Another 300f4 IS or 400f5.6 question...

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

Jayson, where do you live?


If you live in the US, try www.lensrentals.com

[Jayson]

Nebraska. I will have to see how much renting for a week will run. I know I would be happy with both, but just looking to see what would be more practical.

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

300 f/4L IS http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon-300mm-f4-l-is/for-canon


400 f/5.6L http://www.lensrentals.com/rent/canon-400mm-f5.6-l/for-canon


7-day rental period doesn't start until after you get the lens

[Jayson]

Thanks Nate. I will check that out. I know you shot with the 400 before you upgraded to the big boy, but did you ever try a TC with the 400?


Jayson

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

I still SHOOT with my 400 [], just not so much now. I don't have a 1.4 extender and never used one with my 400, planning to get one in the near future though!

[Jayson]

Come to think of it, I remember you saying a couple times that the 500 was a little long. []

[Brendan7]

Thanks Nate. I will check that out. I know you shot with the 400 before you upgraded to the big boy, but did you ever try a TC with the 400?


Jayson

Jayson, I wouldn't suggest putting a TC on the 400. It's already slow and big and doesn't have IS. A 640mm f/8? No thank you. Especially for sports. I shoot with a 7D and 300 f4 w/ no TC, and it's plenty enough reach for me. I often have to back up! As Nate said, rent both and decide. The 300 does MFD at 5' compared to the 400's 11', and that was a deciding factor for me, you'll have to decide if that's important to you.


brendan

[Jayson]

I didn't think TC on the 400 would be a good way to go, but you never know...always have to ask. I have the 7D also and was thinking that the 300 would be the way to go, but thought I would check. I have that 70-300 and I like the distance that gives me, but always wondered about having another 100 to the end. I am going to give renting a shot and see what comes of it. Thanks guys for the input.


Jayson

[scalesusa]

The 400mm F/5.6 is a great lens, I used it on my 40D, and autofocused in good light with both 1.4X and 2X TC's. Obviously, AF with a 2X was slow and light has to be good.


I never really intended to use TC's with the lens, I had a cheap non reportingTamron 1.4X and a quantaray 2X that came with a used camera, so I gave it a try.





The house in this photo is a long long ways away, maybe 1500-2,000 ft, so the atmosphere causes some distortion. The lens was on a tripod, and the shutter speeds vary from 1/80 sec with the 2X to 1/500 with no TC, due to my letting the camera set the parameters.





400mm no TC








Same location with 1.4 TC








Same location with 2X TC

[Jayson]

Thanks for all of the tips and pictures. I appreciate your responses. I have a friend that I just discovered purchased the 300 f4, so I am going to go shooting with him in the near future and will give that a shot. We will see if that works for what I am looking for and if not, then the 400 will be in my bag.


Thanks again.