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Brown Pelican in flight; early morning light. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with the 2X II teleconverter and the EOS-1D Mark IV handheld at 365mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops off the sky: 1/16000 sec. at f/5.6 set manually. Central sensor AI Servo AF with expansion to include surrounding points. Rear button focus. |
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS II & 2X II Teleconverter Report
I arrived in San Diego on Thursday afternoon and got out to La Jolla for a few hours on Friday morning. I speak on Saturday and Sunday at Photo Expo West in Delmar, CA. Admission if free so come on out and say “Hi.” For more info and the speaking schedule click here.
My main photographic mission while here in San Diego is to test the Canon 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L II (the latest version) with the EF teleconverter 2X II and the EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body. After just two hours on the cliffs of La Jolla this morning I can tell you that the combination is both versatile and insanely sharp. If anyone has shown me the optimized TIFFs and told me that they were created with the 2X teleconverter I simply would not have believed them. Thanks to Patrick Sparkman for the heads up on this great combo; he used it extensively in the Galapagos. I did not have many chances for flight photography but the image above tells me all that I need to know 🙂 I will however keep testing.
Enjoy the rest of the images. Note: the new Series III teleconverters will be available soon. Mark IV owners who are confused by any of the AF or other settings mentioned here should get themselves a copy of the recently updated Mark IV User’s Guide. The updated 7D User’s Guide will not be sent until at least next Wednesday as the additions are more extensive than I had envisioned.
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First winter Western Gull sleeping. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with the 2X II teleconverter and the EOS-1D Mark IV handheld at 400mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops: 1/1250 sec. at f/7.1 set manually. Central sensor AI Servo AF with expansion to include surrounding points. Rear button focus and recompose. |
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Brown Pelicans on the rocks; early morning light with the distant Pacific Ocean as background. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with the 2X II teleconverter and the EOS-1D Mark IV handheld at 335mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 1/3 stops off the sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/5.6. set manually. Central sensor AI Servo AF with expansion to include surrounding points. Rear button focus and recompose. |
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Whimbrel calling. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with the 2X II teleconverter and the EOS-1D Mark IV handheld at 300mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the sky: 1/1250 sec. at f/6.3 set manually. Central sensor AI Servo AF with expansion to include surrounding points. Rear button focus and recompose. Only one thing bugs me about this image. If you think you know what it is, please do post a comment. |
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Surfer. Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II with the 2X II teleconverter and the EOS-1D Mark IV handheld at 400mm. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2/3 stops off the sky: 1/1600 sec. at f/7.1 set manually. I manually selected the third sensor to the left of the central sensor/AI Servo AF with expansion to include surrounding points. Rear button focus. As I have been saying: astoundingly sharp. On the TIFF, I can see the guys whiskers. |
Shopper’s Guide
Here is a list of the gear that I used on the cliffs on Friday morning:
Canon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II lens
Canon EF Teleconverter 2X II
Canon EOS-1D Mark IV professional digital camera body
If you are considering the purchase of a major piece of photographic gear be it a new camera, a long lens, a tripod or a head, or some accessories be sure to check out our complete Shopper’s Guide.
In most reviews and by own test. The images quality/sharpness from 70-200 II + 2x III vs 100-400mm are about the same. I have not check with different lighting condition to outcome flare and contrast but the combo gives 4 f-stops vs 2 f-stops IS in 100-400mm. I still love the 100-400mm because of the half price and faster to focus than the combo.
Artie I did not know about the B&H link. But I do now…
Mikko
[…] images and videos but only found a couple of blog postings. I also read a blog post from the great Arthur Morris about shooting there, so I knew there were some great images to be […]
Hi Artie
I follow your posting weekly and have enjoyed your reviews. This one about the canon 70 x 200 is 11 was great. I received mine on friday of last week and all i can say is WOW!! .
As a CPS member i could have waited to get a loaner but after reading and seeing your review I just hit the buy button. I sold my original 1 series and my loved 70 x 200 F4 is to get this one. I used it on my mark 4 and loved it . This weekend i will try it out on my 7D .
Here is a link to my first shots with a 2x 11 TC I can’t wait for the 3 series to be released
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38775129@N03/
I’m curious: all of the photos in this issue are with Mk4, 2xII, 70-200 2.8 II handheld, yet you say “The 7D with the new lens and the 2X would be a lot of focal length to hand hold….”. Could you please clarify?
Mark IV has a 1.3X multiplier effect. 7D has a 1.6X multiplier effect. Thus a longer effective focal length that will require perfect sharpness technique both when hand holding and when on a tripod 🙂
Hi Artie,
I bought the 70-200/2.8 from B&H couple of weeks ago and cheap as I’m I bought the older model. Last week after reading your blog AND noticing that B&H had dropped the price of the newer model I sent the lens back stating that I want the new one. Thanks for the heads-up and I’m especially looking forward to use my 70-200 with the 2.0 converter as I don’t have my 300/2.8 lens anymore (which I used to use with 1.4 converter).
Cheers,
Mikko
YAW Mikko. This is one case where the new lens is far superior to the old. Did you use our B&H link?
You’d lose the AF stop button on lens and the focus memory feature?
[…] the weekend, Arthur Morris posted on his blog that he was experimenting with the new 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Mk. II lens with Canon’s 2x II […]
“The correct answer is somewhere in the comments ”
Cool! Do I win the 400mm DO? I’ll happily pay its postage to the UK, Art!
(Well, I know that my answer is a right answer..!)
😀
Maybe the Wimbrel, should have been shot in the vertical position. Enjoyed the Photo Expo my first. I’m now a new fan
I am fine with the horizontal choice. The correct answer is somewhere in the comments 🙂 Glad you had fun at PEW.
Interesting post. I’ve never found the prior 2X results acceptable. Can you explain what Canon has done to increase the quality with this version II to make this a worthwhile upgrade purchase? Please only respond if you are not busy. Blue Skies.
“if I sell the 400 DO, purchase the 70-200 f/2.8L IS II, and use it with a 2X TC what it the only thing that I lose (aside from one full stop of light)???”
560mm @ f/5.6 on any body, including the 7D with a 1.4X TC?
Becky, No cloning in the lrc, just and o-o-f rock 🙂
Roger,
re:
Could it be the small anomalies in the otherwise smooth rock to the southwest of the bird’s foot?
Those are some snails in a small hole in the rock. I am fine with them.
Interesting report. I raised a question on the baa site about the comparative sharpness of the 100-400 zoom and the 70-200 f2.8 mated with the 2xII. Generally, the responders felt the 1-400 would produce sharper images.
That was likely with the old 70-200 f/2.8L IS.
I’m considering a new lens and appreciate hearing your results. Will you also report the results using the 7D?
Likely not for a while. I would expect the 7D/1.4X II TC/70-200 II combination to be impressive sharp. The 7D with the new lens and the 2X would be a lot of focal length to hand hold….
Subbu’s #2 is what bugs me 🙂 The bird’s head is angled ever-so-slightly away. We teach them well at BPN. The rest of you should visit, especially the Head Angle Fine Points thread in the ER….
Did you do some cloning on the bottom right?
That rock growth just behind his foot near the bottom of the frame . . . can you clone it out?
Thanks Arthur. I guess by “performs” I mainly meant sharpness across the frame but also whether there was any significant difference in autofocus speed etc. I bought a 400mm f5.6L ten years ago (largely based on your enthusiasm for it then) but in recent years have been hoping they would do a second generation 100-400 for the added flexibility. 70-200 plus 2X would be heavier though. But I guess that’s relative; I recently got a 7D and it feels very heavy after my earlier Rebel series body – then I bought your 7D guide and the first thing you said was how it felt a bit lightweight!
I suspect it is the OOF rock on the RH bottom corner.
How would you compare this combination to the 400 DO in situations where size and weight are a concern — eg a small boat. Do you expect the Series III 2X TC to be a further improvement.
Hi Karl, From what I see right off the bat, the images with the new combo are well sharper than those made with the 400 DO alone…. Now here is a question for the group: if I sell the 400 DO, purchase the 70-200 f/2.8L IS II, and use it with a 2X TC what it the only thing that I lose (aside from one full stop of light) ???
The Series III converters will likely be marginally better but the new and improved AF functionality with the micro-chip will work only with the four new super-telephoto lenses. Not with the 70-200 IS II or with the 800 f/5.6L.
Just a guess, but maybe you don’t care for the even cloud/sky lines horizontally through the Whimbrel photo.
The horizon lines are soft enough not to bother me…. At least bother me a lot 🙂 So no, that is not what bugs me.
For equipment didn’t you mean the 2x not the 1.4x? Could you have also used the 70-200 f/4L IS with the same results? Seems like there is room in the f stops.
Thanks Sarah. Brain typo 🙂 I corrected the error. The 70-200 f/4 with the 2X would be pushing it as far as image quality. And there are other advantages with the f/2.8 L IS II that I will be discussing in future posts or in the Bulletin.
Could it be the small anomalies in the otherwise smooth rock to the southwest of the bird’s foot?
Interesting report. I raised a question on the baa site about the comparative sharpness of the 100-400 zoom and the 70-200 f2.8 mated with the 2xII. Generally, the responders felt the 1-400 would produce sharper images. I’m considering a new lens and appreciate hearing your results. Will you also report the results using the 7D?
Only one leg???
Three guesses about the whimbrel, talk about spray and pray!
1. Lower line of surf merging with lower parts of body..
2. Bit more head turn towards you?
3. Upraised foot bit more visible?
Hey Paul, I thought about removing the curved streak of poop but decided on leaving it. There is something else, however, that really bugs me 🙂
I think what may bother you is the poop on the rock in front of the whimbrel’s foot.
Hi Arthur – is your gut feel at this stage that at 400mm this performs better than the 100-400 zoom?
Hi Murray, Though I have been making professionally sharp images with the 100-400 (both wide open and at 400mm) it is very clear that images made with the 70-200 f/2.8L IS and the Series II 2X TC are sharper then anything I’ve done with the 1-4. Edge to edge sharpness is superior and the color and contrast are most pleasing to my eye. Do let me know exactly what you mean by “performs.”