Which Lens Package would you prefer?

[Chris White]

They are both f/2.8 which I shoot more than not. In addition, it gives me that creamy background blur you are looking for, which helps draw you to the subject.

Just keep in mind that there are two aspects to 'creamy background blur' - quantity of OOF blur (i.e. thin DoF) and quality of OOF blur (aka bokeh). Both lenses produce a nice, smooth bokeh. As for quantity, it depends on how tightly you frame - DoF is determined by subject distance, aperture, and focal length. For a given subject distance (e.g. 3 m), 105mm at f/4 results in a thinner DoF (~35%) and thus more OOF blur than 70mm f/2.8. Of course, the framing is tighter, too. But my point is that you can get good OOF blur with either 24-xx zoom (although nowhere near what you'll get with the 85L).
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Good explanation Neuro


Mark
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Agreed.

[neuroanatomist]

Less versatility which I would miss on a photo safari. Those wild animals move quite fast in and out ouf range.
Second Point according Bryan's Review the 300 is slightly better on 300 but gets on the lower end at 420 (1.4 Extender) vs. The 100-400.
So trading versatility for slightly better Performance at 300 but less perfomance at 420 is for my puposes Nothing to aim for.

Those were pretty much my reasons. I started with the 300mm f/4L IS (and had the 1.4x II Extender), but 300mm wasn't long enough, and the I wasn't thrilled with the performance with the extender (it does better with the 70-200 II, but still not up to the 100-400mm). If there was a 400mm f/5.6L IS prime, I'd likely take that over the 100-400mm (and I'll probably eventually work my way up to getting the 500mm f/4L IS), but for now, wanting 400mm and IS, I'm pleased with the 100-400mm.

[HDNitehawk]

If there was a 400mm f/5.6L IS prime, I'd likely take that over the 100-400mm

There is a hole in Canon's marketing. A 400mm F5.6L IS prime would be a very popular lens.

[Colin]

I agree... I asked them about that, a long time ago.... They pointed me to the 100-400 zom or a 400 mm DO, both of which have IS.


Regarding the 85 f1.2L, I miss mine. It was big, clunky, focused slowly, and wouldn

[neuroanatomist]

A 400mm F5.6L IS prime would be a very popular lens.

Well, I'd buy one at any rate, and so would Colin it seems, so that's at least two. [:P]


But in general, I think "today's consumer" (whoever the heck that is and however Canon's marketing department found him/her) wants zoom lenses. Heck, they even made their new fisheye a zoom lens! Still, Canon makes plenty of 'esoteric' lenses (superteles, TS-E, etc.) that aren't 'popular'. So despite the fact that I'd bet they've sold more EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS lenses than the sum total of every supertelehoto prime that's rolled off the line in their entire corporate history, we can certainly hope they see the light and update the 400mm f/5.6L!!

[SwissChris]

Update: I recieved today the 85L. What a beauty. Just did a few shot. Just great. I