# Canon 70-200 f2.8 is ii very slight rotational play, is it normal?



## fallenflowers (Jun 20, 2013)

I just purchased brand new 70-200 f2.8 is ii a few days ago and after half a day of shooting with 5d3 i feel something loose from camera or lens. I am not sure where the movement its coming from but it cannot be heard, i can only feel it (something loose) when tilting the camera or with any movement. So i did some experiments and came to conclusion that the slight movement came from between the lens mount and camera mount. when i firmly press in the lens towards the camera, no play at all. 

when the lens is mounted onto camera i can hear the lock engaged and it seems firm but if you were to use a little force to move left or right you can feel little play, there is no up-down movement just left and right. now i am a little concern because i've never own a heavy, nor have any telephoto lens prior to this one so i am not sure if this is normal for telephoto lens or the lens itself needs to be exchange? and my 17-40 and 135 f2 seems perfectly fine when mounted on my 5d mark iii. no movement at all. 

does anybody here encounter the same problems with their 70-200 f2.8 is ii. 

thanks for your input
Brian


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## Random Orbits (Jun 20, 2013)

Normal. This topic pops up from time to time. Mine was tight on a APS-C camera, but exhibits the slight rotational play you describe on my 5D II when I had it and later 5D III.


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## Mt Spokane Photography (Jun 20, 2013)

The lens has a slightly oval hole that the pin on the camera side drops into. Based on tolerance build up and wear, they eventually all become loose.
Its not a big deal, but if there is a lot of play, it can be annoying. My 600mmL had a lot of polay, so I pulled the mount off the lens, hit it a good lick with a punch to close up the hole and it was fine thereafter.


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## mwh1964 (Jun 20, 2013)

Mine has the play as well. Also with 70-300L. Not with lighter lenses though. Annoying but probably cannot be avoided.


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## Jim Saunders (Jun 20, 2013)

Mine wiggles a very little bit, works fine though.

Jim


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## adhocphotographer (Jun 24, 2013)

Mine wiggles... it can be a big annoying, but it seems to work fine. my only concern is how much the "wiggle" will compromise the weather sealing (the monsoons are coming here).


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## gekko (Jun 26, 2013)

No wiggle at all on my 7D.


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## adhocphotographer (Jun 26, 2013)

gekko said:


> No wiggle at all on my 7D.



I tested two, one on my 450D and one on my 5d and both had some give...


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## whothafunk (Jun 26, 2013)

same here, just a wee bit of wiggle, but im not bothered


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## Sporgon (Jun 26, 2013)

The more mass the lens has the more you'll feel the free play. 

This is why people report the 40mm 'pancake' feeling 'too' tight. 

If the EF mount was tight enough to hold a heavy lens such as the one you refer to without any rotational movement you'd need Rambo to mount your 40mm pancake ! 

It's normal (physics).


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## Northstar (Jun 26, 2013)

It's very normal.

When I first got my 70-200 2.8 ii I noticed the same thing...and it worried me. I posted the problem here and found that it is common...as long as iq is good, don't worry.

I was so worried about it at first that I drove to two different camera stores and tested 4 different versions of the 70-200 from canon and Nikon on the store's 5d3 and d800....all had some wiggle/play.

My 70-200 and 300 both wiggle on my 1dx and 5d3.....wiggle is normal.

I would also add that the 70-200 2.8 ii might be the best lens ever made by canon or Nikon...it's that good...enjoy.


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## grimson (Jun 26, 2013)

I feel this too on my 5DIII with the 70-200II also worried at first but then accepted this fact


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## GMCPhotographics (Jun 26, 2013)

When I pop my 400L on a sturdy tripod....the only movement is between the camera and the lens mount. If I use a Teleconverter, this increases a little. It's just a bit of lens mount rotational slackness.


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## fallenflowers (Jun 27, 2013)

Thanks all for the reply, i can shoot happy now knowing its normal and nothing to be worry about


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## adhocphotographer (Jun 27, 2013)

Another mystery solved by population knowledge!  Enjoy the lens, it's the dogs' bollocks!


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## GMCPhotographics (Jun 27, 2013)

There's very few lenses which can take a 2x TC, wide open and still get very usable results. My 400mm f2.8 L IS is certainly one of them, my 70-200 f2.8 L IS II is another...which is amazing considering it's a zoomer. It's a fantastic lens...just a bit big and heavy.


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