Replacing a 100-400mm L

dfrear

dfrear

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So I've got to the point where I'm not using my 100-400 enough to justify keeping it! However, I'm having a real issue finding something to replace it with.

I've got a Canon 55-250 IS Mk2 which, for the price, is absolutely brilliant and I used to own a Sigma 100-300mm f/4 which I seriously regret getting rid of. I'd buy another one immediately if I could find a Canon mount version for a reasonable price!

I'm struggling to find any decent options out there (for reasonable money £400-£500) that give me around 300mm and, ideally, f/4 with or without IS.

Does anyone have any recommendations or ideas?
 
Why are you not using your 100-400? Is it too big/heavy? Or is it not fast enough (You mentioned f4)?

I am probably going to repeat what you already knew here. Except for 300 prime, I don't think you will find f4, but it is pretty much as big. Other options for better portability are the cheaper Tamron 70-300 VC or Canon 70-300 IS. if you want better IQ, you can up your budget to get Canon 70-300L. I have both 100-400 and Tamron 70-300, and I often take the Tamron on trips that I don't want to carry the big lens.
 
I've got a MINT tamron 28-300 Ultra Zoom XRF/3.5 - 6.3 Macro canon mount I'll swap for your 100 - 400 L :sneaky:
 
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Canon 70-300 IS or the Tamron version if you want to save yourself some cash, if you want to go back to the 100-300 Sigma then keep an eye on eBay (including sellers from other european countries) as previous sales on there suggest there's usually a couple per month and usually going for £300-350.
 
dfrear said:
So I've got to the point where I'm not using my 100-400 enough to justify keeping it! However, I'm having a real issue finding something to replace it with.

I've got a Canon 55-250 IS Mk2 which, for the price, is absolutely brilliant and I used to own a Sigma 100-300mm f/4 which I seriously regret getting rid of. I'd buy another one immediately if I could find a Canon mount version for a reasonable price!

I'm struggling to find any decent options out there (for reasonable money £400-£500) that give me around 300mm and, ideally, f/4 with or without IS.

Does anyone have any recommendations or ideas?
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Might be slightly over your budget at the moment, but the Canon 70-300 L lens is getting very good reviews and certainly worth a look - perhaps saving up some to buy a good 2nd hand one ?

There have been a few on here that have gone from the 100-400 to the 70-300 L and love it...
 
I'm a little lost, your not using it, but you want something to replace it with covering a very similar range ?
 
He did say not enough to justify keeping it ;) which is different to not using it at all, I completely understand wanting to swap to something cheaper if you only get a little use out of a ~£800 lens.
 
pmhn said:
Why are you not using your 100-400? Is it too big/heavy? Or is it not fast enough (You mentioned f4)?

I am probably going to repeat what you already knew here. Except for 300 prime, I don't think you will find f4, but it is pretty much as big. Other options for better portability are the cheaper Tamron 70-300 VC or Canon 70-300 IS. if you want better IQ, you can up your budget to get Canon 70-300L. I have both 100-400 and Tamron 70-300, and I often take the Tamron on trips that I don't want to carry the big lens.
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The size/weight doesn't bother me, I'm used to carrying it around. It's purely monetary - a thousand pound lens sat there doing very little when I could get 90% of the IQ from something nearer £400. It sits better on my mind!
 
Uxon said:
Canon 70-300 IS or the Tamron version if you want to save yourself some cash, if you want to go back to the 100-300 Sigma then keep an eye on eBay (including sellers from other european countries) as previous sales on there suggest there's usually a couple per month and usually going for £300-350.
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Will do, it was exceptionally nice to use and gave me some very good IQ for the money. At only ~100 quid more than I'd pay for a Canon 70-300 IS it'd be a no brainer to me.
 
acetone said:
I'm a little lost, your not using it, but you want something to replace it with covering a very similar range ?
Click to expand...

Yes, I don't use it *much* but I still want the range when I do need it. I'd just rather have less money tied up in something that doesn't get used much and put the rest of the money to something I may well use more. For example, I could get myself a Sigma 100-300 f4 for the times I need that sort of reach and grab a 24-105 f4 L for pretty much everything else and still have £50 change
 
How about a 70/200 f4L non IS (Canon) and a 1.4 converter. I've just run a few test shots at Luton Airport of my 70/200F4 with 2x and they compare really well to my 400F5.6L and by all accounts the 2x converter isnt as good as the 1.4 and the 400f5.6 is a bit sharper than the 100/400 zoom you have/had (I was thinking about getting one, hence testing my 70/200 with the 2x against the prime).
The lens and converter would fall into your price range second hand.
 
Thanks for that pete.rush - much appreciated

MatBin - Yea I had considered a 70-200 f4L, although not with a converter. I was thinking of maybe just grabbing a 70-200 and seeing how I got on, I won't be able to shoot the small UK birds I normally do and I've never been that happy with 400mm, always wanted more like 600mm and that's way beyond my price range.

Thanks for the help guys, I'll get the 100-400 sold up and see how I get on.
 
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