Decisions over lenses (3 Viewers)

[Ageinghippie]

Hello all,

My heads spinning.

A bit back I posted asking for comparisons between the Canon 100-400IS
and the Sigma 80-400os, and had lots of feedback especially from Keith, who has both.
I have been reading a lot of posts on here and other sites re lenses, now I am
in a quandry. I have the Canon 400d with a Sigma 70- 300 F4 -5.6 APO DG Macro, to which I add a Kenko 1.4 pro 300 when light allows and retain auto focus etc, the problem is camera shake,I shoot in TV mode to get the shutter
speed to try and eliviate camera shake. (quite happy with lense apart from that)

I want to purchase shortly an IS or OS lense, going to forget about the Sigma
80-400os wont be in production until towards the end of March.

Advice on which way to go please, been looking at 3 different IS lenses, with
which I hope to take wildlife mainly bird photgraphs.

All Canon lenses.

100-400 IS with 1.5 kenko, not sure on pump zoom
300mm F4 IS USM + 1.5 kenko and I think I can use the 1.4 pro with that.
70-300 F4.5-5.6 Do IS Usm again with a Kenko.

Its not the cost the best I have had for the 100-400 is £888 and I think
the other lenses work out cheaper, plus cost of 1.5 kenko if required.

Cant afford the 400mm prime.

Let me have your opinions


My Head Hurts

Les

 

[RJL2005]

Hello all,

My heads spinning.

A bit back I posted asking for comparisons between the Canon 100-400IS
and the Sigma 80-400os, and had lots of feedback especially from Keith, who has both.
I have been reading a lot of posts on here and other sites re lenses, now I am
in a quandry. I have the Canon 400d with a Sigma 70- 300 F4 -5.6 APO DG Macro, to which I add a Kenko 1.4 pro 300 when light allows and retain auto focus etc, the problem is camera shake,I shoot in TV mode to get the shutter
speed to try and eliviate camera shake. (quite happy with lense apart from that)

I want to purchase shortly an IS or OS lense, going to forget about the Sigma
80-400os wont be in production until towards the end of March.

Advice on which way to go please, been looking at 3 different IS lenses, with
which I hope to take wildlife mainly bird photgraphs.

All Canon lenses.

100-400 IS with 1.5 kenko, not sure on pump zoom
300mm F4 IS USM + 1.5 kenko and I think I can use the 1.4 pro with that.
70-300 F4.5-5.6 Do IS Usm again with a Kenko.

Its not the cost the best I have had for the 100-400 is £888 and I think
the other lenses work out cheaper, plus cost of 1.5 kenko if required.

Cant afford the 400mm prime.

Let me have your opinions


My Head Hurts

Les

The 400mm 5.6L prime should be within your budget if your considering the 100-400 L. I own the 400mm L and like it alot but still wonder if the 100-400L would have been a better option. I have spoken to many zoom owners who say the pump action is not a problem. The prime should take a 1.4x convertor slightly better though.

 

[Ageinghippie]

The 400mm 5.6L prime should be within your budget if your considering the 100-400 L. I own the 400mm L and like it alot but still wonder if the 100-400L would have been a better option. I have spoken to many zoom owners who say the pump action is not a problem. The prime should take a 1.4x convertor slightly better though.

Thanks for your input,

Looked at that one is in my range but I think I need an IS Lense,
having to shoot mainly in TV mode to get correct shutter speed,
I mainly shoot hand held, dont think I would like to carry around a tripod,
never in one place long enough

Cheers

Les

 

[RJL2005]

Thanks for your input,

Looked at that one is in my range but I think I need an IS Lense,
having to shoot mainly in TV mode to get correct shutter speed,
I mainly shoot hand held, dont think I would like to carry around a tripod,
never in one place long enough

Cheers

Les

Hi Les

I use Av mode, open the aperture wide open and then you get best shutter speed available. The 400mm is easier to hand hold than I thought possible and great at max aperture, I change iso if needed, but I've never tried the IS zoom for myself.

Can't fault the Canon 'glass' though!

 

[Keith Reeder]

Les, this is interesting reading about the "300mm f/4 + converter" question:
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&message=21954498

Basically it is a nice combo, but gives you no real image quality or focussing speed benefits once the converter is in the equation.

As RJL suggests, the sliding zoom on the 100-400mm isn't an issue once you're used to using it, and there's quite a lot of evidence out there to suggest the zoom works well with a converter - and of course, that's the combo that gives you the most reach.

added: I use AV mode too, in order to maintain the aperture I want - it's easy enough to increase the ISO to keep the shutter speed up - and anyway, IS will give you a lot of leeway in shutter speed as long as the bird isn't bouncing around like a crazy thing...

 

[postcardcv]

100-400 IS with 1.5 kenko, not sure on pump zoom
300mm F4 IS USM + 1.5 kenko and I think I can use the 1.4 pro with that.
70-300 F4.5-5.6 Do IS Usm again with a Kenko.

Personally I'd go with the 100-400, it's giving you more reach than the other two options which is often vital for bird photography.

I'm still unconvinced that the Kenko 1.5x gives the same image quality as the 1.4x Pro. Personally I'd use the 1.4x with the 100-400 and tape the pins to get AF.

I was also considering getting the 300 f4 IS (with a 1.4x) but after reading a lot of stuff on the web I reckon the 100-400 is a better option. No I just need to decide between this and the 400 f5.6 (IS is not an issue for me).

 

[Ageinghippie]

Personally I'd go with the 100-400, it's giving you more reach than the other two options which is often vital for bird photography.

I'm still unconvinced that the Kenko 1.5x gives the same image quality as the 1.4x Pro. Personally I'd use the 1.4x with the 100-400 and tape the pins to get AF.

I was also considering getting the 300 f4 IS (with a 1.4x) but after reading a lot of stuff on the web I reckon the 100-400 is a better option. No I just need to decide between this and the 400 f5.6 (IS is not an issue for me).

Thanks for reply,

Sorry not getting back sooner, Tinternet probs, been off for 10days, just back on. Think it will be the 100-400IS, just bought Canon 17-85 IS USM its
***** fast,still trying to get to grips with it.

Cheers

Les

 

[postcardcv]

I want to purchase shortly an IS or OS lense, going to forget about the Sigma
80-400os wont be in production until towards the end of March.

Just in case you're interested in the Sigma...

I notice that warehouseexpress have one in their bargain basement for £749, could be worth a look.

 

[Cashie]

I have the 100-400 & the 400 5.6 L both are excellent lenses for the money, I use the 400L mainly for flight shots & the 100-400 for woodland birds because of its closer focusing, zoom & IS, it's realy good for hand holding.

 

[Ageinghippie]

Just in case you're interested in the Sigma...

I notice that warehouseexpress have one in their bargain basement for £749, could be worth a look.

Thanks for that had a look, either returned or repaired lens and only 6mth
warrenty, can get new when in stock with 3yr from UK £834.

Cashie,

Thanks for advice re Canon, looked at the 400 but dont think I could hold
it steady long enough,Tend to do shots all hand held, Still leaning towards
Canon 100-400IS.

I have been reading thread re KERSO or Hong Kong, interesting reading.

Cheers

Les

 

[Keith Reeder]

Kerso's got some 100-400mms in now, at £885 - and maybe cheaper if you contact him directly.

I know what I would do!

 

[Ageinghippie]

Kerso's got some 100-400mms in now, at £885 - and maybe cheaper if you contact him directly.

I know what I would do!

Keith,

Thanks for that emailed him for a price, let you know.


Les

 

[Ageinghippie]

Keith,

Thanks for that emailed him for a price, let you know.


Les

Keith,

Good price from Kerso.

Also a little advice, bought a Canon 17-85 IS, it has a permanent
manual focus ring, this is puzzling me. If I use auto focus, and hold the shutter to maintain apreture and shutter speed, and use the manual focus to re focus, what effect will it have on the shot if any, will affect the DOF?
Does the 100-400 have the same ie perm man focus.

Confused

Les

 

[hollis_f]

Also a little advice, bought a Canon 17-85 IS, it has a permanent
manual focus ring, this is puzzling me. If I use auto focus, and hold the shutter to maintain apreture and shutter speed, and use the manual focus to re focus, what effect will it have on the shot if any, will affect the DOF?
Does the 100-400 have the same ie perm man focus.

Ah, Full-Time Manual focussing (FTM) - one of my all-time favourite features. After the autofocus has locked onto your subject you can keep your finger holding the shutter and correct the focus if needed. This is really useful when you're trying to get some little geezer hidden in the depths of a bush. There's a good chance that the AF will lock onto a branch between you and the bird. With FTM it's dead easy to tweak the focus if this does happen.

DOF depends only on the distance to the subject and the lens aperture, changing focus won't change DOF.

Yes, the 100-400 does have FTM.

 

[Malcolm Stewart]

Ah, Full-Time Manual focussing (FTM) - one of my all-time favourite features. After the autofocus has locked onto your subject you can keep your finger holding the shutter and correct the focus if needed. This is really useful when you're trying to get some little geezer hidden in the depths of a bush. There's a good chance that the AF will lock onto a branch between you and the bird. With FTM it's dead easy to tweak the focus if this does happen.

With my EF300 f2.8L and 30D, I find that FTM only works in the OneShot AF mode i.e. not in AIServo, and my old lens hasn't got the "really useful" button to switch immediately from AIServo to OneShot.

 

[hollis_f]

With my EF300 f2.8L and 30D, I find that FTM only works in the OneShot AF mode i.e. not in AIServo, and my old lens hasn't got the "really useful" button to switch immediately from AIServo to OneShot.

Yes, FTM really is only for use in One Shot mode. In AI Servo it'll 'see' the twig between you and the bird and interpret that as your subject moving - then try to change the focus. You can end up fighting against the AF until you realise what the problem is.

It can, however, be useful when trying to lock onto a bird in flight when in AI Servo and the AF is having trouble finding the bird. If you've got the dexterity to track the bird and manually focus then that can help the AF system.

I don't think any lens has a button to switch from One Shot to AI Servo - that's controlled by the camera.

 

[Malcolm Stewart]

...
I don't think any lens has a button to switch from One Shot to AI Servo - that's controlled by the camera.

Super teles have a button which can be activated via CFn 18 Mode 4 (On the 30D). It could be some time though before < I > have a supertele!

 

[hollis_f]

Super teles have a button which can be activated via CFn 18 Mode 4 (On the 30D). It could be some time though before < I > have a supertele!

Well, you live and learn! If I can ever afford one that'll be another button I can accidently press to try and ruin my pictures.

 

[Austin Thomas]

Thanks for that top tip Malcolm. There is no mention in the lens manual that the AF STOP button is programmable.

I'll experiment with that "undocumented feature" at the weekend.

Thanks again

Austin

 

[Malcolm Stewart]

Thanks for that top tip Malcolm. There is no mention in the lens manual that the AF STOP button is programmable.

I'll experiment with that "undocumented feature" at the weekend.

Thanks again

Austin

I felt that a quick way to swap between the two modes would have been really useful when I was out shooting wildfowl a short time ago, and I had a niggling memory that the new button on the Super Teles had some useful features so I searched the 30D manual.

How to promulgate this class of info is difficult, and seems to be a continuing problem for any company which introduces new items from time to time, and which for fear of giving their commercial secrets away to competitors, has to be quite circumspect with regard to features which are now possible, but not yet released to market. Pity that the new features can't be made less secret when we "Register" our new kit on the web? But then I buy much of my gear s/h...