Anybody got the Canon EF 300 f4?

[cuthbert]

my longest lens is 200mm which for most things that i shoot is more than adequate, but sometimes, i need just a little bit more.

there has been a lot of talk about the 100-400 zoom lately and i'd been edging towards perhaps making this my next purchase but then somebody suggested the 300 f4, and so.... i've been doing a bit of research it seems this lens is awesome.

anybody got this lens? what do you use it for?

like i said, my 70-200 is fine for lots of things, but i was out the other day trying to get the classic shot of a row of crows feeding on a line of fence posts, my 200 just wasn't long enough.

i'm thinking that if i got 300 f4 and a 1.4 extender (in time) i'd have a pretty good lens for nature/birds/animals which wouldn't be a great deal heavier/longer than my 70-200.

it also seems to be quite a nice portrait lens for head/shoulder shots too.

thoughts?

 

[woollyback]

We had the 300f4 and the 1.4TC to go with it.

Fantastic lens, light, compact and sharp as a very sharp thing. Used if for wildlife, portraits, ships, and also because of the low min focus distance it was ace at flowers and butterflies, especially with an extension tube.

Only downside was when we got the 5D2 and lost the effect of a crop camera needed something longer or it would defo have still been in the bag. I did tend to use it with the 1.4TC ,most of the time so the 400 f5.6 maybe an alternative for you too. We also have a 100-400 and the 300 is defo sharper and gives more contrast, however it doesn't zoom so isn't as flexible.

Hope this is of some use

Rob

 

[cuthbert]

Thank you for that Rob.

I've seen some wonderful butterfly shots taken with this lens, the fairly large working distance really appeals. I think i'm pretty much set on it (unless of course the 200-400 f4 extender comes in at a reasonable price... that might just change everything). just got to find the cash now

 

[vaizki]

The 200-400 f4 with 1.4x built-in will probably be about 4x reasonable price.. I do not see it getting sold at under £6k, especially since the Nikon 200-400/4 without extender commands £5k..

I still haven't decided on my long lens and spring is coming in fast, I need to pick up one of the mentioned lenses. It's really between the 300/4 and 100-400 really as the 400/5.6 has a horrible minimum focusing distance and no IS.

 

[Brachytron]

If you already have the 70-200mm, then buying the 100-400mm will duplicate quite a lot of the focal lengths, which makes the 300mm f4 and 1.4 tc a good suggestion. I have both 300mm and 1.4tc and they really are a sharp combination and the 1.5m close focus and IS are a real boon for nature photography.