Hello to all, and Happy new Year !
For a 5D mk II and a 50D, i'd like to buy a zoom for outside sport (greyhound races), landscape, air meetings, and think of the 100-400 ... (don't want a prime, too expensive and not general purpose enough)
Some say that the 70-200 2.8 is best but it's a bit short for me.
But I have read "horrors"[:S] about 100-400 sharpness (so,so) and that fact that one must be a lucky guy to have a good copy (I want to buy it new)
What is your advice ?
I've been very happy with my copy of the 100-400mm (that I bought in February, 2007). It's been around the world with me, dropped (hard enough to crack the casing of the 30D to which it was attached, yet survived unscathed) and I love the range. I've never had any major issue with sharpness, even using extenders that do degrade it somewhat.
I guess I have a good copy. I wouldn't give it up for anything.
Thanks musickna,
A friend of mine told me that sharpness is great on ... a good copy.
That lead me to that problem : are good copy so rare for this lens or is it for older production numbers ? (knowing that, for this price, getting a bad copy is really a problem)
Nothing to worry about. The 100-400 is quick to frame and focus on the fly. 70-200 will not get you there. Here is a 40D crop.
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Tabazan...thanks for the well wish and HNY to you also.
I purchased mine new a couple of years ago and I'm pretty happy w/it....I think you'll find the older (5 yrs ?) versions were the ones that had issues.
It's on my 40D 80% of the time for auto racing, landscapes to wildlife w/my focus on birding. If the photo is soft, it's usually my fault and not the lens'. There is a learning curve for using this lens....at least for me there was, I mean, there is.
The only negative point I can blame on the lens is bokeh....unless I'm completely missing something w/this lens, the lens' bokeh isn't very good.
Some examples....
I would recommend this lens to fulfill your needs.
Regards
Bill
I've rented the 100-400 and was satisfied with its sharpness. I used 400mm 95% of the time and found that f/5.6 was too slow. for me at least I would havepreferreda prime but there is a huge hole in canon's lineup in the $2400 range.
I love my 100-400. It is very sharp. Not as sharp as a prime but for the versatility it offers it is hard to complain. I have a friend, who is a pro, who uses this lens for portraits.
I read in a thread a day or so ago by Daniel Browning that 100-400 produced after 2003 do not experience the soft center that models before then experienced.
Originally Posted by Tabazan
I don't think that's true. There may have been more bad copies five years ago, but recently most people (including me) got really sharp ones.
No issues with my 100-400 L.
Bought it about a year and 1/2 ago.
Heres one taken with the 5DMKII .... About 120 yards away ...
Well, thanks to all,
Seeing all these pics, seems that this lens is very good after all.
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