70-200 L.... F2.8 or IS?

M

meauounji

Well-known member
So, looking to purchase my telephoto zoom soon. My ultimate wish is naturally the 70-200 f2.8 IS, but it costs so dang much it's not really an option right now. So I've resigned myself to either getting the non-IS f2.8 version or the F4 version with IS. They both cost pretty much the same, which is around 500-600 less than the 2.8 IS version. Not an insignificant sum for a low-to-no budget shooter.

The question now is, I don't know whether the IS or the f2.8 is more valuable to me in terms of video. I've never worked with lenses that long (320 effective on the long end) but realize that I'm going to have to use a tripod. If this were only for stills, I would take f2.8, no question, but since it's also for video, I'm really having a hard time deciding between the two. With a decent entry level tripod head like a Manfrotto 503HDV, should I prioritize IS over fast stops?

Or should I wait to get what I really want, which is the f2.8 IS?
 
If you're planning on using this lens with a tripod, which you should, I don't think you'll need IS. You usually turn that off when you mount on a tripod anyway.
 
Philip Bloom mentioned shooting long lenses with IS because it eliminates jello. http://philipbloom.co.uk/2009/11/29/shooting-short-drama-present-tense-on-the-canon-7d/ -about half way through the article.

Depending on how much low light shooting you do, the only reason not to get the f4 IS is it's slow. IS is critical for long lenses, unless you don't pan and your tripod is sturdy against the mighty wind.

I guess one plan would be buy the f4 IS, continuing to save up while trying it out, testing if you even need or like IS, if you're enjoying shooting telephoto but feel the longing of an f2.8 trade it in and get the 2.8 IS, or trade according to your needs/ preferences, if f4 is good to you or you straight trade for the plain f2.8 spend the savings on a pizza and blow party.
 
Get the IS version. Trust me. I shot with the 2.8 IS, handheld, on a boat, at full telephoto, and the IS made the difference in a big way.

As a matter of fact, I refuse to buy any zoom lens now that does not have IS in some form.
 
Not to mention the F4 version of that lens is significantly lighter - which makes a huge difference.
Yeah, I'd definitely go with the IS version.
I think you'll probably regret it otherwise.
 
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