Wondering if anyone can help with a problem I'm having shooting sports with my three-year old Canon 70-200 2.8 II. The lens has always underperformed a little, I've thought, but recently it's gotten worse and I can't figure out why. I've gone so far as to rent the same lens and shoot it alongside my version at a recent Sacramento River Cats game (no problems with the rented version). The two photos here are from my lens and the first one shows what's happening on a good number - but not all - of the shots. The second shot is with the lens and with a 1.4x extender, so sometimes focus is fine. Should I get it calibrated? Serviced? Only problems I'm having, and with my two main cameras, the Canon 1DX and 5D Mark IV, are only with this lens. A non-IS 300mm 2.8 is super sharp with no problems. I've tried turning IS on and off on the 70-200 and the problem is same. At one point I thought a loose UV filter that I couldn't take off might be the problem, so I replaced it and focus seems to be better on stationary objects, but not moving. Thanks for any help!
TriX
Loc: Raleigh, NC
Hmmm. I don’t see anything in the 1st shot that is in correct focus. If it were mine, I’d check it with my FoCal calibration SW to check the focus accuracy and repeatability, but lacking access to that or a better suggestion, I’d clean the contacts, and if the problem persisted, send it to Canon for service. Hopefully someone more knowledgeable than me has another suggestion.
Alas, without choosing to store the original attachments, you've kept it as a guessing game. What you've described sounds relatively consistent and isolated to just one lens across multiple cameras, if I've read correctly. Call Canon and get the details of how to send in for service.
thanks for your help. I shipped it off to Costa Mesa
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