Canon Announces the EF200mm f/2L and EF800mm f/5.6L Lenses

Canon kept their promise and turned the EF200mm f/2L IS USM and EF800mm f/5.6L IS USM prototypes, first showcased at the PhotoPlus Expo in October 2007, into mass-production lenses. If you happen to be visiting the PMA tradeshow (booth E101) at the Las Vegas Convention Center, January 31 to February 2, you can get a chance to see them and maybe even test them.

The EF 200 f/2 L IS USM is a dream come true for those who didn't have the chance to purchase the fabled EF 200mm f/1.8L USM and only heard from others of the extraordinary performances it provides. It offers a fast, constant f/2.0 maximum aperture coupled with the proprietary USM and IS technologies. The EF 200 f/2 L IS USM's only competitor is, of course, the Nikon AF-S VR Nikkor 200mm f2G IF-ED, albeit the latter does not offer vibration reduction, but that is a story for another time.

Other features worth mentioning are the weather-resistant design and the minimum focusing distance of 1.9 m/6.2 feet

As mentioned in our previous report, the EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM beast is now the longest 35mm telephoto lens in production. The 1200mm f/5.6L lens Canon manufactured some years ago holds the record as the longest lens, but only 12 copies were made before it got discontinued.

Both lenses feature optical systems utilizing fluorite and UD lens elements to control chromatic aberrations and to improve optical performance. Also, they use lead-free glass, and incorporate lightweight magnesium alloy lens barrels with enhanced resistance to moisture and dust.

As for the prices, you can easily imagine these professional telephoto lenses are not cheap. With an availability scheduled for April and May, respectively, the Canon EF200mm f/2L IS USM has an estimated retail price of $5,999.00 while the EF800mm f/5.6L IS USM will cost a whopping $11,999.00 (or probably a bit less when it hits the shelves).

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