Canon EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Canon · EF

EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS II USM

Released March 2010

A Canon EF full-frame telephoto zoom with a constant f/2.8 aperture, four-stop optical stabilisation and a sealed body incorporating fluorite and UD elements.

Model history · 2 models, 2001–2010
  1. 2001EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USMCompare
  2. 2010EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS II USM
Mount
Canon EF
Focal length
70–200 mm
Max aperture
f/2.8
Stabilisation
Yes
Weight
1,490 g

What reviewers say

Both reviewers find strong sharpness, fast autofocus and effective stabilisation, while noting substantial weight and cost. Bob Atkins finds very good wide-open corners on his 5D; ePHOTOzine finds stronger edges after stopping down on its 5D Mark II. Their vignetting measurements differ, with ePHOTOzine reporting darker corners that take more stopping down to clear.

From bobatkins.com and ephotozine.com

Optics

Lens type
Zoom
Focal length
70–200 mm
Maximum aperture
f/2.8
Minimum aperture
f/32
Optical construction
23 elements in 19 groups
Special elements
One fluorite and five UD elements
Diaphragm
Eight blades with a circular aperture
Angle of view
Diagonal 34°–12°; vertical 19°30′–7°; horizontal 29°–10°

Mount and compatibility

Mounts
Canon EF
Image circle
Full frame
Compatibility
Canon EF mount full-frame and APS-C cameras
Teleconverter support
EF1.4X II gives 98–280 mm f/4 and 0.30× maximum magnification; EF2X II gives 140–400 mm f/5.6 and 0.44×; autofocus remains available but is slower

Focus and stabilisation

Autofocus
Yes
Minimum focus distance
1.2 m
Maximum magnification
0.21×
Optical stabilisation
Yes
Autofocus detail
Ring-type USM; full-time manual override after One-Shot autofocus while holding the shutter button halfway
Focus distance detail
Internal focusing with a non-rotating front (Bob Atkins); maximum 0.21× magnification at 200 mm
Stabilisation detail
Four-stop optical IS claim; Mode 1 corrects shake in all directions and Mode 2 supports panning; Canon notes tripod results depend on the tripod and shooting conditions

Design

Dust and moisture resistant
Yes
Filter diameter
77 mm
Maximum diameter
88.8 mm
Length
199 mm
Weight
1,490 g
Controls
AF/MF, IS on/off and IS mode switches; focus limiter selects 1.2 m–infinity or 2.5 m–infinity
Zoom design
Internal zooming maintains physical length (Bob Atkins)
Weather resistance
Dust- and moisture-resistant mount, focus-mode switch and focusing ring; rubber gasket at the mount
Dimensions detail
88.8 mm maximum diameter × 199 mm length, measured from the mount to the lens front without caps
Weight detail
1,490 g; Canon's instruction manual states its listed size and weight are for the lens only
Tripod mount
Included removable rotating Ring-Type Tripod Collar B (W); detach the lens from the camera before removing the collar
Lens hood
ET-87, with release button and reversible mounting for storage
In the box
Lens hood ET-87, tripod collar and lens case LZ1326 according to Canon's launch announcement; front and rear caps according to Bob Atkins
Release detail
Marketed in March 2010 according to Canon Camera Museum; Canon's 5 January 2010 announcement explicitly identifies the EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USM as its predecessor

Pros and cons

Pros

  • Constant f/2.8 maximum aperture
  • Four-stop optical stabilisation claim
  • Full-time manual focus override

Cons

  • 1,490 g lens-only weight
  • Lens must be detached to remove its tripod collar

Closest rivals

Model
MountFocal lengthMax apertureStabilisationWeightReleased
Canon EF70–200 mmf/2.8Yes1,480 gSept 2018
Canon EF70–200 mmf/4Yes760 gNov 2006
Canon EF70–200 mmf/2.8Yes1,470 gSept 2001

Previous model: EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS USM. Newer model: EF 70–200mm f/2.8L IS III USM.

Sources

  1. canon.co.uk/lenses/ef-70-200mm-f-2-8l-is-ii-usm-lens/specification.html
  2. global.canon/en/c-museum/product/ef406.html
  3. gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/2/0300003612/02/ef70-200f28lisiiusm-im3-eng.pdf
  4. dpreview.com/articles/8783442410/canon70200isii
  5. bobatkins.com/photography/reviews/canon_EF_70-200_f2-8_L_is_II_review.html
  6. ephotozine.com/article/canon-ef-70-200mm-f-2-8l-is-ii-usm-review-16101

Photo: global.canon

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