Notes from the Field

Something has been missing from my camera bag since I switch from Nikon to Canon. When I shot Nikon, I had two go to lenses in my bag, the 24-70mm f/2.8 and the 80-200mm f/2.8. When I sold the Nikon kit and moved to Canon, I made sure to buy the Canon 24-70mm f/2.8, but I thought that I needed to get a longer zoom for my action work and didn’t buy the Canon 70-200 f/2.8, instead I opted for the Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6.

I did this for two reasons. The first was because I was shooting a lot of action photography at the time and wanted to get closer to the subject, but many times fences, security guards or guard rails kept me from getting closer to the action, so I went for the 100-400 to help me get those tight shots.

I have since moved away from being a sport and action shooter, to more of a studio and portrait photographer and the necessity for the 100-400 has gone away. So far away, that it is no longer in my everyday camera bag and only comes out when I got out for the sporadic action shoot, and it may soon find its way on the used lens market.

The second reason that I didn’t buy the Canon 70-200 is because I really didn’t understand and appreciate lens optics at that time. While many photographers use the lens as a middle ground piece of glass that fits between their wide angle lenses and their super telephoto lenses, many more know the true power of a 70-200, its amazing qualities as a portrait lens.

2011 had been, for me, a year of the prime lens. I have pretty much left the zoom lenses in the bag, unless I was shooting derby or event photography. As mentioned in my previous post about the Canon 85mm f/1.2, I feel that prime lenses are something that all beginning photographers should explore. The movement that the primes force you to make, with zooming with your feet, there by showing you more angles and perspective that a zoom may not show you, because your feet are planted while you work that zoom ring like a mad person.

But Canon’s 70-200 is legendary for being one of the best lenses made for sharpness and quality. Traits that were improved with the second series release of the lens at the bokeh making aperture of f/2.8. I had used the first series 70-200 f/2.8 at one derby bout, and really loved the results, but never really used it for portrait work.

So when my last bout and the wedding of the year were falling on the same weekend, I decided to rent the lens from the fine people at LensProToGo, as well as a 50mm f/1.2, but more on that in another post.

I knew I wanted to buy the lens, but it was out of stock at BestBuy, so I rented it, to give it one final test drive, to confirm the need for purchase.

Before either event, I got in a quick portrait session with my good friend, and fellow shooter, Kelsi Vogel. While I knew the results would be great, I really was not prepared for what that would mean. The images were tack sharp, autofocus was much more accurate than many other lenses I had used, and the compression at 150-200mm was amazing. Shortly after that shoot, the lens was in stock and I bought it without looking back.

I just love the sharpness of the 70-200

(Since I originally started writing this post in October of 2011, I have used the lens extensively for portrait work, and hardly ever reach into the bag for any of my other lens. The only time I grab another lens is when I just don’t have the room to move for the 70-200.)

Now at over $2000, this is not an impulse buy to see if this is something you grow to like. This is an investment, a serious one. I want that to sink in, so you understand how good this lens is, because when I looked at the results, I didn’t hesitate when I hit the buy button on the computer screen.

It is that good.

The images were as good, if not better than my 85mm f/1.8 and my 100mm f/2.8 Macro, my two portrait lenses of choice over the past year. Add in the fact that I now have the range of 101-200mm of lens zoom, for great image compression and fantastic shallow depth of field, and you have a total winner.

f/4.5 @ 70mm (left image) and f/4.5 @ 200mm (right image)

The lens continued to shine when shooting roller derby, giving more consistent shots that were in focus while I held down the shutter button and sprayed and prayed in continues shooting mode. It was also as well suited at the wedding, allowing me to get close to the action of the ceremony, without getting in the way of the wedding party.

And since it has such a low maximum aperture, I can always use an lens extender to get back to the 300-400mm range if I ever need to.

I usually have buyer’s remorse when I buy any gear. Hell, have buyer’s remorse when I buy a game for my Xbox. But even with the high cost of this lens, I haven’t lost a wink of sleep. The only regret I have is that I didn’t pony up the cash when this lens first came out.

Model and friend, Travis Stewart, but the ladies call him Steve.

Now, I know what you are thinking, “There is no way in Dante’s inferno that I am going to pay that much for a lens”. My response is simple, rent the lens for a week, and shoot every possible scenario you can think of, but prepare yourself for not wanting to send this lens back.

If the price is still too hight, you may want to look into a less expensive alternative. Canon, unlike Nikon, manufactures several lenses in the 70-200 range. Two with f/4.0 apertures, one with image stabilization, and one without. They also make two in the f/2.8 apertures, again, one with IS, one without. Nikon’s 70-200 is fantastic as well, but they do not have any lower cost alternatives at this time.

I do want to point out that while all of these lenses from Canon get great reviews, the f/2.8 IS verson 2, is the king of the crop. The IS on the lens is fantastic, allowing for very slow shutter speeds, while zooming in at 200mm.

The downsides to this lens? Other than the price, there is the weight issue. This is a heavy piece of glass, and while you can hold it by hand, you are going to get a serious workout. Combine that with my 7D with the option vertical grip, and I don’t need to go to the gym to work out my right arm.

But the biggest downside to this lens curse of the zoom itself. I found myself at a shoot last week never really moving around at times, because I can just plant my feet and zoom in and out on the subject, making new compositions, without moving around the subject. I had to make myself conscious of this problem, and make sure I moved my feet. This is not good, and I can see myself missing a new angle or perspective because the lens makes me lazy.

While there is a risk of taking it easy and not moving around the subject with the lens, I just can’t stress how versatile the 70-200 is, and how great the images look. I used to think that the must have zoom lens of high value in a camera bag needed to be the 24-70, but I think the 70-200 is far more functional for both action, wedding and portrait photographers. If you are a photographer that is looking for a lens that you are going to get the most out of, this is defiantly it, by far. Of course there are downsides to the lens, cost, weight, laziness, but they all go away once you start to see the images come out of your camera.

Travis showing you how much he loves the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS II