Testing a new (used) lens
I've always wanted the no-longer-made Canon 200mm f/2...finally got one
I am downsizing my investment in photography equipment. I am selling some of my best lenses, in fact, and I am stocking up on more antique and special-purpose lenses. In many case, I can get as good or better optical quality or unique features that appeal to my sense of creativity.
The 200mm f/2 lens is one such beastie. Canon originated the combination of a long focal length and a fast aperture, although a few other vendors did come out with such lenses. Legend has it (only Nikon continues to manufacture one) that the Original Canon, a 200mm f/1.8, nicknamed “Eye of Sauron”, was the best of the best - quite sharp when needed, but with superb soft backgrounds as well.
Time has changed things; that version, while still quite artistic, has been replaced by the f/2 version—which is sharper both at center and corners, and still maintains nearly the same level of smooth backgrounds (called bokeh by those in the know…).
As with most things made before we became a digital world, there is some variability in those lenses. Some are sharper, some are softer. Some have more beautiful rendering of textures; some have silky smooth textures that feel all warm and cozy.
Yeah, yeah: I sound like a car salesman, don't I. ;)
That all said, I bought a used one at a reasonable (not top) price. It’s a little rough around the edges, but is a clean, well-cared-for copy. I put it through some tests today, and found that this particular one is really incredibly sharp. (I like sharp lenses.) That’s not typical; many users would buy it for those creamy smooth backgrounds. This one does just fine on backgrounds, thank you very much, but it also has stunning sharpness and silky rendering of textures. I really got lucky on this lens; I could not ask for a better mix of qualities.
Here are a few bird photos I took today that show off all three qualities: sharpness, creamy texture, and smooth backgrounds. It also does an incredible job on color, which I was not expecting; most lenses from the era in which this one was built tended to be a little less rich in color. I think I hit the jackpot.
I really shouldn’t expect good bird photos from a 200mm lens; one would like to be using a 400mm or even a 600mm lens. But it’s so sharp, it works anyway. I’m just dumbfounded by my good fortune. Will need to send up some thank-you smoke to the camera gods.
Gonna need to clean the porch railings this spring…they have a serious case of Seattle Winter Goop on them.