If it were I, I would save the $1000 and get the exact same lens but without IS
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/9 ... focus.html
Also buy it from that link above to save you $1000. In this country the prices are a joke and these guys although there postage can be a little high, they will get it on your door step in three days and canon covers all warranties even if the item is bought from another country. They never used to do this for camera bodies, but now they do.
Seriously though IS is a joke and a waste of money. I have never found anyone who uses it, it's meant to account for hand shake with the lens being heavier, but at the cost of making the image look soft. I always recommend people turn IS off for better results.
With a lens like the 70-200mm most people use it on a tripod or monopod, this removes the need to have IS
Or,
You would on most occasions use this lens during the day, the available light means you can afford not to use IS and still get great shutter speeds. If you were after a shot of the moon like in the other thread, a basic IR will give you the light to be able to achieve this shot with better results, again removing the need to have IR
I used the 70-200mm at last years airshow and I admit planes got lost in the sky, but this was not due to IR, but rather I needed at least 400mm, which canon is giving me for airshow 2013 to 'trial'.
At the end of the day it is up to you what you chose to do, but I would save yourself $1000, buy it from B + H and you will be laughing. I even had an issue with the wrong tripod being shipped to me, they had another sent out the same day and a courier pick up the wrong one and get it back to them, all at their cost. They are really easy and great to deal with.
Anyway, enough talk, on with the airshow.....
