Canon 70-200 f2.8 IS users please...

[Bazza]

Making the big step later and going for one of these. It will mainly be for motorsport and I believe 200mm is going to be short for the circuits so going to need a TC. I'd like the reach of 400mm but can anyone tell me what the sharpness and depth of field is like at f5.6? I'm sure his has been discussed before but I'm in work and the search function won't work on my phone.

Many thanks, Brian.

 

[Dave Stone]

I have tried a Kenko 1.4x converter on mine on the 1D mk II with no visible loss of quality at all. I don't know what it would be like with a 2x. What camera will you be using it on? As you may lose AF.

 

[pearce_jj]

Shouldn't loose AF as all bodys AF at F5.6?

 

[Dave Stone]

Ah yes, not thinking! Thanks pearce.

 

[grumpybadger]

I used to have one and I didn't like the results with a 2x extender - too soft.

 

[Bazza]

Its a 40D.

 

[tdodd]

Stupid question - since 70-200/2.8 + 2X gives 140-400/5.6, why not save money and simply get a 100-400/4.5-5.6 for motorsport?

BTW, I have a 70-200/2.8 IS and a 100-400. The 1-4 is my wildlife and motorsport lens. The 70-200 is my indoor and people/portrait/wedding lens.

Here's an example from my 40D and 100-400 shot through fencing at Silverstone in sraw format....

Slight crop....

100% crop....

I was shooting sraw because I only had 8GB with me and I was running out of card space, having started shooting in full raw.

 

[zeugma]

From personal experience, I'd say you'd be challenged to see any IQ degradation using the 70-200L f/2.8 IS and the Canon 1.4x extender - even wide open.
The Canon 2.0x extender is a different matter however. Just too soft IMHO.

 

[Bazza]

Thanks for the advice folks, I decided to go for the 70-200 Canon 2.8 IS L with the 1.4. The reason I didn't get the 100-400 is because when I had the 70-300 4-5.6 before it always struggled as we find it hard to get a sunny day over here in Northern Ireland so the 2.8 is handy!

 

[hypnotic]

The 70-200 & 1.4x is a good combination IMO.

Used this combo a lot for fairly close wildlife shots. Not sure it will have the reach for what you may need unless you can crop or get pretty close.

Not tried it with the 2x but a lot of reports suggest it may be a step too far.

 

[buckas]

I have a 70-200/2.8 IS and a 400/5.6 prime. The 400 is my wildlife lens. The 70-200 is my motorsport lens as i cover rallies and don't really need much reach, also helps for dark early morning forests, also use the 70-200 for indoors/portrait/general "bit longer" walkabout lens.

pretty much every rally shot on my site bar some(shot with 24-70/2.8) were done with 70-200/2.8IS

 

[thompo]

Congrats on the new lens bazza!

Ive been keeping an eye out for one for ages! really need the IS for gigs etc.

Ive a 2x here if you want to borrow it sometime.

 

[rickj]

I took my 200-70 to silverstone this year and never used it , stuck with the 300 f4 is and x1.4