Canon L-Series: 400mm vs. 300mm & 1.4x Tele

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Here is a side by side of the Canon L-Series: 400mm vs. 300mm & 1.4x Tele


<span style="color: #800080;"]http://www.virtualwebgallery.com/photography/300televs400comparison.html ("http://www.virtualwebgallery.com/photography/300televs400comparison.html)


What looks like the best decision here?

[Anthony]

I would probably get the 300+1.4x, for these reasons:




IQ is still very good

Basically gives 2 lenses, a 300mm f/4 IS and a 420mm f/5.6 IS

<div>And the main reason:</div>
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The 300mm+1.4x has IS, which could be very helpful on such a long and slow lens.

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[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

It depends on what you shoot, if you shoot bird in flight, 400 f/5.6 is the way to go. Focus is faster on the bare 400 than the 300 + 1.4 and since birds fly IS is useless.

[EdN]

I went through this decision process a few years ago and decided on the 300 IS and 1.4 X. I liked the flexibility of having a 300 IS, 420 f5.6 IS, and having the 1.4 X available for my 70-200 F4 in other situations. I have used the 300 IS and 1.4 X to shoot birds also with decent success. I have never shot with the 400 5.6 so Idon't know the difference of the 400 5.6 in focusing vs my combination. The 300 has IS which is useful in other situations that is not available in the 400 5.6.