Canon 100-400 IS L vs 300 F4 + 1.4X Test Results

[scottbergerphoto]

I spent the day yesterday using a Canon 300 F4 + 1.4X Extender II with my 1D Mark II shooting my RC Flying pictures. I had been using the 100-400 IS L but I wanted faster focus. The 100-400 tends to hunt in less then perfect light. I was very disapppointed. The 300 f4 +1.4x combination focused faster, but was markedly inferior in image quality. The pictures were grainier, less sharp, had less contrast, tolerated USM poorly. It's going back to B&H toady. The pictures will be up at my site later today.
Regards,
Scott

[Belmondo]

Scott:
That's been my general experience with TCs regardless of which lens you put them on. I have the 300 f/4 and love it, but only at 300mm. It's as sharp as the 400 f/5.6 plus it has IS.

If you use a TC with the 300 f/4, you lose one full f-stop anyway, so you're right where you'd be with the 100-400.

I look forward to seeing more of your RC shots.

[rickyd]

Scott,

So will you return to using your 100-400L after this failed attempt to find something better?

I use a 70-200L now with a 1.4 extender with good results on auto racing and motocross. But now with my MK-2 and the lower crop factor I need longer glass!! I really dont care for the push pull design on the 100-400L so Ive avoided it so far. What are you going to try next? I would appreciate any recommendations.

Rick

[scottbergerphoto]

These are some of the pictures from the 300mm + 1.4X combination.
http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/rc_flying_61104
If you compare them to the previous RC Flying pictures they are inferior.
http://www.pbase.com/scottbergerphoto/rc_flying_52904

I plan on keeping the 100-400 IS L. It is a wonderful lens. It gives me portabilty, IS, and hand held shooting. It only suffers in low light, low contrast focusing. That's better then poor quality images. I have no use for a 300mm prime lens as the 100-400 is tack sharp at 300mm. I'll take a look at the 400mm f5.6

Regards,
Scott

[LazyPhotographer]

Just curious here..... using the TC is a manual focus job, right? Have you checked your diopter adjustment to make sure that it's set the best for your eyes?

I'm only asking because I had a horrible time, for ages, trying to use do any manual focus. I never got a sharp picture - I was tempted to return the camera even. I finally got the diopter tweaked just right and was able to get a better focused picture.

I know that any TC will degrade the picture, but some people get tack sharp images out of them. So there must be something they're doing..

[defordphoto]

Just curious here..... using the TC is a manual focus job, right?

Not on an MKII.

[defordphoto]

Scott: Photos were grainier?? I find that odd. I don't think the 400 f/5.6 is going to help your dilemma. You'd have to move to the massively expensive f/2.8 series lenses.

[Belmondo]

Scott:
The average person would be pretty happy with those shots, but you're not average. And you're right---they're not as good as your earlier efforts with the 100-400.

As I said earlier, I've had generally poor results with the TCs, regardless of which lens I use them on. The 300 f/4.0 is obvously not the hot setup for your application, but it's a great lens in the right situation.

[CyberDyneSystems]

.. the 400mm f/5.6 will

1: Illiminate the need for the 1.4X T-C... this giving superior image quality

2: It will give you even faster AF than the 300mm f/4 on it's own. :)

Might be worth a try IMHO...

P.S. the 300mm f/4 and a 1.4X T-con will AF on a 10D and Drebele as well...

[defordphoto]

I finally looked at the photos -- missed the links the first time around -- and what looks weird and grainy is the bokeh. The bokeh looks funky. However, the subject looks very acceptable to me.

[scottbergerphoto]

Thanks all for looking. The pictures might be acceptable, but I was looking for something better then the 100-400 and they are clearly not better. In addition, since I'm selling the pictures, I can't afford to have people ask about the grainyness. Heck some people see it when it's not even there. I went to B&H today, about an hour by subway, and returned the 300 F4 and bought the Arthur Morris Bird Lens, the 400 f 5.6. I'll let you know how it goes. There is a Large Scale RC Flying Competition next saturday.
Regards,
Scott

[defordphoto]

Scott: I just ordered the 400 for this weekend's ChampCar shoot. I'll let you (all) know how it goes.