First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

[wayne2418]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

I must stop reading this post.. or I will want a FF too . ((I must stop reading this post(says she who MUST be obeyed )).

[S_J_P]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

I must stop reading this post.. or I will want a FF too . ((I must stop reading this post(says she who MUST be obeyed )).

Just think of purchasing a full-frame body as giving you a complete set of new glass rather than as a new body

The investment will equate to £2.5k's worth of new lenses for you

[tombennett]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

Great image of the welder Paul, hope the sensor's okay. Nice bit of glass too.

TomB.

[DP the Snapper]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

Just think of purchasing a full-frame body as giving you a complete set of new glass rather than as a new body

The investment will equate to £2.5k's worth of new lenses for you

There is some kind of logic in them there Kentish Hills ........ that only a keen photographer would understand

Dave

[Paulstw]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

Great image of the welder Paul, hope the sensor's okay. Nice bit of glass too.

TomB.

The lens is totally amazing, however, one thing I will say is that coupled with the 7D this set up will cripple you if you are lazy with it. Today for instance. Walking round this huge pond with loads to fire off on, but nothing was working. I was actually so tired I could have wept.

I get home and the noise in the images was terrible even at ISO 200. Purely because I wasn't paying attention enough and under exposing all over the place. At 2.8 life gets tough for some reason.

My angles were all over the place and I realised that in order for you to get the best out of this set up, you need to come with your brain in check lol

One thing that you dont think about is having to edit on a Core2Duo laptop that's 6 years old with a 15" screen. Funny though, as soon as you point this lens at people it just seems to produce magic I've never seen before.

[paulr5604]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

The lens is totally amazing, however, one thing I will say is that coupled with the 7D this set up will cripple you if you are lazy with it. Today for instance. Walking round this huge pond with loads to fire off on, but nothing was working. I was actually so tired I could have wept.

I get home and the noise in the images was terrible even at ISO 200. Purely because I wasn't paying attention enough and under exposing all over the place. At 2.8 life gets tough for some reason.

My angles were all over the place and I realised that in order for you to get the best out of this set up, you need to come with your brain in check lol

One thing that you dont think about is having to edit on a Core2Duo laptop that's 6 years old with a 15" screen. Funny though, as soon as you point this lens at people it just seems to produce magic I've never seen before.

I don't even have a core2duo to edit on I'm using a Dell inspiron 1350 at the moment I'm getting an old duo core laptop from work that they are getting rid of

[wayne2418]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

Funny though, as soon as you point this lens at people it just seems to produce magic I've never seen before.

You sound like Paul Daniels ..

[briansquibb]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

Moving the 70-200f2.8 to FF gives better options IMO

[DeeGee]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

I think I might sit in a corner and sulk.

I've been looking at 70-200 lens, but think I may have to dream about the F4 rather than the 2.8. its still a dream though. Other things always seem to have to come first in the running.

I do like the welder shot though.

Hope you don't mind. I've just taught myself the proper way to colour pop (layer and mask magic) from a video on youtube.

I thought it would rather suit your welder. Moving to black and white takes away the hi-vis vest but I like the colour of the welding arc. What do you think?



Ps. Gone from the computer - I'll remove from here if you say.

[Columbarius]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

I think I might sit in a corner and sulk

Di,
Please don't! The F4 70-200 is brilliant - you might have read elsewhere on this forum that I was sent the f2.8 by mistake. I sent it back (conscience) but in the short time I had it I have to say it's quite chunky and (as we do a lot of walking) I'd struggle to carry it around all day.

You have the skills. "The" photograph will come whatever the lens on your camera at the time.

[Paulstw]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

No worries Dee I don't mind people editing my pics. Just a little disheartened that it's so easy these days for people to whip a pic off the net. Looks cool.

I wouldn't worry too much about not having this lens. It's actually more hassle to carry around than it's worth in money. I certainly don't feel like I'm using a £1800 lens. However with that said, in the right light and scene it really sets itself away from the rest.

The times that I have managed to get some cracking shots I can count on one hand but mostly its all stuff based on the amount of time I've had to shoot. Life seems to be getting in the way of photography at the moment but some people seem to think that because you have expensive gear, you know what you are doing. They don't see that getting practice everyday is so important.

I have a wedding to shoot for someone in Oct because their photog let them down but at the moment confidence is low.

[S_J_P]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

Don't be disheartened Paul, a little practice with the beast will if nothing else strengthen your biceps

I'm blown away by the lens's image quality, it's just so sharp, saturated and contrasty that it deserves a slightly different approach when using it, and that's something which will come with time.

Have you formulated a list of image types you're tackling at the wedding?

On an entirely unrelated note, have you tried a Bookeh Panorama (Brenizer Method) with the beast yet? The narrow depth of field achieved at 135 or 200m f/2.8 coupled with the wide angle of view yields a pleasing but unnatural image. I've seen it used for wedding photography, giving an unearthly almost elfin look to the bride - something which could be either positive or negative

[DrJon]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

I love the quality of the 70-200 f2.8 II, especially that it's so good wide-open, but I only carry it when either I really plan to use it or feel I should have a play with it to see if I can do anything interesting. (E.g. using it with an extender to see how good an alternative it makes to a longer lens.)

Since I've got the m43 equivalent (field-of-view/exposure wise, wars are fought in m43 forums over the word equivalence... many wars...) I carry that all the time with the GH3 and if I want a 70-200 I'll usually take that instead (360g vs. 1490g). It's a shame I don't get more use out of the Canon lens though... still a keeper...

[MX5]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

It's actually more hassle to carry around than it's worth in money. I certainly don't feel like I'm using a £1800 lens. However with that said, in the right light and scene it really sets itself away from the rest.

You've spent the money now, so that should be forgot - Hang in there Paul, porridge for breakfast, spinach for lunch and the full Scottish for dinner. Well the results should make you realize you are using an expensive lens. I probably use mine 50% of the time. Sometimes with sometimes without an Extender.

[S_J_P]

Re: First impressions with the 70-200 2.8L IS II

It's all too easy to be drawn into the perception that expensive-equipment will produce stunning images, but the equipment is just one aspect.

Good equipment is an enabler, it can enable you to capture the image in your minds-eye, and that is something which cheaper equipment may not be able to deliver, but you need to learn how to extract that potential and it can be easy to become disenchanted initially.

Before you get to the point of needing the equipment though the photographer also has to have the imagination to foresee the image, and he then has to have the experience and knowledge to implement it, taking into account ambient conditions and his own equipment. Hopefully the sum of your imagination, light, subject, placement and equipment will meet or even exceed your expectation at least once in a while

Paul, you have a photographers eye (your photostream shows that), you have good equipment, and before the wedding you'll have the time to learn how to use everything together to extract every last ounce of creativity. Stop lacking confidence, and go learn some more....

(Oh, and porridge and spinach consumption too Failing that, might I suggest a Monopod, and (as suggested previously) an Op/Tech neoprene sling-strap to ease your burden)