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I believe that there are many excellent copies of this lens available, but quite a few copies have what is called a "haze" problem (suggesting that the inner elements can simply be cleaned). I bought such a lens on eBay and found that the haze issue is a very serious problem. The problem is often due to glue deterioration within a doublet lens in the 4th (innermost) group. The doublet lens consists of two pieces of glass (known as a flint and a crown) that are glued together face to face. The doublet is sealed in a plastic housing. The entire unit has the serial number CY1-2532. None of these units seem to be available anywhere on the planet. I repaired mine by disassembling the plastic unit with a small woodcarver's chisel. Once I removed the doublet I soaked it in Methylene Chloride for at least 30(!) days. Be careful this is a volatile and dangerous chemical. I then carefully split the doublet apart with my fingernail (the glass can easily crack at any point during this process). I then cleaned the surfaces with more Methylene Chloride and alcohol. I glued the doublet back together with Norland 61 optical adhesive. Properly aligning the two halves of the double is difficult (without special equipment) especially since the flint and crown have different diameters. After the lens is re-assembled it still needs to be aligned (which is a whole other matter). Ultimately the only expense of this repair was the cost of the chemicals, adhesive, a chisel, and a UV light -- but the repair is very time-consuming and a lot can go wrong. In 2020 Midwest Camera Repair gave me a quote of $425 to do the complete repair (using a baking process rather than using chemical solvents) and included aligning the lens.Read full review
Verified purchase: No
This lens takes very sharp pictures. The only thing that could make this lens perfect is if it had Image Stabilization too. This lens is a workhorse. Compared to mostly plastic lenses, Tamron & Sigma, this lens is HEAVY. This lens works very well with my Canon 5D Mark III. In-camera JPGs look great. Since the price of SD cards and HDDs/SSDs have come down in price, I'm shooting RAW+jpg. This lens works great on full frame and crop sensor cameras that take EF lenses. I'm no pro, so I can't justify buying L lenses for my hobby. Just like cream puff cars, pro level lenses that have been taken well care of are a bargain compared to their brand new counterparts. The reviews of this lens are spot on. Check out its marks in dxomark lens ratings. This lens will be great the next time I take wedding photos for fun.Read full review
Verified purchase: Yes
I a bought this lens to photograph a couple of weddings with my 5D mk ii, with the intention of selling it to purchase the 180 mm macro with the proceeds. Well; I have decided to keep this lens. It is an alternative to the newer 24-70's and comparatively a bargain. Well, I have decided to keep this one and buy that one too. This lens performs well in low light, and provides very sharp images. The seller claimed the lens had a sticky point in the autofocus, which I have not noticed at all. I have now used it to photograph weddings, soccer matches, sunsets and lightning and this lens has provided fast autofocus, crisp images, and great photographs. The quality of construction is reflected in the weight, which will make backpacking and the long backcountry hikes a bit more difficult, but then again no more than the aluminum gitzo tripod. For the price of brand new equipment, these "outdated lenses" are a bargain and still provide a quality of glass that can outperform the sensors behind them.Read full review
Does magic on a FF camera. I use this on my Canon 1Ds Mark II and the AF is spot-on and fast. The colors are accurate with nice bokeh and contrast straight out of the camera. It's very sharp wide open throughout the focal range. A terrific walk-around lens. I used this first on my Canon 7D, and it presented fits on that camera causing serious back-focus. Turns out with was the camera body all along which probably needed focus calibration. From what I've read online, photos have more contrast compared to its successor the 24-70L. Hence, aside from the 4mm difference they're pretty much identical. N.B. It's probably worth getting the newer hood with the inner matte lining to better prevent flare.
I bought this lens used on ebay when my favorite lens, a 24-105L, encountered the famous ribbon problem it is prone to, where it no longer zooms past about 28 mm (annoying!). I thought the 24-105 was a great lens, but it is really soft by comparison. This lens is in a class by itself. It has the sharpness of a prime throughout its range. It is as sharp and fast as my 50 mm 1.4, which is pretty darned sharp and fast. Every lens has a different "look" and personality (as unscientific as that sounds!). This lens is almost cinematic in its richness of color and what it does with light. It manages to be sharp and buttery at the same time. The lens IS heavy, but you get used to that, and I personally like a lens with weight. HIGHLY recommend!
Verified purchase: No
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