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Author Topic: Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?  (Read 6735 times)

Charles Gast

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« on: May 02, 2007, 05:31:34 pm »

I am looking into the Canon 200mm f1.8 lens and of course all of them are used since they quit making them. I noticed on ebay that sellers like to tout high serial numbers.  Is that just to say they are newer or is it known that later models had improved optics?

Thanks!
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pfigen

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #1 on: May 02, 2007, 07:05:39 pm »

Just make sure you get the glass filter holder with the clear glass filter. The difference wide open between filter and no filter is huge.
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Charles Gast

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #2 on: May 02, 2007, 09:04:08 pm »

Quote
Just make sure you get the glass filter holder with the clear glass filter. The difference wide open between filter and no filter is huge.
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=115410\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
Does not having the filter in place throw the focus off?
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pfigen

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #3 on: May 02, 2007, 09:12:19 pm »

When I got mine there was a gelatin filter holder with no filter. The filter, be it glass or gelatin, is supposed to be in the optical path. It really made a big difference wide open. It was sharp without it, but on another planet with it. I picked up the glass filter holder with a filter used at Samy's. If your lens doesn't come with that, it's not an expensive item.
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dmg

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #4 on: June 03, 2007, 02:45:47 am »

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I am looking into the Canon 200mm f1.8 lens and of course all of them are used since they quit making them. I noticed on ebay that sellers like to tout high serial numbers.  Is that just to say they are newer or is it known that later models had improved optics?

Thanks!
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=115403\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]


I recommend you stay with negative numbers, the provide the best value. I have also heard that real numbers are to be preferred to complex (which might indicate feature creep and a potential failure).

dmg
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eronald

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #5 on: June 03, 2007, 07:28:02 pm »

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I recommend you stay with negative numbers, the provide the best value. I have also heard that real numbers are to be preferred to complex (which might indicate feature creep and a potential failure).

dmg
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=120861\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

Lenses with pure imaginary numbers are cheaper.

Edmund
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CUclimber

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #6 on: June 04, 2007, 07:29:07 pm »

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Lenses with pure imaginary numbers are cheaper.

Edmund
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=120962\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]
How true! Just now I imagined that I had a 200 f/1.8  (serial # -5i) and it was much cheaper than actually buying one! Tack sharp too.
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Wild Eyes

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Canon 200mm f1.8 "good" serial numbers?
« Reply #7 on: June 04, 2007, 08:16:09 pm »

Numbers in the 15000 plus range are the newer lenses. I was going to buy one a while back but Canon no longer has the focusing motors to repair any auto focus problems-you will be stuck with a manual focus lens. So I decided against buying one and went with the 300 f/2.8 L IS. If you ever wonder why they are so beat up looking-watch any pro sporting event-you will see the guys drop them as they pick up another camera with a wide angle lens to get the close up shot. Hope this helps.

Bill
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