# Found Canon 28-80mm f2.8 and Canon 80-200mm f2.8, thoughts?



## jonnyboy (Dec 27, 2013)

Hello guys,
Im new to the forum even though I have been lurking for a while...
I found today a Canon 28-80mm f2.8 for 300Euros and a Canon 80-200 f2.8 for 350Euros... I use canon lens for videos mainly but I dont mind shot some nice picture every once and a while...
I was just wondering if you guys had a chance to try those lenses and if they are worth the price (I read online they are both 20 years old lenses!)...
Well I really wanted to hear an opinion from someone who used those lenses...

Thanks very much for any suggestion!


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## Charles E. (Dec 27, 2013)

I used these two lenses with film EOS 1 bodies when they first came out. They are fine lenses and for the price you quoted they are worth it in my opinion. The 28-80mm f2,8-4L is a variable f stop lens. It shifts to f4.0 at the 80mm focal length. Like every lens there is a sweet spot and an ideal working aperture and these are no different. 2 stops down from wide open and they are great lenses, but you will find the auto focus a bit on the slow side compared to more modern versions of these lenses. Good luck and good shooting.


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## jonnyboy (Dec 27, 2013)

ouch that's a bit of a problem if it cant keep f2.8 at 80mm.
What about the 80-200mm?


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## tron (Dec 27, 2013)

jonnyboy said:


> ouch that's a bit of a problem if it cant keep f2.8 at 80mm.
> What about the 80-200mm?


That's 2.8 even at 200mm.


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## jonnyboy (Dec 27, 2013)

Cool. I may get the 80-200mm only.... Anyone tryied that lens?

Thanks very much for the help


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## slclick (Dec 27, 2013)

iirc, coatings on older lenses especially those created during the film only or early digital days are very different and when you mix and match you run into quite a bit of flare and other aberrations.


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## tron (Dec 27, 2013)

You should check both lenses. 300 euros for the 28-80 2.8-4 L is a very good price, provided its glass is intact. Unless f/4 at 80mm is not acceptable by you.


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## kennephoto (Dec 27, 2013)

jonnyboy said:


> Cool. I may get the 80-200mm only.... Anyone tryied that lens?
> 
> Thanks very much for the help



I owned the 80-200 2.8 for years and I really liked it mine was very sharp even at 2.8 and I loved the bokeh. Mine was a little out of alignment I think as it required some micro focus adjusting which resulted in some missed shots also do to the focus being slightly slower than some USM lenses im used to. Its a heavy lens and you have to flip the switch to use manual focus. I really liked it but I sold mine and got a used 135mm f2.0 and wouldn't go back.


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## jonnyboy (Dec 27, 2013)

Yeah i know the price are quite good for both....but I really need that f.2.8 at 80mm. Otherwise I would add some extra cash and get the 24-105 f.4.

For the 80-200mm: I will use it 95% for videos so the AF speed is not really an issue since we work with manual focus in video. I tryied the 70-200mm f2.8 and is simply brillant when filming at f2.8...


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## kennephoto (Dec 27, 2013)

Oh I must have missed the part where you are using it for video. I think you'd be surprised by thr lens if you haven't used it before. It does perform very well. Id use it again but I don't often do video so my 135mm is more useful to me. Its worth checking out in person for sure.


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## axtstern (Dec 27, 2013)

Carefull with the 80-200L
I used this lens as a cheap way into the L leagues but there are no spare parts for this lens anywhere available anymore.
I sold mine in 2003 after using it for 10 years.
If you want to use the lens in manual Focus mode please first check if the lens is not fly by wire. It had a precise AF but was slow. I remember that I did not like to Focus this one manualy.
I loved that this lens is black and much smalller than modern 2.8 lenses but it is a heavy heavy beast and the all metal touch makes it a pain to hold this lens on cold days in bare Hands.
Coating flare was an issue on the 30D and a very big one on the 5D.

If you want to invest in Dinosaurs... also consider the Tamron 28-105 2.8 or the first generation Sigma 120-300 2.8


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## jonnyboy (Dec 27, 2013)

Thanks for all the replies....

I will test the camera before to buy....I will see the conditions and move from there...

I would love to get my hand on a zoom lens of this range and for that price it definitely got me interested! I read online Tamron and Sigma are not as sharp as the 80-200mm L Series....even though they still 2 good lenses....


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## MrFotoFool (Dec 28, 2013)

I got an 80-200L used but in mint condition and used it for at least ten years (maybe more), on film body and then on digital 5D2. A great lens - no problems whatsoever - I loved it. The ONLY reason I sold it about a year ago is that it does not accept teleconverters. I used it in conjuction with a 300 f4 lens, but it was too heavy carrying both so I opted to buy a 70-200 and use a 1.4x to make up for the 300 (which I also sold). However, for video and if 200 is long enough you will have no regrets whatsoever.


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## tron (Dec 28, 2013)

axtstern said:


> Carefull with the 80-200L
> If you want to invest in Dinosaurs... also consider the Tamron 28-105 2.8 or the first generation Sigma 120-300 2.8


Well, the Canon Dinosaurs should work with ALL Canon DSLRs. Are you sure about Tamron and Sigma?


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## axtstern (Dec 28, 2013)

> Carefull with the 80-200L
> If you want to invest in Dinosaurs... also consider the Tamron 28-105 2.8 or the first generation Sigma 120-300 2.8
> 
> 
> ...



I use both from my film days until now. So at least for EOS M, 30D, 60D, 5D and 5D MKII I can say yes it works.
The only lenses which let me down so far were the SIgma 8mm 3.5 which eats so much power to step down that it fails on any digital camera and shame on Canon the Canon EF 85 1.2L which works fine on any camera but not the little M

The Tamron is a slow focusing and soft lens which looks with it's outdated design almost baroque on a modern camera but 28-105mm in 2.8 is a very nice feature when I cant change position like during a wedding in the church etc.. For the Sigma you can say the same it just does not look so antique.


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## jroak (Dec 29, 2013)

jonnyboy said:


> Cool. I may get the 80-200mm only.... Anyone tryied that lens?
> 
> Thanks very much for the help



I found a decently priced 80-200 2.8L on eBay about a year ago and use it with a Canon 6D. This is my first experience with a high end dinosaur.

Here is what I like about it. Sharpness, particularly when the subject is isolated at or near wide open conditions. Light sources in the background produce smooth looking starbursts. Good low light performance when combined with the 6D's high ISO capabilities. Good color rendition in low light conditions and a crispness in both overall color and contrast in good lighting conditions. Despite its heft and lack of IS, I know I can capture the shot I want, if I am well braced, or use a tripod, during night time and low light shots.

Here's what I don't like about it and this is subjective. When shooting in bright light, it has a cooler color tone than I prefer, so I find myself bumping up the color temperature either on the body or during editing. It doesn't matter if I have the most orange sunset in existence, the coolness will prevail. On the other hand, if there is blue skies or water involved, and whatever I am photographing doesn't need or require a warmer tone, then the picture is complete.

I have debated selling this lens and using it to subsidize the 135/2. For my style of shooting, the gain in light more than offsets the loss in range.

I have not used or tested this lens using movie mode, so I cannot make an opinion.


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## marcel (Jan 5, 2014)

I have both lenses. They work very well in digital cameras and quality is like the new ones. The 28 80 is USM and focus work manual or auto all the time without the need of change the slider button. Quality is better than the 24 70 2.8L that have many problems with the alignment on the camera sensor: one side is out of focus.
The 80 200 i use mainly for video, always at 2.8, and manual focus is very easy and smooth. In autofocus mode it is not an USM lens, but is very fast. And is black! Is for this reason i never changed it for a new one.
If the lenses worked well on film work well on digital.


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