Skip to content

Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS Review – A Great Lens But Not Recommended

Canon 200mm F/2L IS Review
The Canon 200mm f/2L IS

Few of us can afford a $5,699 lens. Here is Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS review with a surprising verdict.

EF 200mm f/2L IS at a glance:

  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/2 to f/32
  • Fluorite & Ultra-Low Dispersion Elements
  • Super Spectra Coating
  • Ring-Type Ultrasonic Motor AF System
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Weather-Sealed Construction
  • Detachable, Rotatable Tripod Collar
  • Rounded 8-Blade Diaphragm

Manny Ortiz posted his Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS review. While he states it is a great lens (it is), there are also some drawbacks according to Manny: price, huge size and working distance. See the review in the video below.

B&H Photo has the Canon EF 200mm f/2L IS at $5,699.

More about the after the break.

An exceptionally fast medium telephoto prime, the EF 200mm f/2L IS USM is a Canon L-series lens that is ideal for portraiture as well as indoor sports shooting or other low-light, fast-motion applications. The large f/2 maximum aperture benefits working in difficult lighting and also afford extensive control over depth of field for isolating subject matter using selective focus. Equally impressive, the optical design incorporates ultra-low dispersion glass and fluorite elements to significantly reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations for high clarity. Additionally, Super Spectra coatings have been applied to suppress lens flare and ghosting for high contrast and color neutrality when working in harsh lighting.

Complementing the imaging capabilities, this 200mm f/2 also features a four-stop-effective Image Stabilizer system that minimizes the appearance of camera shake for sharper handheld shooting. A ring-type USM and internal focusing mechanism also afford quick, quiet, and accurate autofocus performance, as well as full-time manual focus override. Additionally, a removable rotating tripod collar is included for stable use of the lens atop a tripod or monopod.

  • Medium-length telephoto prime is designed for full-frame Canon EF-mount DSLRs, however can also be used with APS-C models where it provides a 320mm equivalent focal length.
  • Bright f/2 maximum aperture benefits working in low-light conditions and also affords significant control over depth of field for working with selective focus techniques.
  • Ultra-low dispersion and fluorite elements are used to reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations in order to produce high clarity and color accuracy.
  • Super Spectra coating has been applied to individual elements to minimize ghosting and flare for greater contrast and color neutrality when working in strong lighting conditions.
  • An Optical Image Stabilizer helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to four shutter speed stops to better enable working in low-light conditions and with slower shutter speeds. In addition to the single-shot standard IS mode, a second mode is also available that it optimized for panning.
  • A ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM), along with an internal focusing system, is employed to deliver fast, precise, and quiet autofocus performance as well as full-time manual focus override.
  • A Focus Preset function is available to quickly recall a programmed focusing position.
  • Rounded eight-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing out of focus quality that benefits the use of shallow depth of field and selective focus techniques.
  • As a member of the esteemed L-series, this lens is sealed against dust and moisture for working in inclement environmental conditions.
  • Removable rotating tripod collar is included and benefits working with the lens atop a tripod or monopod.
  • Compatible with optional EF 1.4X and EF 2X teleconverters.
Back To Top

Notice

This website or its third-party tools use cookies, which are necessary to its functioning and required to achieve the purposes illustrated in the cookie policy. If you want to know more or withdraw your consent to all or some of the cookies, please refer to the cookie policy.
By closing this banner you agree to the use of cookies.