The EF 70-200MM f/2.8l IS USM was introduced way back in August 2001, supplementing (but not replacing) the non-stabilized 70-200mm F2.8 L USM in Canon’s highly regarded telephoto lineup. This is a lens which can truly be described as a professional workhorse, with robust build (including dust and moisture resistance), wide F2.8 maximum aperture, fast and silent ultrasonic autofocus motor, and optical image stabilization for hand-holding at slow shutter speeds. The optical design is somewhere on the far side of complex; it features 23 elements in 18 groups, with 4 UD elements to provide compensation for chromatic aberration. According to Canon, this gives a ‘high-resolution, high-contrast optical capability’, as demanded from a lens which needs to perform all day, every day in the hands of professional photographers across a wide range of subjects and conditions.
Technical Details
Angle of view (Horizontal, Vertical, Diagonal): 29 to 10 degrees, 19 to 7 degrees, 34 to 2 degrees
Lens construction: 23 elements in 18 groups
Number of diaphragm blades: 8
Minimum aperture: 32
Closest focusing distance: 4.9 feet
Maximum magnification: 0.16x (at 200mm)
AF actuator: USM
Filter diameter: 77 millimeters
Maximum diameter by length: 84.6 by 193.6 inches
Weight: 2.9 pounds
Magnification with Extension Tube EF 12 II: 0.22 to 0.06
Magnification with Extension Tube EF 25 II: 0.41 to 0.14
Lens hood: ET-86
Hard case: LH-D24B
Soft case: LZ1324
GF Holder III (Hood III): 2
GF Holder IV (Hood IV): 2
Warranty: 1 year
