100-400L or 70-300L

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Fri Jan 06, 2012 10:33 pm

Looking at a lens for my trip next year to Galapagos.... Originally I had decided on the 100-400 dust pump. The focal range would be perfect for that, but after looking into the 70-300, I'm now not sure which way I should go. I already have a 70-200, but I wanted something with more reach for the trip as 200mm on full frame doesn't get you that close up. The 70-300 seems to have quite an advantage in terms of image quality and resolution... in fact, some claim you can crop in to a similar focal length as the 400mm and still get a similar quality shot. The 70-300 has a better IS system and is faster to focus. It's also significantly lighter, and smaller... which is a fairly big plus for travel. But i'm finding it hard to go past the extra reach of the 100-400. Thoughts or experiences with either??

The 200-400 would be perfect if it existed and didn't cost what it will inevitably cost.

Speed · Post by **Speed** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 8:47 am

I love my 100-400 & it still amazes me with it's sharpness. The 70-300 might be awesome as well but if your are a fair distance from your subject there is no way you could crop in & get the same quality image. Sounds suspiciously like fanboi talk.

I've heard that the 100-400 can be prone to dust but I know a few people who own them & none have ever had an issue, including a couple of guys who have been on multiple safaris in Africa.

Post by **norbs** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 10:56 am

Speed wrote:I love my 100-400 & it still amazes me with it's sharpness. The 70-300 might be awesome as well but if your are a fair distance from your subject there is no way you could crop in & get the same quality image. Sounds suspiciously like fanboi talk.

I've heard that the 100-400 can be prone to dust but I know a few people who own them & none have ever had an issue, including a couple of guys who have been on multiple safaris in Africa.

I agree. It goes back to the whole crop vs FF and zoom debate. It comes down to people buying a shorter lens than they want then justifying it by bull shitting about being able to crop.

I know of 2 people with 100-400Ls and they both love them. Neither has had any issue with it being a dust pump either.

Get the 100-400 Dex. I know if I had the cash it would be the one lens I would still want.

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 11:53 am

Damn. I think id swayed my own opinion to the 70-300 this morning haha. I have heaps of time to decide. My initial thought was the 100-400 was perfect. To be honest its mainly the size and weight of both that is making the 70-300 appealing.

Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 6:07 pm

Just a thought...

Which one would you be more likely to keep when you get back? That's the one to get.

I think I can guess...

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Sat Jan 07, 2012 9:13 pm

Actually I'm not sure. The 70-300 would probably be more useful for more things, however I guess the 70-200 already does that job.

Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:27 pm

Well, if you get the yen to shoot motorsport, you'll need 400.

Post by **norbs** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:34 pm

J.D. wrote:Well, if you get the yen to shoot motorsport, you'll need 400.

Or a 600!

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 3:56 pm

Even I don't know where you'd find one of those, unless it's a mirror lens...!

Post by **norbs** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:30 pm

J.D. wrote:Even I don't know where you'd find one of those, unless it's a mirror lens...!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... _4_0L.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or the big banger.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... 6L_IS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 4:46 pm

I reckon I'd show up on one of those border security programs being taken out the back and figured if I tried to take that over with me.

Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

kwijibo · Post by **kwijibo** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 6:29 pm

You wouldn't want to find yourself to close to the subject with that one.. you'd have to walk back about a kilometre

Swain OHaw · Post by **Swain OHaw** » Mon Jan 09, 2012 11:57 pm

DexterPunk wrote:Actually I'm not sure. The 70-300 would probably be more useful for more things, however I guess the 70-200 already does that job.

That would be my feeling - you have the 70-200 for relatively compact and light needs so the 70-300 is essentially duplicating most of that range and giving you only a little extra, where as the 100-400 allows you to double it ... again a 200-400 would be perfect but alas fictional at this juncture.

I think the dust problems must be (at least) a little exaggerated, and your 5D has built-in sensor cleaning which I know doesn't shift big build ups but it should keep those to a minimum by cleaning during start up and shut down and not giving dust much of a chance to settle ...

I think the 100-400 is your better bet, with a 70-200 already in the bag ... goes well with the 24-105 as well.

durbster · Post by **durbster** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 1:59 am

J.D. wrote:Just a thought...

Which one would you be more likely to keep when you get back? That's the one to get.

I think I can guess...

Alternatively, you can buy the big one for the event and sell it on when you're done with it. We spent a load on a new Engel when we were driving round Oz despite our meagre budget, on the justification that after we'd sold it it would only have cost a couple of hundred dollars in reality.

I was going to suggest borrowing it but I imagine it's not the sort of thing people would like to lend out

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 6:39 am

I could do that yeah, just sell it off afterwards. But I know I wouldn't. Not an L lens. It would get limited use but I know it's something I'd end up keeping. Almost everyone I've spoken to reckons just go the 100-400. And it was my initial lens of choice anyway. It's probably what I'll end up getting. Just need to decide whether or not to buy it grey or local. If it was only a matter of a couple of hundred bucks i wouldn't consider it. But it's more like a $500 saving.

Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:17 pm

norbs wrote:
J.D. wrote:Even I don't know where you'd find one of those, unless it's a mirror lens...!

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1 ... _4_0L.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Or the big banger.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/5 ... 6L_IS.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Yeah, I meant here. I investigated importing a 2nd hand one from the US or Canada and it was never going to work out. I found a 500 but that was luck. On the other hand, I'd been looking for quite a while. I have only seen one 600mm f/4 outside of newspaper photographers and that was an old non-IS model which probably weighed at least 7kg.

An alternative could be to go with the 70-300 and sometime down the track look at a 400 f/5.6. I have used one on a mate's camera and it's pretty nice. Good value for the money on the second hand market too. The 100-400 would be useful at the Galapagos Islands because of the bird life there. ON the other hand, if you don't like push-pull zooms...

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Revi ... eview.aspx" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Tue Jan 10, 2012 9:26 pm

yeah that review is what prompted this thread topic... made me think hard about the 70-300... from all reports it really does sound like a cracker of a lens.

Post by **norbs** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 12:33 am

Thought about an extender Dex?

DexterPunk · Post by **DexterPunk** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 6:36 am

Yeah, they don't mount on the 70-300.

Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

Post by **norbs** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 7:34 am

DexterPunk wrote:Yeah, they don't mount on the 70-300.

Sent from Han Solo using TK-421's phone.

I meant for your 70-200. 2x Extender makes it a 400mm. You lose 2 stops though from memory. I had a 1.4x for a while and it was useful.

J.D. · Post by **J.D.** » Wed Jan 11, 2012 4:11 pm

norbs wrote:2x Extender makes it a 400mm. You lose 2 stops though from memory.

The problem here is that unless you are using a 1 series body, the AF won't work beyond f/5.6. Sure, there are methods to fool it, including taping the pins on the TC but it's not very convenient. 1.4x would probably still work though.

A.R.S.E.