Among the most popular lenses in Canon's DSLR arsenal is the venerable 70-200mm. I believe this is because it offers a range that just makes sense for most people and, after decades of development, it can provide outstanding image quality. Today, Canon is upgrading its full-frame telephoto zoom lineup with two updates: the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF 70-200mm f/4L IS II USM.
Starting off with the new flagship, the third-gen f/2.8L now uses Canon's Air Sphere Coating (ASC) for dramatically reduced flare and ghosting. It, obviously, still maintains its fast f/2.8 aperture throughout the entire range and has Optical Image Stabilization rated to 3.5 stops for sharp imagery. Also, it is built well, with dust and water resistance and it features a fluorine coating on the front and rear elements for minimizing smears and fingerprints. Optics are high quality, with one fluorite and five UD elements present to combat various aberrations, and the inner focusing ring Ultrasonic Motor can focus as close as 3.9'.
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Personally, while the f/2.8L is certainly nice, the f/4L update is more dramatic news because this is a major upgrade over its predecessor. Optics feature one fluorite element and two UD elements and coatings to help control aberrations and flare. The Image Stabilizer is now able to compensate for up to five stops of shutter speed. For improved handling, the minimum focus distance has been reduced to 3.3' for close-up imaging. Like the f/2.8L, this lens now has a nine-blade aperture. Some new accessories are available, as well, including the ET-78B Lens Hood and AII(WII) Tripod Mount Ring.
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What are your thoughts on Canon's latest updates? Let us know in the Comments section, below!
