New 300mm lens #1

[ajosteve]

First is the Dark-eyed Junco, second is a Hairy Woodpecker. Went out to the pond for a test on this new canon 300mm f4 IS used the 1.4x with it. I found the lens to be very sharp. The focus was very slow and clunky sounds from the lens while focusing. My 70-200mm 2.8 was very fast, almost instant focus, and little sound. I like the 300mm just not sure how good it will be with flying birds and these quick little jumping birds...What do you think? steve

[aligater]

Nice shots Steve, congrats on the new lens, shots look nice and sharp, hope you can live with the slow / noisey focusing.

[ajosteve]

Nice shots Steve, congrats on the new lens, shots look nice and sharp, hope you can live with the slow / noisey focusing.

Thanks...I hope I can too. I have been used to my other lens and It's quick and quiet but also not very far reaching. I might just have to win the lotto and buy the 2.8 version. I will shoot this one for now and see how it goes...steve

[HWP]

Looks good Steve..Really good.

I haven't had a problem with BIF shot's... But then again maybe I'd get more with a 2.8 version. What are those..about $3500.00?? Maybe some other 300mm F4L owners will chime in with their focusing speed experience.

Henry

[hTr]

Crisp Detail, I have yet to see many bad shots from that lens & TC combo!!!

[dpastern]

Nice shots Steve - especially #1 which has a better angle on the bird, bonus lovely bokeh and is very sharp. Pretty bird as well. I've also got this lens, and yes, it does make rather alarming clunking noises. Apparently newer IS lenses don't make these clunking noises, or so I'm told (it's the only IS lens I own).

As to BIF shots, probably is a bit short by itself, the 400mm f5.6 seems a bit more popular from what I see/read/hear. That said - the 300mm with the 1.4x TC gives you a 420mm f5.6 with IS. You'll lose a tiny fraction of IQ (but not a lot, it's a good combo as others have said), and you'll also lose a tiny bit of AF speed/accuracy.

Congrats on the lens :)

Dave

[pttenn]

Those are nice shots, love the junco. It would bother me to have a slow and noisy lens like that, is that normal?
Karen

[IraRunyan]

Steve, good captures with that new lens.
For BIF, turn off IS and you will find the focus faster!

[gardengirl13]

Oh interesting, I was thinking of getting this lens, now I'm not sure. Ira has an interesting idea, can you try some shots with the IS turned off? Of course one of the two reasons for buying this lens (for me) was the IS.

[IraRunyan]

Oh interesting, I was thinking of getting this lens, now I'm not sure. Ira has an interesting idea, can you try some shots with the IS turned off? Of course one of the two reasons for buying this lens (for me) was the IS.

IS is for stationary subjects to stop camera shake. Not needed for BIF!

[canonloader]

The focus was very slow and clunky sounds from the lens while focusing.
Canon stepped on their own unit when they quit making the 300/4 non-IS. Hundreds of dollars cheaper and instant focus. Turn the IS off. It can take up to .7 second to spin up, then the clunking sound of snapping into focus, then another .2 seconds to find final focus. Am I the only person that finds this sort of engineering bizarre? And all for what? To save a few lazy photographers an f/stop in poor light. :confused:

[ajosteve]

Looks good Steve..Really good.

I haven't had a problem with BIF shot's... But then again maybe I'd get more with a 2.8 version. What are those..about $3500.00?? Maybe some other 300mm F4L owners will chime in with their focusing speed experience.

Henry

Thanks Henry, so far I think it is pretty sharp. The 2.8 is about $3,900. Too much for me at this time. Would be nice to hear from other people that own this lens, and what they have to say about the focus issues. steve

[ajosteve]

Crisp Detail, I have yet to see many bad shots from that lens & TC combo!!!

Thanks Gary, you didn't see the 100 shots I dumped. Although sitting on the ground on a slant of the pond bank for an hour made it quite uncomfortable to shoot steady. I did good on some of the distant shots, and that makes me happy. I will give it a good workout next week...steve

[GyRob]

a couple of nice shots its a great combo and i never found waiting for the IS to spin up a problem as Most times your tracking the bird anyway so IS has ample time to be fully spun and working - i also did not find the AF much slower with 1.4TC as long as the limiter is set .
Enjoy your new lens .
Rob.

[ajosteve]

Nice shots Steve - especially #1 which has a better angle on the bird, bonus lovely bokeh and is very sharp. Pretty bird as well. I've also got this lens, and yes, it does make rather alarming clunking noises. Apparently newer IS lenses don't make these clunking noises, or so I'm told (it's the only IS lens I own).

As to BIF shots, probably is a bit short by itself, the 400mm f5.6 seems a bit more popular from what I see/read/hear. That said - the 300mm with the 1.4x TC gives you a 420mm f5.6 with IS. You'll lose a tiny fraction of IQ (but not a lot, it's a good combo as others have said), and you'll also lose a tiny bit of AF speed/accuracy.

Congrats on the lens :)

Dave

Thanks for the feedback on the lens. The 70-200mm that I own is fast and quiet. I was surprised at the sound of the 300mm, and the slower focus. For the price of this lens one would expect better. I'll give it a good workout and looking forward to some condor shots in the air. steve

[ajosteve]

Those are nice shots, love the junco. It would bother me to have a slow and noisy lens like that, is that normal?
Karen

Karen, sounds like the clunky noise is normal with this lens from what people are saying. The slow focus could be using the lens with the 1.4x. I will take it off and see how that does, but I will miss the reach. The 1.4x seems to be quite sharp with this lens. The Junco is a sweet looking bird...steve

[ajosteve]

Steve, good captures with that new lens.
For BIF, turn off IS and you will find the focus faster!

Thanks Ira I will give it a try, I've always left the IS on when shooting BIF with my other lens. Thanks for the tip....steve

[Sindri Skulason]

Excellent shots. Sharp with good details. Looks like a good combo to me. :-)
Congratulations on the new lens!

[ajosteve]

Oh interesting, I was thinking of getting this lens, now I'm not sure. Ira has an interesting idea, can you try some shots with the IS turned off? Of course one of the two reasons for buying this lens (for me) was the IS.

You might try one out before buying, something that I didn't do. You could rent one and see how you like it. If I were to shoot with the 2.8 version, I would probably sell this one and my car to buy the 2.8. I thought this one would be a good lens all around, and was really surprised at the noisey sounds it makes, and almost a sharp jerk when the IS locks on to the target. Not like my 70-200mm that is smooth and quiet. But then again it cost more and is the 2.8. I will turn off the IS, but really why pay for it and not use it?? I will try shooting some flying shots with the IS off and see how that does....good luck on your search for the perfect lens....steve

[ajosteve]

Canon stepped on their own unit when they quit making the 300/4 non-IS. Hundreds of dollars cheaper and instant focus. Turn the IS off. It can take up to .7 second to spin up, then the clunking sound of snapping into focus, then another .2 seconds to find final focus. Am I the only person that finds this sort of engineering bizarre? And all for what? To save a few lazy photographers an f/stop in poor light. :confused:

Mitch, you make alot of sense, although the IS on the more expensive lens, the 70-200mm 2.8 is smooth and quiet and very fast. I don't know why canon can't make this lens faster and quieter for the amount of money it costs. I will turn off the IS and see how that does. You're right about the time lag on the focus, and by the time all is done the little subject has jumped out of the frame. Now if you're shooting large GBH's or other shorebirds it wouldn't matter at all as they are just standing there in a pose. At least that is my perception, although I've never had the pleasure of shooting one....steve

[ajosteve]

a couple of nice shots its a great combo and i never found waiting for the IS to spin up a problem as Most times your tracking the bird anyway so IS has ample time to be fully spun and working - i also did not find the AF much slower with 1.4TC as long as the limiter is set .
Enjoy your new lens .
Rob.

Thanks Rob....I'm not sure what you mean by " as long as the limiter is set ". Also when shooting perched birds or birds feeding on bushes and jumping around it's most difficult to focus with the slow IS spinning around, the bird is gone out of the frame by the time the thing gets set. Just my experience yesterday in shooting little birds...Steve

[canonloader]

Steve, I won't own another IS lens. I searched long and hard for a Non-IS 300 and finally found one and had to twist the owners arm to get it. It's 13 years old and is the best lens I've ever owned. And you can still find them (http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EF-300-4-0-L_W0QQitemZ250179199364QQihZ015QQcategoryZ106844QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosti ng). Maybe send yours back and buy the old warhorse. ;)

[ajosteve]

Excellent shots. Sharp with good details. Looks like a good combo to me. :-)
Congratulations on the new lens!

Thanks Sindri, good to hear your comments...I hope to get better with it, and work out the bugs, and learn to live with the small problems. steve

[ajosteve]

Steve, I won't own another IS lens. I searched long and hard for a Non-IS 300 and finally found one and had to twist the owners arm to get it. It's 13 years old and is the best lens I've ever owned. And you can still find them (http://cgi.ebay.com/Canon-EF-300-4-0-L_W0QQitemZ250179199364QQihZ015QQcategoryZ106844QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem#ebayphotohosti ng). Maybe send yours back and buy the old warhorse. ;)

Thanks for the tip, I will work with this one and see how it goes. I never had a problem with IS before, and kind of like it as I get older and a little shaky when shooting handheld shots. I never use a tripod unless I'm doing landscape work. Birds move around too much for me to use one, although a monopod might come in handy at times. Your photos are very sharp with that non-IS lens, sounds like it works well for you....steve

[canonloader]

I never use a tripod unless I'm doing landscape work.
Steve, when they find me dead, face down in the mud, or hunched over my camera right here in my room, one hand will have a death grip on the neck of my tripod. I won't even go to the Kwik-Trip without it. For 40 years, I owned tripods and they lived in my closet with the old hangers. Then when I started shooting birds, and got old and shakey, I decided to give it one last hoorah. My keeper rate went up about 200% overnight.

You can't get one of those cheapo ones, get one whose legs spread out all the way to the sides, like a stepped on spider, so you can get close to the ground when needed, perfect for setting up by your pond. I use the grip action ballhead and it's the best thing to come along since they put the pocket on a T-shirt. Now I can sit there for hours and let the tripod hold the camera and lens for me, and with one fast draw squeeze, I can point and shoot in any direction, including straight up or down. Let go and it's locked, no knobs to turn. The advantages are clear. ;)

[ajosteve]

Steve, when they find me dead, face down in the mud, or hunched over my camera right here in my room, one hand will have a death grip on the neck of my tripod. I won't even go to the Kwik-Trip without it. For 40 years, I owned tripods and they lived in my closet with the old hangers. Then when I started shooting birds, and got old and shakey, I decided to give it one last hoorah. My keeper rate went up about 200% overnight.

You can't get one of those cheapo ones, get one whose legs spread out all the way to the sides, like a stepped on spider, so you can get close to the ground when needed, perfect for setting up by your pond. I use the grip action ballhead and it's the best thing to come along since they put the pocket on a T-shirt. Now I can sit there for hours and let the tripod hold the camera and lens for me, and with one fast draw squeeze, I can point and shoot in any direction, including straight up or down. Let go and it's locked, no knobs to turn. The advantages are clear. ;)

Thank Mitch, would like to see one of those in action, where do I look at one? steve

[canonloader]

You can read about it and buy the grip ballhead here (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=140&A=details&Q=&sku=303591&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation).

Here are some older shots of the tripod, with the Bigma on it, no camera, set up inside a window, so I can sit on the floor behind it. Not the best pics, but you can see it's better than holding the camera in your lap for hours at a time. :)

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/forumings07/test/img_4027-061207.jpg
http://www.freeassociationblog.com/forumings07/test/img_4029-061207.jpg
http://www.freeassociationblog.com/forumings07/test/img_4030-061207.jpg

[Howler-Cat]

Superb captures Steve...Man, You're having fun now! I am jealous! Keep posting.

[Reyno]

Excellent captures and BIG congrats on the new lens Steve !!!

[ajosteve]

You can read about it and buy the grip ballhead here (http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=140&A=details&Q=&sku=303591&is=REG&addedTroughType=categoryNavigation).

Here are some older shots of the tripod, with the Bigma on it, no camera, set up inside a window, so I can sit on the floor behind it. Not the best pics, but you can see it's better than holding the camera in your lap for hours at a time. :)

http://www.freeassociationblog.com/forumings07/test/img_4027-061207.jpg
http://www.freeassociationblog.com/forumings07/test/img_4029-061207.jpg
http://www.freeassociationblog.com/forumings07/test/img_4030-061207.jpg

Mitch, thanks for all your help, appreciate it alot...steve

[ajosteve]

Superb captures Steve...Man, You're having fun now! I am jealous! Keep posting.

Thanks Ben, it is so much fun being out there, it's hard to go back to work in the real world as they say. I love shooting birds...work sure gets in the way of my fun....Ha, Ha...I'll continue to post when I get more next week...steve

[ajosteve]

Excellent captures and BIG congrats on the new lens Steve !!!

Thanks Reyno that mean alot to me...I'll be having some fun now with the 300mm. Gee, Does this mean the 400 or 500 comes next?? steve

[MikeI]

As has been previously mention, the clunking sound is the IS firing up. As far as focus speed??? My 300 f/4 is lightning fast, even w/ a tcon. I cannot notice a focusing speed difference between my 300 L and my 70-200 L. I'm not saying there isn't a difference, but it isn't noticable. I know...it isn't the best comparison, but they are the only L lenses I own.

If you are having problems w/ it, return it. The 300 should be spitting out sharp, beautiful images as long as you are doing your part.

[ajosteve]

Thanks Mikel, I notice a big difference between my 2 lenses. Do you have the 70-200mm 2.8 ? That is what I am comparing my 300mm to. If you have the 70-200mm f4. maybe it is about the same as the 300mm f4 in focusing speed. I notice a definate lag in focus with the new lens. I will have to try out someone elses 300 to see if mine is faulty. steve

[MikeI]

70-200 f/4.

I couldn't imagine being anything but happy w/ the 300. If your not, I would really consider sending it to Canon to make sure it is operating correctly.

[dpastern]

Thanks for the feedback on the lens. The 70-200mm that I own is fast and quiet. I was surprised at the sound of the 300mm, and the slower focus. For the price of this lens one would expect better. I'll give it a good workout and looking forward to some condor shots in the air. steve

You're welcome. I personally think the IS is BS for most shots. I also feel that the AF of the 300mm F4 is noticeable slower than my 70-200 (non IS) lens. Another thing, as Mitch points out, the IQ and resolution of the IS version of the 300 F4 does NOT come close to the original 300mm f4. I actually wanted the original 300mm f4 when I bought my lens (back in mid 99), but got the IS version. The guys talked me into keeping it. I don't use it that often, but it's my least favourite lens.

Dave

[HWP]

Steve,

As you know I'm quite happy with the lens. I use it handheld all the time. It might be I'm so new to this hobby and this is my first telephoto lens (second lens) that I don't notice any weaknesses with it and the TC. All of my pic's posted on this site have been with that combo. But you have more experience and probably more to compare to.. like your 70 - 200. Given that, I'm not sure you'll ever be happy with the new setup and maybe you should send it back while there's still time. There could be something wrong with yours like Mikel mentioned. I've never felt a jerky motion as you mentioned earlier. Maybe you could wait and save up for the 2.8 version. Or better yet save a little longer and get the 500 f4. That's what I would get if I had the money. In the meantime keep shooting you 70 - 200 f2.8 which everthing I've read say's it's an excetionally sharp lens.

Good luck and I hope it wasn't me that swayed you into this lens:)

Henry

[ajosteve]

Steve,

As you know I'm quite happy with the lens. I use it handheld all the time. It might be I'm so new to this hobby and this is my first telephoto lens (second lens) that I don't notice any weaknesses with it and the TC. All of my pic's posted on this site have been with that combo. But you have more experience and probably more to compare to.. like your 70 - 200. Given that, I'm not sure you'll ever be happy with the new setup and maybe you should send it back while there's still time. There could be something wrong with yours like Mikel mentioned. I've never felt a jerky motion as you mentioned earlier. Maybe you could wait and save up for the 2.8 version. Or better yet save a little longer and get the 500 f4. That's what I would get if I had the money. In the meantime keep shooting you 70 - 200 f2.8 which everthing I've read say's it's an excetionally sharp lens.

Good luck and I hope it wasn't me that swayed you into this lens:)

Henry

Henry, thanks for all the feedback...No it wasn't just you that got me interested in the 300mm. I have been looking at my shots from the other day and I have alot of fine sharp images. I guess I expected more as far as the focus and noise. I went from using the 70-200mm 2.8 to this one and I did notice a big difference. It would be like driving a new car, and then having it in the shop and getting a loaner that is older and not as smooth. Anyway, don't get me wrong, I do like the lens in alot of ways, and will use it and see if I can live with the IS sound and slower focus. If not, then I will sell my soul and get a faster one. It does take alot sharper photos than the 70-200mm. A 100% difference in the sharpness. As you most likey read, I was having some problems with my pictures not being sharp with the 70-200mm. That one is being sent in for a check-up. Glad you like your 300mm, maybe I got a bad one...it does happen...take care, steve

[MJAM]

Nice sharp shots and great bokeh. Mike

[ajosteve]

70-200 f/4.

I couldn't imagine being anything but happy w/ the 300. If your not, I would really consider sending it to Canon to make sure it is operating correctly.

I'll shoot the heck out of it next week on my days off and see how it functions. If it seems like the lens is faulty, I will send it in. I Love the sharpness of the images that came out. Beats the 70-200mm by a long shot in sharpness. steve

[ajosteve]

Nice sharp shots and great bokeh. Mike

Thanks Mike, it sure takes some sharp images. Hope to get more next week out at the same location...Lots of birds out there, and I think they are getting used to seeing me. steve