what are the fastest-focussing canon lenses out there?

[memostothefuture]

hello folks,


I

[tkerr]

Don't have an answer to your question, but are you using AI Focus or AI Servo?

[memostothefuture]

usually I use ai servo when dealing with athletes running around. I tend to limit the focus points in that case so I don

[Sheiky]

What camera do you use? Because honestly I don

[freelanceshots]

your tele primes should be the fastest like the 300 f2.8 and 400 f2.8 and that is why they are the premier sports/action lenses. I'd say next is the 70-200 f2.8 line of lenses. These lenses will not be the best choice for close up action unless you manually focus to get it close before hand. I've missed many close up shots at the spur of a moment with my 70-200 because there just was not enough time to get the focus before I made the camera take the shot. can't be focused on something far away and then expect to focus on something really close super quickly. Since the focus range is so large it just takes these lenses and others extra time to go from one extreme to the other. I missed a great snap shot while working for the newspaper of past president Bill Clinton looking out the limo when he was in town and leaving the Funeral of Bill Guatwney Democratic Chairman that was gunned down in Little Rock. It was a unique moment and I wish I could have gotten it because it came so quickly. A brief moment in time forever lost.

[memostothefuture]

sorry to hear that, freelanceshots. I had a few nice moments this weekend that I missed because of that myself, albeit moments that were much less significant. no complaints about the 70-200 f2.8 LII here though. it performs exactly as I expected. same goes for my 16-35 f2.8 L (I). both rock. any thoughts on the 24-70? is it good for this kind of task?


I use the 7D mostly but I

[Richard Lane]

I agree with freelance, that the fastest lenses will be the Primes.


I would say that fastest Canon Lenses would be the 85/1.8, 100mm f/2.0, 135 f/2L, 100mm f/2.8 Macro, 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro, 200mm f/2L, 200mm f/2.8L, 300mm f/2.8L, 400mm f/2.8L. These are not in any particular speed order, just keep in mind that it's easier for shorter focal lengths to move less glass faster with the USM motor. Then when the aperture gets too wide, the lens starts to slow down again due to the larger, heavier glass that is required to let this much light in. I think it will also be safe to assume, that there will be a decrease in speed as the lens gets much longer and heavier.


I've never used the 24mm, 35mm and 50mm primes, but I do have the 85mm f/1.2L and this is the slowest lens that I have ever used due to it's large glass, if you pre-focus then it can work, but that's not what this thread is about.


I also have the 24-70mm f/2.8L and 70-200mm f/2.8L II and they are very fast as well.


I referred to Bryan's list of Lenses that he has reviewed here, to help me comprise the list above. Thanks Bryan!


Rich

[Sheiky]

I would say that fastest Canon Lenses would be the 85/1.8, 100mm f/2.0, 135 f/2L, 100mm f/2.8 Macro, 100mm f/2.8L IS Macro, 200mm f/2L, 200mm f/2.8L, 300mm f/2.8L, 400mm f/2.8L

I believe you on the primes, but the 100mm macro lenses definitely don't fit in the fastest focusing lenses section. I have had both(still have the L) and the 70-200 f4L IS beats both of them easily on AF speed during sportsphotography.


Still I doubt that you'd really notice AF speed differences between lets say the 70-200 f2.8 L IS II and for instance the 200mm f2.8. Yes it's fast and it feels fast, but I doubt that you'd get a much higher keeper rate when shooting sports with either one on a 5D2. A 7D might be a little bit better, but I still think the camera is the slowest part in the equation. If you really want to get a noticeable difference in keeper rates, I think you're better off with a 1D instead of a 5D/7D due to the even smaller shutter-lag.


When I switched from a 450D to a 50D with a 70-200, my keeper rate pretty much doubled. With the 450D I needed to really time my shots(click just in front of the action). The 70-200 however was just as fast on both camera's.

if you pre-focus then it can work, but that's not what this thread is about.

If you don't pre-focus and your focus is way off, finding the target might even take more time than the actual focusing [] I know I had a hard time focusing/searching through the viewfinder at an airshow when the focus was way off at 400mm[:P] Those times I zoomed back to 100mm, searched my target and zoomed back in, so it was pre-focusing after all...


Jan

[wickerprints]

The AF speed of a lens depends on multiple factors:

1. The body used: 1D-series bodies process AF information faster than lower-end bodies, and therefore the focus adjustment is more responsive.
2. The size and type of the AF motor. USM is faster than non-USM, and the larger the USM diameter, the more power it has.
3. The size and weight of the focusing group. Lenses with heavy focusing groups tend to be more slow to focus, since the motor must work harder to move those elements.
4. The sensitivity of focus to the movement of the focusing group. Lenses that have a short travel are faster to AF, but are also less precise, because the stepping increment is larger relative to the length of the helical.
5. Lighting conditions: some lens/body combinations are faster to focus in low light than other combinations.

Thus, the EF 85/1.2L design is a slow-focusing lens because, although it is the only lens besides the 200/2L, 300/2.8L, and fast supertelephoto primes to employ Canon's largest-diameter 77mm USM, the optical design is such that focusing is achieved by moving all elements excluding the rearmost. Even the EMD is moved. It has one of the most power-demanding requirements of any EF lens.


The EF 100/2.8L macro IS is an example of a lens that can focus quickly or slowly, depending on how it is used. This is because the lens is designed so that most of its focusing helical is devoted to subject distances less than 1 meter, and only a very small portion is reserved for 1m - infinity. So if your subject is close, focusing can be slow; if your subject is distant, focusing can be very fast. This is intentional, of course, because it is a macro lens. The use of the focusing limiter switch is one way to improve AF speed.


The fast supertelephoto primes are fast-focusing because they have a large USM and the focusing group is small and relatively lightweight, without a complex floating design that is found in zoom designs.

[JJphoto]

many things should be considered when shooting fast moving subject other than just a fast AF lens.


for camera, you should chose better AL SERVO AF system , fast burst rate and short shutter lag, high ISO performance should be considered too.


good Al Servo AF system will help you track and lock the moving subject in focus fast, fast burst rate will give you more chance to hit the keeper, the short shutter lag give you better timing to catch the action, and the better ISO performance will let you get faster shutter speed to freeze the action in lower light condition. XXD, 7D and 1D are designed for that.


fast AF lenses for sports?, there are many of them depend on the focal length you need, like 85 mm 1.8, 100mm 2.0 and 135mm 2.0 are good for indoor sports, of course the 200 2.0 is the best choice if you have the money to burn. 85mm 1.2 has a very slow AF speed, it is designed mainly for studio portrait shot, not for fast moving subject.


for out door, 70-200mm 2.8 II, 200-400mm zooms and 200mm ,300mm ,400mm, and longer primes are the choices. the 7D and the 400mm 5.6 is the fastest combo and my favorite choice for BIF in my gears.

I missed with the otherwise excellent 24mm 1.4. it just took a tiny bit too long to lock in focus and I often missed shots with it.

I don't know what kind of situation of sports you shoot require a such short lens like the 24mm. with a short lens like this the DOF usually is very wide, all you need is the fast shutter speed to freeze the action. just my 2 cents.