Hi, I have canon rebel 2000 camera with a 28-80 lens. Now i am planning to buy a descent zoom lens. i got to know that 80-200 f 4.5 -5.6 II is a good one. first of all i seek advise as whether i am right about this lens. If so, which one to buy USM or the micromotor one.

Thanks in advance.. Vishwa

-- vishwanath Somashekar (dagarshali@yahoo.com), February 20, 2002

Answers

Viswa, The 80-200 is maybe "descent", everything is subjective. I would say that it is of the same quality as your 28-80 lens, which means that is capable of good 4x6 if it is stopped down. At full opening 4.5-5.6, which is "slow" to begin with, the quality is not very good, even at small prints. Try instead to find a used 70-210/3.5-4.5 USM which is MUCH better than the 80-200. You could maybe find it for 150$ or something.

Regards Patrik

-- Patrik Kall (patrik.kall@rolls-royce.com), February 21, 2002.

Partick is right, in that the 70-210 F3.5-4.5 USM is a far better lens than either of those that you mention. I used to own an 80-200 USM, as you're considering, and it was a fine lens. I moved onto a sigma 70-300 APO from it, and immediately missed USM (even micro-USM). I got bored with the sigma fairly quickly, and replaced it with a 70-200 F4L, but for a while I did consider buying the 70-210 F3.5-4.5 USM, as it has a reputation as a fine lens optically. It also has ring-USM, which is definately a step up from micro-USM.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), February 21, 2002.