Can a soft Canon 70-200 2.8 non IS be improved?

Whippet

Whippet

Messages
371
Name
Tom
Edit My Images
No
Hi,

I've been offered a great condition used 70-200 non IS at a good price. I've had it on trial for a couple of weeks and though I love the lens, it is a bit soft wide open. I read that this is a known characteristic with this lens but have also read that if you get a good copy they can be sharp at 2.8. If this is the case could my lens be improved by sending it for a service? I can get the lens at a good price but need to make my mind up soon.

thanks
 
That's a bit of an open ended question, Tom.

Soft at the wide end, tele end or in the middle of the range? Does it noticeably improve by f/4? Is the centre of the frame clearly worse than the edges and corners (crop or full frame)? Regular AF (phase detect) only or does it look better when using AF in Liveview (contrast detect)?

Bob
 
I could bet money that it had a knock. They are very very sharp from wide open (the IS mk1 was not as spectacular at f/2.8 but still very good). Fixing may prove expensive and you may also find that Canon service definition of acceptably sharp may differ from yours. I would buy cheap lens with worn out bits, even failing focus, but never with sharpness issues unless it is obviously caused by a loose (worn out) barrel or something as trivial. Your mileage may obviously vary.
 
Thanks for the comments folks. Will print out some targets to confirm this am but my feelings are that its not a focus issue and it does improve on stopping down.
 
Ok, used Fo-Cal that showed I needed -11 at the wide end and +7 at tele. Which will be less of an issue when I get a 5D Mkiii this Xmas....

However this lens is still soft at 2.8 with AFMA. Here are some 100% crops of the Fo-Cal chart at 2.8 4 and 8 shooting tethered @200mm

Am I being too harsh on this lens? Would this be correctable through a service?
 
Last edited:
Personally speaking I have the 70-200 f2.8 L non IS mark 1 lens. I find the image IQ wide open to be very sharp. I use it mainly for football in all sorts of lights
and have no issues at all. I would say however that I am not over critical as a sharp shot is a sharp shot regardless of camera lens combination IMOH.
 
Hmmm. Have decided to decline the lens. Would be tempted to use it at F4 all the time so then I'd might as well get a used F4 unless I can source a genuinely sharp copy...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top