Canon 70-200 - f4L IS or f2.8 non-IS

[havoc]

I'm replacing my old 70-300IS. I've already got a 100-400 f4L IS for motorsport, but I want something 'in-between' for more general purpose work:-

- closer-in motorsport / wildlife
- portraits / photos of my son / his friends at parties (I seem to have become the default semi-official 'tog at them!)
- walkabout alternative to my 24-105 f4L IS, mainly on holiday I'd imagine

I'm leaning towards the f4L IS for the lighter weight and the IS, as there seems little performance / IQ difference between the two lenses, but I'm wondering if I'll miss the extra stop when it comes to taking 'action' shots and creating bokeh?
(And no, I can't afford the f2.8L IS! )


Anyone any experience / advice?

[Craikeybaby]

I have the f2.8 (non IS) it is great for portraits and close action sport, but I wouldn't want to take it anywhere as a walkabout lens - it is heavy! A few times I have actually swapped it with my Dad's f4 version for trips.

[RobDickinson]

Craikeybaby said:

I have the f2.8 (non IS) it is great for portraits and close action sport, but I wouldn't want to take it anywhere as a walkabout lens - it is heavy! A few times I have actually swapped it with my Dad's f4 version for trips.

I also have the 2.8 non IS. IQ is great, its a decent portrait lens etc. It doesnt live in my bag any more because it got replaced with other wides/primes and cameras...

I pretty much only shoot landscapes and very rare are they shot at 2.8! So the f4Is would be a better option for me but I cant bring myself to swap..

[dub16v]

I have the 70-200mm F4 L non-IS version and it's great. It's plenty light enough to carry around all day and relatively inexpensive to buy when compared with other lenses of similar focal lengths/image quality. There's plenty of pics taken with this lens on my Flickr (https://www.flickr.com/photos/83047248@N05/albums).

That being said, if you're shooting in poor light and/or have a camera body that doesn't handle low light so well (e.g. 7D, like me) sometimes you'll wish you had that extra stop (your wallet will thank you though). For most people, it's a very capable lens and comes highly recommended.

[Mr Will]

The f4 is about half the size and weight of the f2.8. The f2.8 is better at freezing fast action but the image stabilisation makes the f/4IS better in low light for static/slow moving subjects. The f2.8 will give you more control over DoF for portraits.

For your needs; I'd recommend the f/4 IS.

[havoc]

Thanks guys...good to know I'm thinking in the right direction.