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willow

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ian
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My 100-300 lens on my 350D is a canon zoom lens 1:5.6 now i am guessing this is an old lens, but how does this compare to the USM lens i see advertise for sale.

I was wondering what difference i would see in the lens if i purchased a Canon EF 75-300 f4-5.6 USM II
lens


Thanks Ian
 
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usm lenses focus faster, a more modern lens is also likely to be sharper and less prone to flare/CA because of the advances in coating technology

what lens are you looking at
 
Canon have produced 3 different 100-300mm EF lenses.

1)100-300 F5.6

Shonky build quality, push-pull zoom with AFD AF motor (read slow and noisy). Optically nothing special.

2)100-300 F5.6L

Build and AF as above. However, optically this one is something rather more special and can produce nice images. Largely on a par in optical performance terms with a current 70-200 F4L + 1.4X TC (although that combo offers USM and better build).

3)100-300 F4.5-5.6 USM

Optically this one isn't anything special. It's not bad, it's better than the el-cheapo canon 75-300s (as distinct from the 70-300 IS), and it handles nicely with a nice twist-zoom and USM focusing.

Of the three, the L is optically the best, and the USM is the better of the other two by virtue of better handling and faster AF.
 
david1701 said:
usm lenses focus faster, a more modern lens is also likely to be sharper and less prone to flare/CA because of the advances in coating technology

what lens are you looking at
Click to expand...

Just looking at the classified section on here to be honest, my lens seem to go through a focussing routine, which starts to drive me around the bend when im trying to take an action shot, just seems to be a bit slow etc
 
I-S said:
Canon have produced 3 different 100-300mm EF lenses.

1)100-300 F5.6

Shonky build quality, push-pull zoom with AFD AF motor (read slow and noisy). Optically nothing special.

2)100-300 F5.6L

Build and AF as above. However, optically this one is something rather more special and can produce nice images. Largely on a par in optical performance terms with a current 70-200 F4L + 1.4X TC (although that combo offers USM and better build).

3)100-300 F4.5-5.6 USM

Optically this one isn't anything special. It's not bad, it's better than the el-cheapo canon 75-300s (as distinct from the 70-300 IS), and it handles nicely with a nice twist-zoom and USM focusing.

Of the three, the L is optically the best, and the USM is the better of the other two by virtue of better handling and faster AF.
Click to expand...

I think i have No1 on the list
 
This one: http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/ef/data/telephoto_zoom/ef_100~300_56.html

The 100-300 USM will give you a usability upgrade, but not a significant optical upgrade. It's a newer lens but not by much - 3 years.

However, I think you edited your post a bit, or I misread initially. The 75-300 USM is not a true Ring-USM lens. The micro-USM is quieter than the AFD but not significantly faster and doesn't offer full-time manual. The 75-300mm lenses were all built as lower price lenses and have never offered particularly good image quality or build quality. The move from 100-300 F5.6 to the 75-300 USM is largely a sideways one. For a better quality lens, your best bet at a lower price is the 55-250 IS.
 
part of it will be the fact that its an f5.6 lens which doesn't let in much light to focus with, what do you shoot? my weapon of choice would be the 70-200 f4 L its nicely built amazingly sharp light and has usm
 
I-S said:
This one: http://www.canon.com/camera-museum/camera/lens/ef/data/telephoto_zoom/ef_100~300_56.html

The 100-300 USM will give you a usability upgrade, but not a significant optical upgrade. It's a newer lens but not by much - 3 years.

However, I think you edited your post a bit, or I misread initially. The 75-300 USM is not a true Ring-USM lens. The micro-USM is quieter than the AFD but not significantly faster and doesn't offer full-time manual. The 75-300mm lenses were all built as lower price lenses and have never offered particularly good image quality or build quality. The move from 100-300 F5.6 to the 75-300 USM is largely a sideways one. For a better quality lens, your best bet at a lower price is the 55-250 IS.
Click to expand...

Thats the one i have in your pic.....
 
david1701 said:
part of it will be the fact that its an f5.6 lens which doesn't let in much light to focus with, what do you shoot? my weapon of choice would be the 70-200 f4 L its nicely built amazingly sharp light and has usm
Click to expand...

When im trying to just get close up pics of birds when they are still, it seems to be ok, but i want to try to get some action shots, birds flying etc and this is when it seems to let me down
 
willow said:
My 100-300 lens on my 350D is a canon zoom lens 1:5.6 now i am guessing this is an old lens, but how does this compare to the USM lens i see advertise for sale.

I was wondering what difference i would see in the lens if i purchased a Canon EF 75-300 f4-5.6 USM II lens


Thanks Ian
Click to expand...

Hi Ian

If you are going to swop, I'd save a little more and go for the Canon 70-300 IS (not the new L series one) model, I think it's a sig upgrade from the 75-300 model.

Andy
 
The 75-300 is by all accounts a soft lens, I would aim for the latest 70-300 IS version
 
willow said:
When im trying to just get close up pics of birds when they are still, it seems to be ok, but i want to try to get some action shots, birds flying etc and this is when it seems to let me down
Click to expand...

400/2.8L and some Tc's to stack :p but serisously you need something more modern and the 70-300 4-5.6 IS could be a good shout, still will leave you screwed when the light drops but is a good all round lens with the reach you need
 
I have a Canon EF 75-300 f4-5.6 USM II

I no longer use it as I tend to grab the 100-400 as a general zoom but at the end of the day it's still a capable little lens in good conditions.

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That second shot is a corker Dinners, just a shame the horizon isn't level!
 
I've had a few client's with the 75-300 and It's not impressive, check out the reviews. Canon's real bargain at £150 or so is the 55-250mm IS, sharp, smooth operation, ok autofocus, light and compact. A real bargain if 250mm will do, Nice at 55mm too with a 1 stop advantage on the kit lens.
 
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