Canon 200mm L f1.8 prime..

jackdaw

Hi
I see Canon used to have a 200mm f1.8 prime, but it's no longer available ?

I heard they stopped making it as they were using some illegal material ?

sounds strange ? .. is it true ?

shame because f1.8 at 200mm would produce some amazing DOF !!

Paulw

jackdaw wrote: »

I heard they stopped making it as they were using some illegal material ?

Where, oh where, did you hear that?

I'd guess that they stopped making it due to low demand and high cost.

Ricky91t

I know they made another lens like a 200 f/2
Which was stopped the 200 f/1.8 was only released a year or 2 ago??

digitalage

I heard that also, they used mercury in the lens and lead in the manufacturing process. Ricky91t the 200m f2 was only released a year ago

Roen

I got one little under a year ago. Mine was a 1996 vintage I believe.
Thus far the 85 ƒ1.2 and the 200 ƒ1.8 have produced the prints I'm most happy with.

Check Mr.Bokeh's Flickr pages for some savage shots with this lens.

Unfortunately I don't get to photograph hot asian models, just horses. If you have access to the large size of this pic it will give you an idea of how smooth the background can get from this lens. You can pick out individual hairs from about 20 feet away.

From what I gather there was lead in the grinding slurry and Canon stopped making it for that reason in either '03 or '04. The demand for them went a bit mad after that and the price went well high.

There were all sorts of rumours about them using radioactive elements but they were just internet scuttlebutt.




There's some interesting reading Here, Here, and Here. And for astronomical application Here

I took this on the table in the back yard a few months back.
The lens alongside of it is the 85 ƒ1.2 L which is far from small to be honest.

Ricky91t

digitalage wrote: »

I heard that also, they used mercury in the lens and lead in the manufacturing process. Ricky91t the 200m f2 was only released a year ago

Ah,i got them mixed up..

jackdaw

Paulw wrote: »

Where, oh where, did you hear that?

I'd guess that they stopped making it due to low demand and high cost.

Lets leave out the sarcasm ... cos it turns out YOU'RE wrong ...

Paulw

I only asked where you heard it, and made a guess as to why they stopped making them.

Using mercury and lead isn't unusual in lens manufacturing.

Would you have a link as to where you heard why they stopped making them?

jackdaw

Paulw wrote: »

I only asked where you heard it, and made a guess as to why they stopped making them.

Using mercury and lead isn't unusual in lens manufacturing.

Would you have a link as to where you heard why they stopped making them?

No link .. just a friend of mine from Singapore who is very knowledgeable on the subject ...

also someone else mentioned it here .. so i think it's reliable ..

City-Exile

jackdaw wrote: »

No link .. just a friend of mine from Singapore who is very knowledgeable on the subject ...

also someone else mentioned it here .. so i think it's reliable ..

If there were true, then why didn't they just modify the manufacturing process to match that which they use to produce the 200mm f/2.0 & continue to produce the lens?

My guess would be cost & demand.
If the lens was popular enough, they'd have some other way to produce it.

jackdaw

Well it's supposed to be amazing quality ... much brighter and sharper then the 70-200 f2.8 ..

anyway .. this is turning into a pointless argument .. mods please lock...

rymus

did someone say pointless argument? *rubs hands together*

tbh, I heard the 200mm f1.8 was made chiefly of baby seals.

City-Exile

rymus wrote: »

tbh, I heard the 200mm f1.8 was made chiefly of baby seals.

Only the weather seal.
The body was made from Black Rhino tusk.
The lens sculpted from the eyes of Golden Eagles.

Eirebear

City-Exile wrote: »

Only the weather seal.
The body was made from Black Rhino tusk.
The lens sculpted from the eyes of Golden Eagles.

No wonder it was so friggin expensive! :eek:

Calina

City-Exile wrote: »

Only the weather seal.
The body was made from Black Rhino tusk.
The lens sculpted from the eyes of Golden Eagles.

I thought it was the Eye of Sauron.

Honestly.

CabanSail

I don't know why ... but this thread reminds me of Denis Leary song "A$$hole"

(If you are not familar with it have a look on You Tube)