Canon EF 80-200mm F4.5-5.6 II Review
General information
This is a zoom lens manufactured by Canon and the lens was released 1995.
The lens belongs to the category
telephoto zoom lenses, a telephoto lens where you have the possibility to zoom in and out.
It's been a long time since the lens and this model first was launched. Before you buy an older (and perhaps used and pre owned) lens a recommendation is to check with the manufacturer and their service centers whether there still are spare parts available. Hopefully spare parts wont be an issue but imagine accidently damaging the lens and finding out afterwards that no spare parts exists. We therefore recommend that you, to be sure, check this prior to purchasing.
If you buy a new lens, in a store, you always have your warranty to fall back on, regardless of the age of the lens but if you are interested in buying a pre owned and used lens without warranty this may be even more important to look up because you might otherwise be left without both warranty and spare parts.
Product description from Canon
At launch 1995 Canon wrote this regarding Canon EF 80-200mm F4.5-5.6 II:
"Telephoto zoom lens only 78.5mm long and weighing only 250 g, making it very easy to carry around. The fiive zoom lens groups have been improved to obtain higher image quality."
Compatibility, autofocus and focal length
This lens is constructed to fit all models of Canon cameras, regardless of camera model or type of sensor.
The ability to use autofocus is available for all cameras.
The lens has a focal length of 80-200 mm. Depending on which camera the lens is used, the experienced and perceived focal length will be different. Please visit the list of compatible cameras below, it will provide the equivalent focal length you get on each camera.
- See compatible cameras and perceived/equivalent focal length
- See a full camera compatibility chart for Canon EF 80-200mm F4.5-5.6 II
- Read more about focal length and your field of view
- Read more on the cameras impact on the perceived focal length
Lens brightness and image stabilizer
The lens brightness and aperture value is f/4.5-5.6.
This lens is not considered to have a good aperture value and brightness. It is something to consider before you purchase the lens. To compensate for this you might, while photographing in less favorable light conditions, be forced to either use higher ISO settings (which generates more noise in the image), slower shutter speeds (which may give some motion blur) or flash lightning. Read more at the link below what lens brightness means to you as a photographer.
One thing to consider is that the lens has a variable brightness, which means that depending on how much you are zooming the lens will have a different maximum aperture value. At 80 mm the lens brightness is f/4.5 and at 200 mm the brightness is f/5.6. Through the link below you can read more about what this could mean for you as a photographer.
The lens lacks image stabilization, which otherwise os good for avoiding the blur that can occur when using slow shutter speeds.
- Read more about the aperture and lens brightness
- Read more about changing brightness at different focal lengths
- Read more about how an image stabilizer works
Filter and Lens Hood
The lens has a traditional filter thread on the front and its measuring 52 mm which also the filter you will use must have. If you use for example an UV filter can be a cheap insurance against scratches and dust.
Unfortunately there is no lens hood included when buying the lens.
Things to consider before buying
Below you will find some summarized points and facts that can be considered as the 'pros and cons' of this lens. These are based entirely on the facts and values that are accessible through the lens specification, so we highly recommend that you also read the reported reviews available (see tab 'Reviews'); this in order to get a more complete view of the lens and its capabilities. Reviewer opinions reflect the lens, its use and its optical performance in a more accurate way, but any way - here a few different points to consider before buying this lens.
- The price (more info)
- Works on all sensor types
- Light weight (250 gr)
- No built-in image stabilizer
- Poor aperture value with its f/5.6
- A variable lens brightness at different focal lengths
- No lens hood is included
- The lens model is more than 15 years old
- The lens is not sealed against moisture and dust
Our Review Ratings
Time to grade Canon EF 80-200mm F4.5-5.6 II.
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| Value |
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| Overall rating | 3 of 5 |
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