350D and 100-400 lens focussing

[mcapper]

Hi All

I have the EOS 350d and would like at some point to get the 100-400 IS lens.

One thing I would like this for is flight shots so locking onto a subject in autofocus and tracking it would be important. However, I heard somewhere that the 350D won't do that with the 100-400 lens.

Does anyone know if this is true?

Many thanks

Matthew

[Tyger]

Hi All

I have the EOS 350d and would like at some point to get the 100-400 IS lens.

One thing I would like this for is flight shots so locking onto a subject in autofocus and tracking it would be important. However, I heard somewhere that the 350D won't do that with the 100-400 lens.

Does anyone know if this is true?

Many thanks

Matthew

Hey Matt, I recently got this lens as well and i'm sure you will enjoy it too! The 100-400mm is capable of catching inflight shots and will AF and lock if you use AI Servo and set the stabilzer mode to #2. The AF isn't the fastest but it works. I tried it with some cars to practice my panning and it works fairly well. I've also seen many pictures from various forums of photographers catching birds in flight with this lens and produced excellent results. I would imagine with good lighting conditions it would perform better.

[breggie]

Hey Matt, I recently got this lens as well and i'm sure you will enjoy it too! The 100-400mm is capable of catching inflight shots and will AF and lock if you use AI Servo and set the stabilzer mode to #2. The AF isn't the fastest but it works. I tried it with some cars to practice my panning and it works fairly well. I've also seen many pictures from various forums of photographers catching birds in flight with this lens and produced excellent results. I would imagine with good lighting conditions it would perform better.

Matt
I have this lens also but found that the image stabliser slows the autofocus down considerably so wherever possible I turn it off completely. Very often with flight shots you will have fast shutter speeds as you very often will have nothing but sky in the picture and this negates any need for the stabliser to be on. I would recommend that you experiment with the shutter speeds and the IS and what you can 'get away with' but certainly Tygers advice about using AI Servo is exactly what you want to be doing.
Hope this helps.

[Henry B]

Welcome to Birdforum,Breggie.

[rundall123]

Matt
I have the older version 300d and have just bought my 100-400 IS lens and found it does auto focus ok although I find I am still not getting close enough for some inflight shots, check out my pic of a red kite taken on a dull day in Oxfordshire, a bit dark but not bad for my first attempt.I do know that if you use the 2x extender you loose auto focus.I to could do with some help on which would be the best settings or is it child and error.
cheers Alastair. Hi All

I have the EOS 350d and would like at some point to get the 100-400 IS lens.

One thing I would like this for is flight shots so locking onto a subject in autofocus and tracking it would be important. However, I heard somewhere that the 350D won't do that with the 100-400 lens.

Does anyone know if this is true?

Many thanks

Matthew

[mcapper]

Many thanks for the replies - all most useful as ever.

Alistair - I think you have good start with your Red Kite shot and it isn't too bad at all in the frame. If I can get shots as close as that I'll be happy.

Ian F commented on the shot that it could be lightened in computer and I'd agree. There's a lot of detail captured in the image so it should stand up to it well.

Cheers

Matthew

[Torpedo]

I also switch of IS when taking in flight shots. One of my favourite shots was this Harris hawk, taken with a 300D and 100-400mm IS. Hope it's alright to post, as I posted it in the gallery, but it was removed, as it was at a bird demonstration and not in the wild.

Harris Hawk (http://i16.photobucket.com/albums/b8/dvdfhighlander/harrishawka1.jpg)

[mcapper]

Posting is fine by me! Nice shot - if I can replicate I'll be happy

M