I was wondering if anyone had this lens and how you liked it.  I thought it would be a great lens for my 20D.  It should be good for indoor sports as well as a general use lens around the house that is very versatile.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Hey Sportsman!

I bought it back in October and I love it!  I shoot alot of children running around on the playground and it works great.  I will say it is a bit heavy, but I'm sure you're a strapping young man and can handle it.  Make sure you get it before Jan. 13 so you can get a $50 rebate.

Stephie

Sportsman,

 

I have had this lens for a year now...  I have 6 or 7 lenses and I will guarantee you, this is the one I grab 90-95% of the time...  I use it for taking portraits, indoor sports action, and tons of everyday use...  It is heavy, but you get used to it (at least it is lighter than my 70-200)...  I also use the 20d camera, but drooling over the 5d...  I wish I could buy it right now with the rebate, but my husband's job contract is up and they are looking at a likely strike so I have to hold onto all my bucks right now...  [:'(]

 

Grab it before the rebate is gone...  You won't be disappointed with it...

 

Have fun shooting...

 

Becky

I just purchased this lens, and already am in love with it. It is so far above the other lenses I had in my case. I havent had a chance to try sport action (but will this weekend) I highly recommend grabbing it, and taking advantage of the rebate. But as the others mentioned, you should do this by Saturday in order for the rebate to be effective.

 

Krystal Mc

sportsman:

I was wondering if anyone had this lens and how you liked it.  I thought it would be a great lens for my 20D.  It should be good for indoor sports as well as a general use lens around the house that is very versatile.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Oddly I haven't taken to mine yet.  I have the 50mm f/1.4, the 70-200 f/4 L IS, 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L IS and the 24-70 L and I find myself using the 70-200 more than all the other lenses put together.  I'm going to try and force myself to use the 24-70 soon and evaluate it.  I just haven't warmed to it yet for some reason.

Photographic Memories:

Sportsman,

 

I have had this lens for a year now...  I have 6 or 7 lenses and I will guarantee you, this is the one I grab 90-95% of the time...  I use it for taking portraits, indoor sports action, and tons of everyday use...  It is heavy, but you get used to it (at least it is lighter than my 70-200)...  I also use the 20d camera, but drooling over the 5d...  I wish I could buy it right now with the rebate, but my husband's job contract is up and they are looking at a likely strike so I have to hold onto all my bucks right now...  [:'(]

 

Grab it before the rebate is gone...  You won't be disappointed with it...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Have fun shooting...

 

Becky

*********************************************************FYI************************************************************

I just got back from my favorite camera store and they told me the Canon double rebate thingy has been extended until February...19th-I think.  Also Becky, the guy at my store said to wait until they announce any new cameras, which is after the PMA in March. Actually he said they will probably annouce them a week or two before the PMA and IF they bring out any new cameras, the price of the cameras that they sort of replace, will go down.  I was seriously looking at the 5D so I could get the double rebate and my guy told me for what I shoot, I should wait and look at the Mark II N. You still might want to really get the 5D, but I wanted to share what I found out.  Good luck!

Stephie

sportsman:

I was wondering if anyone had this lens and how you liked it.  I thought it would be a great lens for my 20D.  It should be good for indoor sports as well as a general use lens around the house that is very versatile.  Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Great, all purpose, sharp, fast lens. I use mine regularly. If my 16-35 isn't on my camera, then chances are the 24-70 is (unless I need a macro or something longer). Not sure what type of indoor sports you are talking about - so it is difficult to say that a 70 will get you where you need to be, but it is a versatile lens for sure. It works great on a 20D (or a 5D).

Thanks for everybody's response.  Right now I have the kit lens 18-55mm that came with the 20D and we all know it's not the sharpest lens.  I have the 50mm 1.4 and sometimes this is too long for shooting around the house.  I use the 50mm for basketball and volleyball.  Sometimes the 24-70 range would be really nice for these shots, depending where you end up sitting.  I'm sure this would be a great lens.  Like everything else, just a matter of forking out the money!  Thanks again.

Sportsman - also check out the 17-40 f/4 L lens. Around $700. Very sharp, great L glass - I use mine all the time. Might just fit the bill for your purposes.

The 17-40L has trouble focusing in moderate (or worse light).  This is likely a tough one to use for your indoor sports.  On the longer end, there are two f/2.8 70-200 zooms, one has image stabilization (IS) and is phenomenal (and also fairly expensive...~$1600).  The other is relatively comparable but would have to be used in excess of ~1/300 sec on your 20D to prevent hand shake if not tripod/monopod mounted.  If you need wider for around the house, this won't help, but you can pick up a wider f/2.8 prime (e.g. 24mm, 35mm) for a couple hundred.

 
I have the 24-70 lens, and it is wonderful.  It is, however, a very dense and heavy piece of glass.  For some, the weight is too much.  The 70-200 f/2.8 IS is also quite heavy, but its length and tripod handle help distribute it nicely.  One potential issue with the 24-70 is that it is tough to use it with the on-board flash, becuase the length of the lens is long enough to shadow.  If you are likely to want to use a flash, make sure you either have or budget for a hot shoe flash.  In that department, I love my 580EX but confess that I have not really tried cheaper or 3rd party options.

 Cheers,

Jim

P.S.  The 24-70 is also a nice close-up lens (not quite macro, but not bad) in terms of working distance and field of view on the 20D.

 

Grenache:

The 17-40L has trouble focusing in moderate (or worse light).  This is likely a tough one to use for your indoor sports. 

 

Yes, I was not recommending it for indoor sports/low light, but more for other purposes where you need wider than a 50. I guess I didn't read Sportsman's post that closely.