If you want to sharpen your image and get into Canon’s ‘L’uxury or professional series of lenses but don’t like to pay through the nose, have a look at some of these lesser known and cheaper ‘vintage’ offerings:

EF 20-35mm f/2.8L;

EF 28-80mm f/2.8-4.0L;

EF 50-200mm f/3.5-4.5L;

EF 80-200mm f/2.8L – The Magic Drainpipe

EF 100-300mm f/5.6L – The Coffee Grinder

Introduced in the 80′s shortly after Canon changed production to the EF mount system these lenses are generally discounted both financially and functionally due to their early build status and quality. After 20+ years these long discontinued vintage ‘L’s are simply not up to current standards. Inferior build quality, generous use of plastic, noise issues that would wake the dead, hunting issues with the slower lenses, zoom creep, lack image stability, compatibility issues with teleconvertors, and lack of parts and servicing make that point evident. What the vintage ‘L’s share in common with their modern counterparts is superior image quality. Sharp, crisp, contrast-y images that will rival and in some cases surpass current ‘professional standards’.

The true star in the lot is the Canon EF 80-200mm f/2.8L. The magic drainpipe differs from most of the vintage ‘L’s as it is constructed mostly out of metal and has a cult-like status considered by many as Canon’s sharpest 200mm zoom. The EF 100-300mm f/5.6L also deserves special mention as Canon’s best effort to date in 300mm zooms.

The vintage ‘L’s can be had for between $250 for the EF 50-200mm f/3.5-4.5L to $750+ for the EF 80-200 f/2.8L US depending on condition. ebay and reputable used equipment dealers are your best bet for finding these lenses.

As with all things photography there is a compromise. If you can handle the detractions, and there are many, these lenses are truly optical gems at the price points being offered.

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