Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8L to be Replaced with MKII Version (No Image Stabilization, BOOOOOO!!!!)

The Canon EF 24-70mm f2.8L (also known as the brick to avid and professional photographers) replacement was announced this week. For years now Canon customers have been waiting for a replacement. The dream was that Canon would release a  sharper, lighter ,and image stabilized Mk II version. According to Canon, they will meet those demands except for image stabilization. Canons decision to not include image stabilization is already causing the lens to sink before it even has a chance to float. Why? you ask, well the biggest reason is because the same day ,Tamron ( a third party lens producers for Canon,Nikon, and other major camera manufactures) announced their latest and greatest replacement lens: The Tamron 24-70mm 2.8f VC (VC is Tamrons image stabilization) and to boot the lens is rumored to cost around half of what the Canon 24-70mm MKII will.

Canon loyalist are already writing off the lens and claiming that they are ready to buy the Tamrons version of the lens. Why is image stabilization so important? Because it allows you to shoot in lower light and limits the chance of taking blurry photos. I believe the Canon 24-70mm 2.8FL was relesed in 2002. Nine years later and they make the lens lighter and sharper, not much of an improvement in my opinion. However you are getting Canons reliability, build quality and accurate color reproduction that comes with all the Canon L lenses but still I wish Canon would push the envelope a little more.

Heres my conspiracy theory as to why Canon didn’t include IS in the 24-70 MKII version: Sometime this year or next,Canon will release a MKII version for the 24-105mm f4L IS. They will make it sharper than the last version but not as sharp as the 24-70 MKII. Therefore both new versions of the lenses do not cut into each others sales. If you want something with IS go with the 24-105 MKII, if you want a sharper lens with a wider aperture go with the 24-70 MKII.

What will I do? Buy more prime lenses