For a $10K budget what will be your advice

[CanonGrapher]

the 200 F2L IS USM is suppose to replace the F1.8L, price and size is about the same. But now with 4 stop IS and weather seal.

Never the biggest fan of IS.  Awwyas feel that the image is sharper with the IS turned off anyway.

Btw, the way I shoot, I will be using a tripod anyway, so IS is not really important for me.

[victor]

But it is a damn good lens for sports!

[CanonGrapher]

But it is a damn good lens for sports!

But I do not shoot sport.

I am really curious why Canon's replacement for this classic a f2.0, and not a f1.8. 

The 2nd hand price for the 200 1.8L is around US$5K.  When it was discontinued in 2003, the price new at that time was about US$4K.  I saw a brand new 200 1.8L year and a half ago going for US$7K.   

[jediforce4ever]

But it is a damn good lens for sports!

Not really...the reach is too short..

[hwchoy]

I think this is meant for indoor sports, hence the "short" tele and huge ass aperture.

[CanonGrapher]

I think his is meant for indoor sports, hence the "short" tele and huge ass aperture.

That is the thing.  For shooting sport images, IS is not that useful.  You need the faster aperture so that you can shoot at a fast shutter speed, not just to combat handshake, but also needed to deal with motion blur.  IS is only good for handshake

[hwchoy]

well, its just ƒ/1.8 and ƒ/2 so not a huge difference, which I am sure is due to some technical and cost effectiveness constraint. so with IS this is useful both indoor sports and other low light photography e.g. stage and performance.

[CanonGrapher]

IS is overated.  Let's say with the 4 stop IS claimed, you can handhold the 200 at 1/60, but at that rate, the athelete or the performers may be blurred.  Then how?

Anyway, still don't understand why f2 and not 1.8 

[victor]

Might as well say why not F1.2???

[CanonGrapher]

Might as well say why not F1.2???

Well, F1.8 is because the technology for the lens is there already, tried and proven.  This will also give Canon the fastest lens in the class.  At F2, it's not the fastest anymore, jsut one of the fastest.

Why not 1.2, that will probably double the weight of the lens.   As it is, the lens is huge.  At 1.2, it will be unmanagable.  But it will def be  afun lens, just think about the bokeh.

[victor]

I guess the 1/3 stop diff makes the cost goes down a lot and profit margin improve. And the look is still the same.