300L / 400L

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canon 300L f4 or 400L f4 IS or not IS .
 
canon 300L f4 or 400L f4 IS or not IS .

Hi Ian, Can you give a little more information please? What type of photography you are looking at using them for, perhaps why you may feel one is more suited to your needs than the others, perhaps what kit you already have ............ That sort of thing:thumbs:
 
Main Camera
1 d mk111
Second Camera
5d
Lens #1
24-70 2.8 L
Lens #2
100-400 IS L
Lens #3
15MM SIGMA FISHEYE
Lens #4
15-30 SIGMA
Lens #5
105 2.8 MACRO SIGMA
Lens #6
100-200 L

taken from his camera bag
 
Hi Ian, Can you give a little more information please? What type of photography you are looking at using them for, perhaps why you may feel one is more suited to your needs than the others, perhaps what kit you already have ............ That sort of thing:thumbs:

I work as a wedding photographer..But i am keen on wildlife photography this is growing into some paid work and a small exibition. and Im realy enjoying the wildlife aspect and want to persue this ..
ps just cant afford a 2.8 YET

my kid
canon 1d mk111
canon 5d
24-70 f2.8 L
70-200 f4 L
100-400 f5.6 is L
sigma 105 macro f2.8
sigma 15mm fisheye 2.8
sigma 15-30mm
plus other bits
 
Why would you feel the need to get either of these when you have a 100-400L?

I feel the clarity and cleaness of the image would be better ???
this is why I posted this to get other peoples opinion ??
 
Just a little error up top Ian....the 400L is f/5.6, not f/4 and it doesn't feature IS like the 300/4L

Bob
 
How do you rate the versatility of the zoom? Do you value a fairly short / long minimum focusing distance?

I use the 100-400 at full zoom most of the time ..but not always 100 per cent happy with the quality .

but using the 70-200 it is so sharp.
 
Minimum focusing distance? I ask that as I was in the market for a 400/5.6 at one time until I realised that it had the minimum focusing distance of a small car! As my predominant photography is small stuff like butterflies and dragonflies I decided on the 300/4 IS for this reason. I can wack on a 1.4TC when I want a bit more reach. No noticeable drop in IQ either.

Hope that helps.
 
OK do you mean the 300mm f4 IS @ £1000 and / or the 400mm f4 DO @ £5500
or do you mean the 400mm f5.6 instead.

Both these lenses are superb, that is 300mm f4 and 400mm f5.6, sharp, fast focusing, light, very usable, especially the 400mm f5.6 for wildlife. Both lenses will take the 1.4x TC, and the 300mm will take the 2x TC on your 1D because it will autofocus upto f8 with centre focus point, although you'll lose autofocus speed and IQs.

The 400mm f4 DO, on the other hand, light, very usable focal length, but expensive and personally from shots a friend has taken with his, soft and not worth £5500 in my opinion, I'd rather get the 500mm f4, its a miles better lens.
 
OK do you mean the 300mm f4 IS @ £1000 and / or the 400mm f4 DO @ £5500
or do you mean the 400mm f5.6 instead.

Both these lenses are superb, that is 300mm f4 and 400mm f5.6, sharp, fast focusing, light, very usable, especially the 400mm f5.6 for wildlife. Both lenses will take the 1.4x TC, and the 300mm will take the 2x TC on your 1D because it will autofocus upto f8 with centre focus point, although you'll lose autofocus speed and IQs.

The 400mm f4 DO, on the other hand, light, very usable focal length, but expensive and personally from shots a friend has taken with his, soft and not worth £5500 in my opinion, I'd rather get the 500mm f4, its a miles better lens.
very helpful thank you .
but will a the 400 f5.6 give sharper results than the 100-400-5.6 is ?
 
very helpful thank you .
but will a the 400 f5.6 give sharper results than the 100-400-5.6 is ?

Yes if you can keep it steady enough without IS.

I had the 300L which is a great lens but wanted more reach and faster focussing for birds - I love the 400L but either I get the shutter speed to about 1/1000s or I use a monopod.

Phil
 
very helpful thank you .
but will a the 400 f5.6 give sharper results than the 100-400-5.6 is ?

Miles better, the 400mm f5.6 is crystal clear at 400, where as the 100-400mm @ 400 start to turn soft. No comparison, the primes much better, although you lose the versatility of the zoom, but swings and roundabouts.
 
I use the 400 f5.6 for wildlife, mainly birds and love it.

Sharp wide open, quick focusing it would be nice if it was f4 or had IS but I normally shoot at f6.3+ anyway.
 
thank you for all your comments and advise.
looks like the 400 for me..
cheers Ian
 
Unless you need it soon, I would wait a few months as there are rumours of a new IS version along with a new 300mm F4 IS.
There are always rumours of a new lens. This particular one has been circulating for at least a year.

The one thing to remember about new lens rumours is that they are almost always wrong.

Nobody predicted any of the following:
- Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8 G IF-ED VR II (Dec 09)
- Nikon AF-S DX 85mm f/3.5 G VR Micro (Oct 09)
- Nikon AF-S DX 18-200mm f/3.5-5.6 G IF-ED VR II (July 09)
- Canon TS-E 17mm f/4 L (Apr 09)
- Canon EF 24mm f/1.4 L II USM (Sep 08)
etc etc etc

And people are always predicting replacements for the Canon 100-400L and Nikon 80-400VR, fast wide Nikon primes, IS version of the Canon 24-70, refreshes of canon's big white primes, etc etc. Sure, these things might happen one day, but that doesn't alter the fact that 99% of the rumours are rubbish.
 
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