Canon 70-200 F/4 handheld

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Richard Duncombe

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Afternoon all

This is my first post so I apologise if its been talked to death but ive done google searches galore and couldnt find any real world answers, just lab tests which frankly I have learned not to rely on too much.

I want a good travel lens combo and am thinking 24-105 with a 70-200 f/4 will be perfect (24-105 on a 5d, 70-200 f/4 on a 20d). In the UK right now the IS version of the 70-200 is about £450 more than the non-IS, even more on the used market which is a lot of money when i wont have an income for the next year or so, but it is affordable if i lose all contingency money.

What i wanted to know really, is how the non IS version will behave in every day use, will i need a tripod for walking around streets and markets in the day time where i might be in the shade or rain etc in order to get sharp shots, or, in good light, will i be fine at all focal leangths so long as i stay outside in the daylight?

I have heard great things about this lens and will mainly be shooting street portraits and compressed landscape, the latter of which I will be prepared to use a tripod for in any event

any advice appreciated
 
The non IS is light. You will have no trouble hand holding it! I find mine best when balanced out with a grip on my 40D but it really is no trouble. Its sharp at f4 but good light always helps! I try to keep my shutter speed relatively high as I am quite shaky anyways.
 
I can shoot mine hand held comfortably until around 1/200 shutter speed. With a monopod or something shooting at 1/80 or something isn't unrealistic. It all depends on the user. I have pretty shaky hands from years of mountain biking and crashing, so I'm not the best judge of shooting slow shutter speeds hand held.
 
I use my f4 L for sports and think it is a brill lens for the price, I know a couple of people using the sigma f2.8 and they are jealous!

However necer used it but the sigma cant be bad and is roughly similar money:thumbs:
 
Same here, I have the f4 non IS and find it easy to hand hold, and it makes a great portrait/headshot lens in the studio too.

Steve
 
It is fine handheld, as long as it is above 1/200s for pixel peeping, or 1/100s if you are very steady. With modern cameras like 5D mk2 you can simply increase the ISO.

Oh, and did I say it is very sharp wide open on 40D, but on 1Ds it looks miles better yet! I'd use it on 5D.
 
Once you've used it for a while you'll get used to the balance and be fine.
 
Some examples

4857425264_79f5680d78_m.jpg

1/160s . f/11.0 . ISO 400 . 200 mm

4793785667_c84decb606_m.jpg

1/250s . f/7.1 . ISO 125 . 200 mm

4790094159_ae64c1100a_m.jpg

1/50s . f/8.0 . ISO 400 . 70 mm

4790215562_859a3ca768_m.jpg

1/250s . f/5.6 . ISO 100 . 200 mm

All hand-held and v sharp :D
 
You won't need the IS for day to day use. The 24-105 is an excellent lens and the IS comes in handy from time to time however the 70-200 f/4 IS weighs a ton more than the non IS variant meaning that you need the IS to cope with the added weight of having it. Sort of shooting yourself in the foot if you ask me! The 24-105 L and 70-200 L are a great combo (I've just bought into a 70-200 f/4 L!) and I'm sure you'll find the same :)

Oh and welcome to the forum! :)
 
Thanks everyone for the advice, I knew it was a great lens its just that i dont want to be limited to a tripod at 200mm for street portraits. I have used the IS version in the shop and thought it was quite brillant. I have the 24-105 already on a 20d but i have a feeling it will really shine on the 5d, i also have a 35 f/2 which im looking forward to using on this, ive seen great photos with the 5d at 1600iso so that should give me a few stops extra when the sun goes in a little and the extra £500 will pay for my travel insurance!
 
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