Customer Ratings & Reviews

I had other Canon lens before and just upgraded to a 6D with all new lens. Great move!!

Don't think if you shoot low light , else f4 is a good option And save some money

This is not a technical review, if you want that check out other resources on the web that can get into the details. What I offer is an impression of how this lens behaves in the hands of a "serious" amateur, and why such a person would consider buying this lens. Simply put the lens performs. The image quality is second to none. It's wide f/2.8 aperture throughout the entire zoom range allows you to use a fast shutter speed in low light conditions. For me this means being able to get bright blur free images of my 4 year old's dance recital in a dark auditorium without using a flash (at higher ISO settings). The image stabilization help this even further be allowing you to hand hold the camera at shutter speeds that stop the action, but would normally be blurry from camera shake at a focal length of 200 mm. It also means that you can choose to have very narrow depth of field when shooting outdoors, say to blur out the trees/fence/other people in the background at a soccer or t-ball game. This lens is HEAVY. But any f/2.8 lens with this zoom range will be. I do not see this a a drawback. I've used this lens for 1-2 hours at a time (handheld) without issue. However, I'd imagine trying to carry it around your neck for several hours would be impractical/tiring. Mount it on a mono-pod (using the included tripod ring) and it's no strain to use while standing around the ball field for hours. The non-IS f/4.0 lens is significantly lighter. So, If you don't shoot in the low light conditions you will get nearly the same image quality and your arms won't be a tired. It's also lighter on the pocket book at 1/4 the price. This is a no compromise 70-200 mm zoom lens. It comes with higher weight and higher cost. However, If your budget allows you wont be be disappointed.

I really love this lens and am growing to love it more and more after each and every photo shoot. First it is really sharp, even at f2.8 and the auto focus is fast. Colors are rich and saturated and a great bokeh even at f5.6. I have taken several hundred photos in varying light conditions and the IS is top notch as I am handheld over 95% of the time. Recently while photographing the Pride Parade in SF, I used the IS setting that allows for panning/tracking with an EF Teleconvert III at f5.6 and was really excited about the results. Many more sharp shots than I expected under difficult lighting! I have taken enough portraits to know it will be a go to lens for indoor low light work as well. Also, the zoom ring is very smooth and relatively short throw and the on demand manual focus is a nice touch for critical work. The only down side to this beast is that it is a beast, heavy, large and intimidating with the hood on (lol). But so what, I would gladly carry this lens around than the 3 or 4 primes you would have to lug to replace it! Oh, and I love the "lens envy" comments I get from other photographers when out in public and on the street.

I have used the Canon EF 70-200 f4L non IS for a good while, with great results, but I also deleted a lot of shots thanks to not having an IS. I broke down and decided to go with the 70-200mm f2.8L II lens. Yes the price is kind of steep and it's a little heavy, but you get what you pay for, and it's a very well built piece of camera equipment. For people just starting out spend your money on this lens first, before you even by a camera, then buy you an inexpensive camera that fits this lens. A camera can't make most lenses give you good photos, but this lens will make most cameras give you nice photos. Now most of my deleted photos are due to something i did wrong, not the fault of my lens. Easy auto focus, easy manual ring focus with a larger focusing grip, very good in low light and exceptional on the newer low light cameras. Image stabilizer works great hand held, but I found carrying it on my monopod works very well or hooked on to a shoulder strap for long photo shoots. If you want to make your subject pop out of the shot I suggest using the lens in manul mode, don't get me wrong auto focus gives you very crisp shots too. Get this lens first buy your camera second.

This review is for you advanced amateurs that have been trying to purchase the "Best" 3rd party lens/glass for years in hopes of achieving the same outcome as the professionals. I have only had this lens for a few hours and have only shot images inside (It's below zero in MN!) So far I am simply amazed how smooth and fast this lens focuses. Maybe it's due to NEVER having a lens with a constant 2.8 f-stop range. This is a heavy telephoto lens, and I'm capturing sharp images at 1/60th of a second over and over. Long story short, I'm throughly impressed with this lens at first glance and I hope to follow up with another great review including some images in the near future. Advanced amateurs take the plunge and use Best Buys 1-year interest free financing and enjoy the good life.

If you are considering buying this lens, there is little I can say that you probably don't already know abut it. Sharpness, focus speed, colors, contrast, IS...all superb, absolutely off-the-charts excellent. [BTW, my experience is with 5D Mk II and 6D]. The only caveat, it is so good you will want to use it A LOT...and will work up some muscles hauling it around. it is NOT light or small but oh, so worth it. Amazing bit of kit. It really is. If only I had waited just a few weeks. BB sent a 2x points offer just the other day. Highly recommended if you need the aperture. Otherwise, the F4 version's result are, to my eyes, indistinguishable. YMMV, of course.

the 70-200f/2.8L IS II USM Telephoto Zoom Lens is no doubt the fastest auto focusing lens out there! It gives incredible image quality and depth as well as color reproduction. This is my favorite lens and I have got some of the best pics with it and that was only the 1st day of using it! Dont let anyone tell you that the L series lenses aren't worth the extra money or theres no difference to them because there lying.This lens shoots such crisp images and focuses so fast, its awesome for sports which I have used for baseball pictures and to see the dirt particles from a player sliding into a base is just incredible.It also shoots super in low light condition and when paired with the 1.4 extender,youve got quite a lens. Worth every penny! PS I give this lens 100 Stars as there is none better! GET ONE!!!! you will not regret it.

I love to use telephoto lenses and this new Canon 70-200mm II version is an amazing lens to use for many types of photography. I tested this lens in a very low light conditions and the stabilization and luminosity were amazing, of course the ISO was high but the noise was very pretty, imitating 35mm plastic film very well. Very sharp in a good light condition (I love that) and the bokeh is really impressive and smooth. Quick focus, good stabilization, great glass quality, smooth control, amazing bokeh and unfortunately is a heavy lens (prepare your arms and hands).

This lens is nothing short of amazing! This is an extremely fast lens, with a super-quiet auto focus system. The switch to select your focus distance is very handy to save time on autofocusing. Many reviews state that this is a perfect lens for sports photography, which I have personally found to be 100% correct. This lens is also excellent for wildlife, and general picture taking. The bokeh is suberb! I really cannot say enough good about this lens, and they hold their value really well. If you are, or have been considering this lens, go for it........you will not be disappointed!

I've tried all the 70-200mm versions of the Canon L series; this is by far thee sharpest one as of today. the autofocus is lightning fast and spot on. The zoom ring is so smooth yet not too loose or too tight. That goes the same for the focus ring. This is a heavy lens to wear around your neck with a strap all day. i suggest getting a top loader bag if you are like me who will carry this lens on a Canon 5D body all day with your family at a family outing (beach, park, amusement park, outdoors, hiking, etc.) The Canon lens bag that comes with it is an exceptional bag as well. I highly recommend this lens. This is my favorite Canon lens. It is built well and will last a life time if you take good care of it.

That aphorism isn't always correct, but it certainly applies to this product. I enjoy shooting indoor sports, in particular swimming. I'm not often able to use a monopod, so I invested in the 70-200L with image stabilization. And it's obviously an investment. But the product is just tremendous. I'm kicking myself for messing around with lesser lenses before acquiring this one. Build quality is excellent, the autofocus motor is silent, and the ergonomics are very comfortable (consistent with other Canon lenses). The images it produces when paired with my Canon 6D are tack sharp with brilliant colors. And these are images of moving subjects taken hand-held inside natatoriums with horrific lighting. The focal length does have its limitations, but the images are so sharp that I can liberally crop them and still have a usable photo. The combination of lens speed at f2.8 and image stabilization is wicked in challenging, low-light environments. LOVE this product.

I have rented this lens in the version 1 several times and the version II is even better. It is such a great all around lens. I have been able to capture everything from portraits to action sports. The lens is fast and sharp. Of course the constant aperture is great too at an F2.8. I saved a lot of money on this one as best buy had a $300.00 instant rebate + cannon had another $300.00 mail in visa card rebate. Wow 600 off a great lens such as this couldn't be passed up.

While this is heavier and more expensive than any of Canon's other 70-200mm lenses, if you're a serious shooter in need of this focal length, this lens is worth it's weight in gold. Boasting a 5-stop image stabilization (3 usable stops in real world use), as well as improved optics, this lens is much sharper and gets more usable images in low light situations vs. the older models. I have owned all of Canon's 70-200 models over the years, and this one blows them all away in sharpness, image resolution, and contrast. If you're thinking about buying one of the other models, tough it out, save up more money, and get this one instead.

I am a hobbyist photographer, but am so glad I finally made the splurge for this purchase. Lens creates beautiful, clear pictures with creamy bokeh. The only con is that the lens is heavy! But I did get used to the weight after awhile.

This is one of the trinity of lenses to own (along with the 24-70mm 2.8L II and the 85mm 1.2L II). Incredibly sharp for a zoom and the IS makes low shutter speeds a non-issue provided that your camera has decent low light performance. It's a monster of a lens in terms of size and feels well built.

I finally gave in a purchased the 70-200mm IS 2.8L and am putting it through its paces. I was a little surprised by the weight (heavier, I think, than my birding lens)which I should have known having borrowed this lens previously. It is sharp, fast and fast focusing, I got it shortly before my west coast trip and it was used for a whale trip and some scenic shots on Highway 1. Most of the pictures were keepers, but I did delete some where in cases someone’s blurry head got into the corner of the shot, but otherwise, all good.

Got this as my first "L" lens and have been very happy with it. I was not sure if I wanted to get the 24-70mm f/2.8 or 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM, so I jumped in and bought this one (70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM). The photos have been outstanding and the lens is very easy to use/operate. This lens is well made......... The down side is the weight and the price. I paid $2,499.95 for it and got real luck, when I checked the price on it 14 days later. The price had dropped $300.00. Bust Buy credited my account for $300.00. Just keep an eye out for the price. My next glass will be 24-70mm f/2.8.

This is the ultimate lens for canon shooters. Fast at f/2.8 and sharp throughout the zoom range. The IS makes it easy to use the lens as a walking around lens in low light or great light.

I am in love with this lens! The clarity and bokeh are so awesome! At first it felt so heavy but after a few times using it I got used to that. defintely recommend!