- Relatively small size/weight - Fast f/2.8 - Superb optical and build quality - Teleconverter compatibility

- 72mm filter is not compatible with most other Canon lenses

I struggled between this lens and the 70-200/2.8L. Because of money issues, I ended up buying the 200mm/2.8 Mk.I. After using the lens, I'm thrilled with it. It has f/2.8 speed, "L" optical & build quality, and teleconverter compatibility to match the "L" zoom, but with trememndous size and weight savings. Used in combination with my 100mm/2, I don't really miss the flexibility of the zoom, but I constantly appreciate the small size and weight as a portable kit for portraiture, sports or wildlife. I've also been very happy with the quality I get from this lens in combination with the 1.4x TC. The built-in lens hood on the Mk.I is less effective to be sure, but I probably wouldn't even carry the detachable Mk.II hood with me because of its size, and the Mk.I version is much better than nothing. Also, the Mk.I is a fantastic value on the used market. Best bargain in "L" glass.

Similar Products Used:

70-200/2.8L

Sharp, sharp, sharp Built quality AF Focus ring well damped

I thought long and hard before buying this lens. Should I go for the 70-200 2.8 or buy the primes? In the end I bought the primes at three different places for very good prices. I bought the 85 1.8 USM in San Francisco, the 100 2.8 USM Macro in China and now finally the 200L in Las Vegas. This is my first L lens and it is really a superb lens. In the States I shot a lot of birds (Raven) and squirrels with the lens handheld and the photos are tack sharp with beautiful blurr. The AF is very quick and the manual focus ring is very well damped. This is one of the major differences I find between this L lens and for example the 85 mm or the 50 1.4 USM. The 100 mm Macro comes close to the 200 in terms of built although Canon classifies it more as an prosumer lens. When the hood is not on the lens good easily be mistaken for a regular big zoom lens. However, when the hood is on, people start to watch your lens and camera, especially when in crowded places like national parks. Then they start to notice that the lens is no ordinary but a top notch lens! Be careful. In the end I will save money for the new 70-200L IS. The reason is that I sometimes have to switch lenses to catch that bird or animal, and by the time I have switched the bird is already gone. However I would be very surprised if the zoom lens is sharper than this prime lens. I would like to thank the gentleman working at the Wolfcamera store in Belz Las Vegas who helped me buy this lens at this great price. I am Dutch and so is he!

Sharp, beautiful photos, especially for enlargements.

None, it has just been a little difficult trying to get used to a prime lens.

I bought this lens last winter to photograph my children. I was obsessed with background blur. I spent the winter rather disappointed with my choice (it was between this and a 100mm f2.0). Boy did things change this summer. 200mm gives me just the right distance to photograph the kids on the beach without getting in their faces. The images are always sharp and the enlargements are phenomenal. I took one recent photo of my daughter, coupled with Fuji Superia 100 film and I am in awe of the enlargement. Love the lens.

Customer Service

None needed.

Similar Products Used:

Tamron 28-300 and Tamron 24-135.

Price, optical performance, weight, build, and fast&quiet USM. 72mm filter size can be shared with some other EF lenses.

Impossible to find a tripot collar anywhere. Mk1 doesn't come with the dedicate hood like the Mk2.

The one I got it a mk1. I brought this because I didn't have enought to pay for the 70-200L. But after a year shooting with the lens, I'd never regret that I didn't pay the extra for the expensive + heavy zoom. It's light enough for hand-holding at low shutter speed / quality remains high wide open. The size and the black finish doesn't draw attention. If I'm shooting an event that requires speed in composing for shots, I simply attatch a second body with a normal zoom (I weight my equipment budget more toward the lens than the body). Believe me, if you don't really need the ability to zoom between 70-200mm range get the 200L. The extra saving from buying the 70-200L can be allocate to the other great EF primes like the 100USM macro, 20mm 2.8, and 85mm 1.8 / or perhaps a backup body.

Customer Service

Don't think I'll be needing any.

Similar Products Used:

Other "L" and "none-L" EF lenses + some Sigma's.

- Sharp ... and good contrast. - Build. This is a tough lens that won't scratch easily. - L Series Glass. Only the best for Canon's L lenses. It's also nice of Canon to toss in the lens hood and case. - Weight. It's not that heavy. This is such a versatile lens and because it doesn't weigh much, you can bring it anywhere. - Price. It's not expensive, especially compared to other L lenses. - Works with teleconverters. This lens can be coupled with either of Canon's teleconverters for good results (the 1.4x TC is sharper than the 2x TC, but that isn't surprising).

- Tripod ring is not included. The only place that carries them consistently is Canon, but they charge about $120 as opposed to B&H and Adorama, which only change about $80, but they rarely have them in stock. - Lense hood may not fit correctly. I opened a number of boxes in order to find mine. I found that a number of Canon's hoods were too tight for the lens. It seems odd to me that a lens hood that comes with a lens wouldn't fit ... all I can say is that it doesn't hurt to make sure the hood fits on the lens before you buy it.

This is one of Canon's sharpest lenses. I have been incredibly impressed with mine, especially for the price. The color rendition and contrast are spectacular -- you couldn't ask for much more. It is a go-anywhere lens that has always performed well.

Customer Service

Canon customer service has always been helpful.

Similar Products Used:

- Canon 100 - 400 IS USM - Canon 28 - 135 IS USM - Canon 50 1.4 USM - Tamron 90mm 2.8 Macro

Sturdy metal construction, nice solid hood, handy focusing distance selector switch, butter smooth manual focusing, works with 1.4X and 2.0X EF Tele-extenders.

HEAVY, no dedicated tripod ring (you have to search high and low to find one... FYI, B&H Photo Supply in NYC carries them for under $100).

Indeed one of the best, most affordable L-lenses in the Canon EF line-up. The color, sharpness, bokeh, contrast is about as close to perfect as it gets. The lens, though big, is well-balanced and the relatively low number of elements (compared to any zoom, even L-zooms) makes for superior prints when you're making poster-size enlargements. This is a wonderful, professional-level tool. I often lend this lens to friends so they can see the difference between a consumer lens and a professional lens. It's nice that this lens comes with a dedicated detachable lens hood (as opposed to the attached sliding hood of the mark I model). I'm disappointed that you have to purchase the tripod ring separately... it should COME with this lens, because when you throw a tele-extender on it, you need better lens support to keep the camera from moving around.

Customer Service

Not too good. Canon doesn't always stand by its equipment the way it should, and trying to get a clear, usable answer from their customer service department is like trying to get Rick Astley to sing s

Similar Products Used:

EF100 2.0 EF50 1.4 EF20 2.8 EF28-70 2.8L EF600 4.0L EF 1.4X Tele-extender EF 2.0X Tele-extender

Sharpness of photos.

Limited focal range but this is what you get with a fixed focal lens. This is no fault of the lens.

Amazing quality of photos from this lens. I bought this one used from Henrys in Toronto and is in perfect condition. I brought some of the photos taken with this lens to work and they were amazed at the quality and how sharp the pictures were. I would highly recommend this lens to anyone considering it. Quality feel to the lens.

Customer Service

Not needed.

Similar Products Used:

Canon 50mm f1.8, Canon 28-90, Canon 75-300

Sharp and contrasty. POWERFUL, yet lifelike colors. Great background blur. Lifelike photo quality. well built, handles well, and has a WONDERFUL manual focus ring (especially for an autofocus camera.) the cheapest way to get into L prine quality (which is notches above the consumer lenses)

Big. Even bigger with the hood on (mine''''s the mk.II, and the hood is always on when I''''m shooting) It doesn''''t feel big, or handle big, but ot sure as hell LOOKS big to anyone you are pointing it at. Limited focal length (no fault of quality) Will flare in direct sunlight noticably, lowering overall contrast a couple of notches (which brings it down to the level of an ''''average'''' quality lens)

This lens is simply amazing! Of all the Canon lenses I have used and owned, it is in a league all it''''s own. It produces the richest colors of any lens I have ever shot. It is very difficult to describe color quality without being too general, but this lens creates the most lifelike, most powerful colors I have ever seen on a print. It is super sharp wide open, and unbelievable from f4-f11. The autofocus is fast and responsive, and tracks moving subjects very well. It handles well, the focus ring is so well damped, it could easily be mistaken for a manual focus lens. And, for a solid piece of metal barrel housing alot of big glass, it''''s fairly light and easy to handhold, and produces smooth backgrround blur. My only complaints... It flares, even with the hood on, if a strong light source is anywhere directly in the frame of view. But, ONLY if the light source is IN the frame. Keep the sun out of the frame, and you get really good shots. The second, despite it''''s black barrel and comparitively small size, is huge, and WILL attract ALOT of attention. I don''''t use it as often as I''''d like, because it simply intimidates the hell out of anyone I point it at. That said... Quality wise, this is the best Canon lens I have ever used. BOth in construction and photographic quality, it is noticably better than my other Canon lenes. It is unbelievably sharp, creates very powerful images with fabulously rich and lifelike color, wonderful contrast, and snap that makes photos look very lifelike, like you could reach into them, and touch what you photographed. Very high praise. If you can live with the limits of the focal length, it''''s one hell of a lens to own. Antyhing better by Canon requires the full time use of a tripod mount.

Customer Service

good. sent in a lens, and besides fixing the problem, they cleaned all the internal elements to boot. very nice.

Similar Products Used:

ef 35mm 2.0 usm 50mm 1.4 usm 100mm 2.0 usm 70-200 2.8 and 4.0 tons of zeiss glass, slr and G series, from 28mm to 135mm

They''re all there. Rumor has it (3-02) Canon''s adding IS to it. My my my. That''s the only reason I would EVER part with the one I''ve got.

It''s so sharp it''ll make your eyes water.

Canon simply owns 200mm. If the f1.8 (photodo''s sharpest) is better, it ain''t much better, because this bargain lens is already pretty close to optical perfection. This one flatters everything.

Customer Service

I used CFS Irvine once, for an expiring warranty check-up on a D30. They were great. So far, Canon is aces with me.

Similar Products Used:

EF 100 f2.8 USM macro, almost as sweet short tele compliment to the 200. EF 35 f1.4L EF 28-70 f2.8L EF 20 f2.8 Tamron 300 f2.8

Too many. Get it. You will be very happy.

High $$$ (I am poor).

I got this lens from ebay (US$400). I want like weight lens to replace my 70-200 f2.8 (I am thin). This is a Mk.I model. With built-in hood. No tripod collar. Full metal casing but not heavy. The USM motor made the AF speed like a Skyline GT-R! The f/2.8 made viewfinder bright. Can product picture super sharp, even full open (thanks for 2 UD glass). This lens made me switch from zoom to prime. I like it.

Customer Service

Never try.

Similar Products Used:

Tokina 80-200 f2.8 (gone) Canon 70-200 f2.8 Canon 135mm f2.0 (just got it) Canon 100mm macro non-usm