Canon 30D and 70-200 2.8 question

[Ray Cahen]

Hello All,

This is my first post after wallowing through other boards for information.
The question comes later in this post.
I'm a retired PPofA Master who spent more than 40 years in still, motion picture and video, beginning with the Navy Photo schools in Pensacola, Fla. My last job was with a fortune 100 corporation. I managed to survive a tour as a Fleet Marine Force combat cameraman.

I'm now semi-disabled and have become the family photographer again after trying to give up that job in favor of just being family patriarc. Does this thing have spell check?

Anyhow, the point and shoot cameras did not produce the quality my family had grown accustomed to, so I'm researching prosumer digital gear, having sold most of my film gear earlier.

At this point I'm leaning toward the Canon 30D body. I don't believe in buying the first version of anything, and the 30D will do anything I can envision.

I've had good success with the 17-85 kit lens and for the money feel it is adequate for chasing children around using stofen diffused strobe. What I really want is a 70-200 f. 2.8. Having looked a hundreds of posts on the web I have concluded that it is both the best loved and the most maligned lens on the market. I tried one with and without its image stabilization,and was disappointed in the weight and slight, but acceptable rear focus with AI.

I'm still interested in a Canon 17-85 2.8 and would consider the image stabilized 70-200 2.8 if I could justify it.

From everything I've read it appears that the IS feature (70-200 2.8) is most effective at shutter speeds under 1/60 which would yield unacceptable subject motion even if the camera was tripoded. I could see an advantage with weddings, but the few weddings that I could be forced into taking some pictures at doesn't justify the $600 difference between the IS and non Is versions.

I know I will be shooting lots of soccer and indoor karate and basketball, and am willing to pay the extra freight if superior images would result.

Do any of you fine folks have any personal experience with these items please? Feel free to e-mail as I am unfamiliar with the functions of this board
sundance@i2020.net
Thanks

[BarryRoden]

I love the combo especially without the additional grip.... however if you think you can shoot with f4.0 they just ...finally announced the 70-200 f4.0 IS... that is like a toy lens compared to the f2.8.... ( toy in the sense of weight, not quality )
I have a 30d and a 1dmkII... it is sooooo heavy on the 1dmkII that i have to use a monopod but on the 30d it is amazing.. in fact I have been known to be able to shoot above my head.... with the new screen you can extend your camera above your head take a few shots to get it acquistioned... then leave it there and look at your subject and keep shooting... I did it first at an awards show... once you get used to it ....its great.... with the combo of the 2.8 and the 30d it is not that heavy... as well it seems to not blur as fast as with my 1dmkII... not sure if it is me or the combo...

good luck... hope I have helped...

Barry