in Ebay depends on the condition. Good Luck!

Strengths:

Very sharp, fast and high contrast! People smile when they see the lens!

Weaknesses:

It's so heavy!! Can't lift the lens for long time unless your bicep is big.

Similar Products Used:

Sold all my maxxum, nikon, sony camera sets..Canon has the largest and the best lenses in the world!

Customer Service:

Excellent job!



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