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Time for a real Lens (1 Viewer)

Blaumeise

Well-known member
Hi guys,

I have only recently (past two years) really gotten into birding and bird photography, so my equipment isn't the greatest for this particular purpose. I currently have a regular film Canon EOS 300 body and use an EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 III USM lens for my bird photography. I haven't gone digital yet, but am planning on investing in the new 40D in the near to medium term.

As you can see from the images in my gallery, I can get some decent pictures of larger birds and birds that don't mind me getting a little closer. But small passerines are frustrating. I realize many people here swear by their nice f/2.8 lenses, but these are just out of my price range at the moment, especially with the impending 40D purchase.

So my question: what lens would you recommend, keeping in mind that I would like to still be able to take handheld pictures as far as conditions permit?

Do I get the EF 300mm f/4.0L IS USM lens and tack on a converter or two?

Or alternatively, do I get the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens, which seems reasonably priced for the focal length, but doesn't get as much light? Does this lens take well to a 1.4x converter or does this make it unuseable in anything but the best light conditions? Is this even useable handheld without the IS?

Is the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM worth considering? Can this handle a converter?

I wish there was something price-wise in between these and the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM...

Thanks in advance.

Misha
 
Hi Misha

I started with a digital SLR (Canon 30d) about 18 months ago with the 400mm 5.6L. Its a great lens but you do need a good technique and lighting to hand hold it well. Its great for flight shots though. About 6 months ago I bought a 100-400 L 2nd hand for a trip to Africa and have to say IMHO its alot easier to use when out and about. As for convertors some people like Keith Reeder do great stuff with them, as a "newish stater" I find my 1.4x quite hard work.

Best

Rhod
 
Just a heads up about converters, Misha: the 40D seems to be rather hit-and-miss with converters on 400mm f/5.6 lenses.

As to the 100-400mm though - I wouldn't be without it.
 
The IS on the 100-400 is very useful as already said, as is the fact that it is a zoom. Just provides that bit more flexibility over the prime version, sacrificing only marginally slower AF.

I spent a good few weeks researching what would be the best lens for me, considering that I tend to roam about with the camera, without a tripod / monopod, and I looked at a number of options such as the Bigma (Sigma 50-500), the Canon 400 5.6 and the Tamron option. But when you see the sort of images Keith gets from the 100-400, and he just uses it hand-held, it's hard to refuse it!

I have had my 100-400 since October last year, and it may as well be glued to the camera, as it rarely comes off it!
 
Or alternatively, do I get the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens, which seems reasonably priced for the focal length, but doesn't get as much light? Does this lens take well to a 1.4x converter or does this make it unuseable in anything but the best light conditions? Is this even useable handheld without the IS?
Misha
The 400mm f5.6 takes a converter very well, in fact I have used stacked converters on this lens (1.4x + 2x = 1120mm focal length) These attached images were taken with a Canon 1.4 tc and an old teleplus 2x tc stacked.
The lens is certainly usable handheld, in fact I use it this way for 90% of the time. All you need do is to ensure that you have a shutter speed of at least 1/500 to achieve this just bump your ISO up - modern Canon DSLR are great up to ISO 800. The vast majority of shots I see from the 100-400 are taken at speeds which would cause me no problems at all to handhold with my none IS lens. I usually have a monopod with me which, if needed will give me another two stops. As for the versatility of a zoom, for birding I bet you will be using it at 400mm for 99% of the time and still wishing you had another 400mm of length. For birders where money is no object they certainly will not be using a zoom lens as their primary lens, they will be using either 300mm f2.8, 400mm f2.8/f4 or 500/600mm f4.
The 100-400 has a very old first generation IS system which gives 2 stops - now if they were to update this to the latest generation which gives 4 stops that would be attractive and if they were to put a 4 stop IS on the 400mm f5.6 that would be more attractive still.
 

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Do I get the EF 300mm f/4.0L IS USM lens and tack on a converter or two?

Hello Misha,
can't answer on the IS version; I own the non IS version of this lens, and it works great: light, easy to handhold, fast and crisp ... it can be rather short for birding though, and you may find that you'll glue a TC on it almost all the time. Anyway, when used "naked" this lens provides excellent results; with a TC there's a negligible loss in image quality and AF speed. The captive barnie shot was taken handheld in a rather poor lighting condition ...

Or alternatively, do I get the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens, which seems reasonably priced for the focal length, but doesn't get as much light? Does this lens take well to a 1.4x converter or does this make it unuseable in anything but the best light conditions? Is this even useable handheld without the IS?

Well, here Roy has said it all ... a 4-stops IS would be certainly attractive, but, although low/bad light situations are always a challenge (for everybody), they do not prevent me from using my combo: with lots of practice and some technique on your side you may get results to keep you satisfied and make you not regretting the lack of IS. The night heron shot (lens+1.4x TC) was taken handheld propping the lens against the hide ...

Check the Exif in each picture for technical details
 

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Thanks for the advice, everyone. I'm definitely tending away from the 300mm. And towards one of the other two. As was to be expected, different people have different techniques and accordingly different lens preferences. I appreciate the different perspectives. The main difference between the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens and the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM, apart from the fact that one is a prime and the other a zoom, would be the absence of IS on the prime. I am not so concerned about the lack of flexibility on the prime. I still have the 70-300mm should I wish something shorter and in birding I have rarely found myself wanting something shorter. So my main question is the desirability and effectiveness of the IS when handholding and whether one or the other performs better or worse with a TC attached (I am keeping in mind your caveat, Keith Thanks!). There is after all a $320 price difference between the IS zoom and the prime. Again, thanks in advance.

Misha
 
Actually, after thinking some more about it, I think the 100-400 makes more sense, since I will be shooting other things than birds (such as aircraft and larger animals) from time to time. So I think I will go for that lens. One last question: what TC would you guys recommend? Kenko or Canon?
 
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone here fopr the advice, not just in my thread but also the other threads regarding this lens. I got the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens and just acquired the 40D body as well. Took it to the Illinois State Beach Hawkwatch this morning. I'm a happy camper. :king: :bounce:

First and third picture are uncropped, Second is cropped a bit.
Not bad for a first day out, I think.
 

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