Canon’s new L Series lens, the 70-200 f/2.8 IS II USM was announced January 5. The highly anticipated announcement offers photographers new features and an improved IS system.
The updated lens features a re-designed optical system, with 23 elements in 19 groups, with a fluorite element and no fewer than five ultra-low dispersion (UD) elements. These changes, says Canon in their media release, drastically reduces chromatic aberration through the zoom range and produces edge-to-edge definition in high contrast images.
The lens’s new autofocus system is geared towards Canon’s new DSLRs, the 1D Mark IV and 7D. This updated model features a ring-type USM AF motor. When combined with a new high-speed CPU and AF algorithm, focusing is both faster and quieter.
The minimum focusing distance of the lens has been reduced to 1.2 meters. Canon’s new Image Stabilization (IS) technology allows for speeds four stops lower than 1/zoom length, an improvement over the three stop IS in previous models.
The price of the lens has not been announced, but it expected to be “on the street” in April 2010.
If you pick up this or any new lens you should really pick up a UV filter – to protect the front element and create sharper photos with less haze. See UV Filters at the Phottix Store.