Want Alternative To Canon 70-300IS

Jackwow

Jackwow

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Neil
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I have been planning for some time to replace my 70-300IS with the new 70-300L lens. However I had a play with it in a shop the other day and I didn’t get a great first impression, due to its weight and also the zoom ring being at the front of the lens (felt a bit awkward handling it).

I will give it another play, but if I still don’t feel comfortable with it what are my alternatives, because there don’t appear to be many?

The only other Canon lens with the same range is the 70-300 DO IS but I have never read any great reviews about it. Then there are the 70-200 series and although I’m tempted by the 70-200 f4 L IS I lose 100mm of focal length.

I generally use this lens when I'm in zoos or wildlife parks and take plenty of shots using the 200-300mm focal range.

What to do? :shrug:
 
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Realspeed, I want to upgrade my lens not downgrade all my equipment? :nono:
 
Jackwow said:
I have been planning for some time to replace my 70-300IS with the new 70-300L lens. However I had a play with it in a shop the other day and I didn’t get a great first impression, due to its weight and also the zoom ring being at the front of the lens (felt a bit awkward handling it).

I will give it another play, but if I still don’t feel comfortable with it what are my alternatives, because there don’t appear to be many?

The only other Canon lens with the same range is the 70-300 DO IS but I have never read any great reviews about it. Then there are the 70-200 series and although I’m tempted by the 70-200 f4 L IS I lose 100mm of focal length.

I generally use this lens when I'm in zoos or wildlife parks and take plenty of shots using the 200-300mm focal range.

What to do? :shrug:
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L lenses are not made of plastic so they are going to be heavier.
I've heard a few people saying that 70-300L IS is lighter than they expected.
Your 7D is heavier than my 50D although I do use a battery grip.
If you don't usea grip, it could be worth trying the 70-300L IS with a battery grip to see how it feels?
I'm not saying this applies to you but sometimes people don't realise a lens feels heavy on a lighter body because the weight ratio is all wrong.

You don't have any other choice if you wan't to stick with a Canon lens, you could opt for a 70-200L f/4 IS with a 1.4x converter but if you look here, http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Canon-EF-70-300mm-f-4-5.6-IS-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx, you can compare the weights of the lenses and would loose out on the wider focal plane.
Too be honest, and I am not suffering from L lens snobbery, the 7D will punish most cheaper lenses when it comes to general IQ and it will pick out faults not seen with other bodies.


http://www.the-digital-picture.com/reviews/Canon-EF-70-300mm-f-4-5.6-IS-L-USM-Lens-Review.aspx
 
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hashcake said:
L lenses are not made of plastic so they are going to be heavier.
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I've just sold my 100-400L so am aware of the weight issue, however I think it was more the position of the zoom ring that I didn't like.

hashcake said:
You don't have any other choice if you wan't to stick with a Canon lens, you could opt for a 70-200L f/4 IS with a 1.4x converter....
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Now that's a possibility and it's like having 2 lenses, a 70-200 and a 98-280. Does anyone use this combination?
 
Jackwow said:
Now that's a possibility and it's like having 2 lenses, a 70-200 and a 98-280. Does anyone use this combination?
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Yes. I use a 70--200F4L and 1.4x Kenko TC. Works very well IMHO (not got a lot of pictures to share as I've only just started using it).
 
manualfocus-g said:
Maybe take a look at the new Tamron SP model?
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My strong preference is to stick with Canon lenses unless there is an obviously better alternative. I don't know anything about this Tamron 70-300 except that it's in the same price bracket as my current Canon 70-300 so I'd be surprised if it was significantly better? :shrug:
 
Jackwow said:
My strong preference is to stick with Canon lenses unless there is an obviously better alternative. I don't know anything about this Tamron 70-300 except that it's in the same price bracket as my current Canon 70-300 so I'd be surprised if it was significantly better? :shrug:
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What do you define as better? I haven't used the Tamron SP, so can't comment. But from reading reviews it appears sharper than the Non-L Canon with better image stabilisation and full time manual focusing.
 
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Hi Neil,

I have the same Camera, had the same Lens and now have the L version.

Go back and try the Lens again, it's just a case of getting used to the weight and focus ring. I have small hands so initially the weight was an Issue but it's surprising how you get used to that.

Regards.
 
manualfocus-g said:
What do you define as better? I haven't used the Tamron SP, so can't comment. But from reading reviews it appears sharper than the Non-L Canon with better image stabilisation and full time manual focusing.
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Improved focusing speed, better image quality.

Would the Tamron give me noticeable improvement in focusing speed and image quality over the Canon IS?
 
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canonbabie said:
Hi Neil,

I have the same Camera, had the same Lens and now have the L version.

Go back and try the Lens again, it's just a case of getting used to the weight and focus ring. I have small hands so initially the weight was an Issue but it's surprising how you get used to that.

Regards.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I will.
 
arad85 said:
Yes. I use a 70--200F4L and 1.4x Kenko TC. Works very well IMHO (not got a lot of pictures to share as I've only just started using it).
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Anyone else use a 70-200 f4 L or L IS with a 1.4x convertor as this combination looks quite appealing.
 
Sorry Neil, have I missed something here? What was the reason you wanted to change?

I have the 70-300 IS and I'm very happy with the optical quality. It is not as good as the 70-200 f4, but from reviews it hold's it's own against most other options. Obviously if it's a faster lens you are after then thats a different matter.
 
Jackwow said:
Anyone else use a 70-200 f4 L or L IS with a 1.4x convertor as this combination looks quite appealing.
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I owned the 70-200L f/4 IS and 1.4x MKII converter, there is a very slight loss in IQ and don't forget you will lose one stop with the this combination.
Have you compared the combined weight of the two against the 70-300L IS as I previously suggested?
 
Jackwow said:
I think it was more the position of the zoom ring that I didn't like
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You would probably soon get used to it, I'm still getting used to my 100-400L and back button focussing but I am perservering.
 
I own a 70-200 L IS and a mkII x1.4 TC and find the combination to be excellent. You do have a slight loss in IQ and one stop, however you do have the flexibility i.e. You can choose to use the tc or not.

I'm also tempted to swap my combo for a 70-300L IS, mainly because I will be using it for wildlife whilst travelling, and I find the tc a bit if a faff when you need to swap lenses quickly.

Weight-wise I believe the 70-300L is 75g more than the 70-200L IS + TC, so there's not much in it. However what i like is that it is quite compact, so you can stand it upright in a bag/rucksack. This means I'd have more room in my rucksack for another lens/gear.

Still haven't decided whether to swap or not however! The zoom ring thing is what bugs me slightly, but I'm sure I'd get used to it...
 
Strangways said:
Sorry Neil, have I missed something here? What was the reason you wanted to change?

I have the 70-300 IS and I'm very happy with the optical quality. It is not as good as the 70-200 f4, but from reviews it hold's it's own against most other options. Obviously if it's a faster lens you are after then thats a different matter.
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I don't have a major issue with my 70-300IS however having very recently sold a 24-105L and 100-400L I have £1000 burning a big hole in my pocket and as I'm happy with my other lenses I would like to upgrade my 70-300IS to something that will give me presumably better image quality together with the other benefits that such a lens might provide such as lens speed, focusing speed, build quality, etc.
 
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hashcake said:
Have you compared the combined weight of the two against the 70-300L IS as I previously suggested?
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The weight for 70-200 + 1.4x is 985g compared to 1050g for the 70-300L so not a lot in it except that the convertor wouldn't always be used so a lot of the time the weight difference would be significant.
 
Neil, I have the 70-300L and it is one beautifully made lens. It is weatherproof, the IS is perhaps the best Canon have made and the image quality is extremely high, close to the 70-200 II.

The zoom ring is reversed but that was designed like that by Canon to match the handling of the shorter lens (so they say), I do not find it a problem at all and you soon get used to it. It is well engineered and that makes it heavy, neither does it come with a tripod ring which is another gripe.

I think you would soon get used to the focus ring and would not even think about it after a few times using it, other than that it has everytnig going for it that you say you want to buy for.
 
Jackwow said:
I've just sold my 100-400L so am aware of the weight issue, however I think it was more the position of the zoom ring that I didn't like.



Now that's a possibility and it's like having 2 lenses, a 70-200 and a 98-280. Does anyone use this combination?
Click to expand...

I have used this... the F4 IS is a very sharp lens... Add the 1.4 and apart from the stop lost you will find the IQ much better that the 70-300.

This set was shot with the 70-200

flickr set

This set with the 1.4x
flickr


This was shot with the 1.4


Playing hide and seek in the Daffodils by martin.patten, on Flickr


Mallard pair by martin.patten, on Flickr


Egyptian Goose by martin.patten, on Flickr
 
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