100-400L for fast sports?

[ed rader]

what i mean by fast is 20-30 miles an hour like a bicycle race or dogs running on the beach.

i keep thinking i need a longer lens for sports because i would like to use my 5d but maybe the 100-400L is fast enough, and it sure is long enough.

i did use the 100-400L with my 30d on dogs running on the beach and it did okay (better than i thought) but i'd like to hear some other opinions.

also, has anyone compared the zoom to, say, the 300L f4 IS for shooting sports?

thanx,

ed rader

[Jamie Holladay]

the 300 f/4 L would be my suggestion, that was the answer I got when I asked about the two for motorsports shooting. That is my next lense. You can always get a 1.4x TC for additional length with out loosing AF or IQ.

[ed rader]

the 300 f/4 L would be my suggestion, that was the answer I got when I asked about the two for motorsports shooting. That is my next lense. You can always get a 1.4x TC for additional length with out loosing AF or IQ.


actually i did own the 300L f4 IS. didn't really care for the IQ or AF speed with a 1.4 TC tho.

i can tell you the 100-400L will AF faster than the 300L f4 + TC.

without TC the 300L f4 IS is a great prime for sports ... :D.

ed rader

[Super-Nicko]

Hi Ed,

Are you referring to AF speed when you mean fast in this case? I dont have alot of other lenses to compare it to but i do know that when i used it to shoot the red bull air race it could easily keep up and i dont think i got any OOF shots that werent my fault. I found it harder to keep on target than getting the sucker to focus fast enough.

When i first got the lens i tested it down the road on cars coming towards me at 60km/hr and had no OOF shots.

At the kids pony club with the adults on horses at full gallop my shots were pretty much all in focus and could follow the action.

More importantly for this lens is the fact that its 5.6 and if your meaning fast enough in that aspect then for good daytime events it is but for overcast shadowy events then possibly not.

I know your a long time POTN'er and have more experience than myself in photography, at first i thought you were looking to get one but im sure you already have a 100-400? and hence the Q. Unscientifically speaking im finding the 40d to be a bit quicker and more responsive than the 5d for the action stuff... but that may also be in shutter speed and sharpness of actually taking the shot..

not sure if any of this actually helps but as my only long zoom ive tested it on everything i can get.. including a recent bushfire and firebombing choppers to which it did not miss a beat.

Cheers, Nick.

[artyboy]

photo guru ed rader posting a question? damn.. i've always look up to him for answers! :) had always wanted the 100-400 at the back of my mind, but went for the 70-200 F/4 instead due to IQ considerations. how come the 28-300 seldom get attention on the forums? its also one of those all-in-one lenses and an L at that too.

[ed rader]

Hi Ed,

Are you referring to AF speed when you mean fast in this case? I dont have alot of other lenses to compare it to but i do know that when i used it to shoot the red bull air race it could easily keep up and i dont think i got any OOF shots that werent my fault. I found it harder to keep on target than getting the sucker to focus fast enough.

When i first got the lens i tested it down the road on cars coming towards me at 60km/hr and had no OOF shots.

At the kids pony club with the adults on horses at full gallop my shots were pretty much all in focus and could follow the action.

More importantly for this lens is the fact that its 5.6 and if your meaning fast enough in that aspect then for good daytime events it is but for overcast shadowy events then possibly not.

I know your a long time POTN'er and have more experience than myself in photography, at first i thought you were looking to get one but im sure you already have a 100-400? and hence the Q. Unscientifically speaking im finding the 40d to be a bit quicker and more responsive than the 5d for the action stuff... but that may also be in shutter speed and sharpness of actually taking the shot..

not sure if any of this actually helps but as my only long zoom ive tested it on everything i can get.. including a recent bushfire and firebombing choppers to which it did not miss a beat.

Cheers, Nick.


it helps alot Nicko -- i am talking about AF speed -- that's what i want to hear. i have the 5d and the 30d. i think the 5d is a bit better in servo and for the stuff i will be shooting i can get away with 3 fps especially with a longer lens.

i'm talking about the tour of california (bicycle race). i used the 5d last year with 300L f4 IS and got pretty good results but i sold the 300L to get the 100-400L.

so i'm wondering if the 100-400L would work with the 5d. i can always use the 30d with my 70-200L but i'd rather use the 5d because the colors of the uniforms just POP with that camera.

anyhow thanx....and BTW a countryman of yours is one of my very favorite bike racers....


http://www.fototime.com/F4ADAE71149BA9B/orig.jpg

ed rader

[Super-Nicko]

No worries Ed,

Ill be honest - i havent used the 100-400 alot on the 5d... what i will tell you is that with the 70-200 f4 on the 5d i never had a problem with the camera not being able to follow a target - or the 70-200 f4 for that matter. The 5D for the same aperture gets much better background blur and i can see why this makes your shots pop more - and this would be especially useful when using a 5.6 lens. My unscientific tests make an f 2.8 on 40d shot look the same as f4 on 5D - i know theres a technical reason for this but it doesnt matter - we can call it the 5d 'pop factor' :)

[ed rader]

No worries Ed,

Ill be honest - i havent used the 100-400 alot on the 5d... what i will tell you is that with the 70-200 f4 on the 5d i never had a problem with the camera not being able to follow a target - or the 70-200 f4 for that matter. The 5D for the same aperture gets much better background blur and i can see why this makes your shots pop more - and this would be especially useful when using a 5.6 lens. My unscientific tests make an f 2.8 on 40d shot look the same as f4 on 5D - i know theres a technical reason for this but it doesnt matter - we can call it the 5d 'pop factor' :)


if you have the same framing DOF will be narrower for the 5d because of the longer lens.

i'll also use the 70-200L f4 IS on the road stage when i'm right next to the riders at the top of steep climb but for the time trials 200m on the 5d is too short.

i think i'll practice with the 100-400L until the race which is two months and determine if i need another lens.

this is a big race and the way cycling is going downhill because of doping i'm treating this year like it could be the last.

thanx again 8).

ed rader

[Super-Nicko]

Ed - you ruined my opportunity to coin the phrase "5D pop factor" with your scientific talk :):):)

[ed rader]

Ed - you ruined my opportunity to coin the phrase "5D pop factor" with your scientific talk :):):)


well i'm not a very scientific person or a guru but i do know the 5d images have that special pop to them :D.

ed rader

[downhillnews]

[quote=ed rader;4532411]it helps alot Nicko -- i am talking about AF speed -- that's what i want to hear. i have the 5d and the 30d. i think the 5d is a bit better in servo and for the stuff i will be shooting i can get away with 3 fps especially with a longer lens.

i'm talking about the tour of california (bicycle race). i used the 5d last year with 300L f4 IS and got pretty good results but i sold the 300L to get the 100-400L.

so i'm wondering if the 100-400L would work with the 5d. i can always use the 30d with my 70-200L but i'd rather use the 5d because the colors of the uniforms just POP with that camera.

anyhow thanx....and BTW a countryman of yours is one of my very favorite bike racers....


I will be shooting that also and am using a 70-200 F2.8 on 1 body, the 100-400 on the 1Dn body and a 24-70 with flash on the third body!!! I am hunting for the right spot. There is a spot N of me where the ocean is the backdrop and large redwoods rise high and the turn goes right. So TRI POD the 100-400, freehand the 70-200 and then whip up the shorty with flash.:lol:

[::John::]

Ed,

5D and 100-400 @ 400 (http://www.kiwi-in-oz.com/pictures/photos/big/IMG39316.jpg) - they weren't idling by ;)... it was my combo of choice at airshows until I got the 40D

[ed rader]

[quote=ed rader;4532411]it helps alot Nicko -- i am talking about AF speed -- that's what i want to hear. i have the 5d and the 30d. i think the 5d is a bit better in servo and for the stuff i will be shooting i can get away with 3 fps especially with a longer lens.

i'm talking about the tour of california (bicycle race). i used the 5d last year with 300L f4 IS and got pretty good results but i sold the 300L to get the 100-400L.

so i'm wondering if the 100-400L would work with the 5d. i can always use the 30d with my 70-200L but i'd rather use the 5d because the colors of the uniforms just POP with that camera.

anyhow thanx....and BTW a countryman of yours is one of my very favorite bike racers....


I will be shooting that also and am using a 70-200 F2.8 on 1 body, the 100-400 on the 1Dn body and a 24-70 with flash on the third body!!! I am hunting for the right spot. There is a spot N of me where the ocean is the backdrop and large redwoods rise high and the turn goes right. So TRI POD the 100-400, freehand the 70-200 and then whip up the shorty with flash.:lol:

what stage will you be shooting? for the past two years i caught the race near the top of the sierra road climb on stage 3 here in san jose.

i plan to do that again this year. for the road stage i'll use the 70-200L on the 5d and i plan to use the 17-40L on the 30d on a tripod and trigger it with a remote.

of course if it rains the plan will change :D.

i want to use a longer lens at the time trials. the prologue is at stanford this year and then i'll travel down to solvang for the stage 5 ITT.

sounds like the 100-400L will be fine :D.

ed rader

[ed rader]

Ed,

5D and 100-400 @ 400 (http://www.kiwi-in-oz.com/pictures/photos/big/IMG39316.jpg) - they weren't idling by ;)... it was my combo of choice at airshows until I got the 40D

that's good to know John. thank you :D.

ed rader

[khnordeen]

I have heard that the Sigma 100-300 f/4 is a very common lens for motorsports, so I am sure this lens would be able to keep up with the action in an event such as this if you end up considering something else.

[GSH]

If you have decent light it will be ok but if it's overcast or the light is fading later in the day it will struggle. That's why i rarely use mine these days.

I might have to seek out some Airshows next summer to get any use out of it, assuming we actually get a summer in 2008. Or i may just sell it.

[pete.rush]

what i mean by fast is 20-30 miles an hour like a bicycle race or dogs running on the beach.

i keep thinking i need a longer lens for sports because i would like to use my 5d but maybe the 100-400L is fast enough, and it sure is long enough.

i did use the 100-400L with my 30d on dogs running on the beach and it did okay (better than i thought) but i'd like to hear some other opinions.

also, has anyone compared the zoom to, say, the 300L f4 IS for shooting sports?

thanx,

ed rader

I've had really good results with the 300mm f4 IS shooting fast jets and motorsports (is a great lens and good value for money), also using the 70-200mm f2.8 with 1.4x TC as another great combo for sports.....The 100-400 is a great lens, very versitile, but struggles in low light, so work struggle to work for indoor events unless the lighting was really good. Also have a look at the sigma 100-300mm f4, about the same price as the 300 or if you have the budget look at the sigma 120-300mm f2.8

Thanks the reason why I haven't bought the 100-400mm, praying and hoping that canon pull their finger out and make a decent fast zoom longer than 200mm....a 100-400mm f4 would be stonking

Peter

[gpx4]

I'm in the same dilemma. Will be testing a mint pre-owned 100-400 IS tomorrow. Was planning to use it for wakeboarding and surfing with a 30D and possibly a 40D soon. Is it really that slow (AF) even on a 9 crosshair AF of the 40D?

[Super-Nicko]

Hey gpx4 - i think they were talking about slowness of it being 5.6. Its AF is fast. its fast on my 40d as mentioned on page 1. All goood, i use it for heaps of things -unless your wakeboarding is in the early morning or late afternoon you will be fine....

You wouldnt use 100-400 from the boat would you? I wanna shoot from the boat - was thinking of using the 24-105 or 70-200

[ed rader]

I've had really good results with the 300mm f4 IS shooting fast jets and motorsports (is a great lens and good value for money), also using the 70-200mm f2.8 with 1.4x TC as another great combo for sports.....The 100-400 is a great lens, very versitile, but struggles in low light, so work struggle to work for indoor events unless the lighting was really good. Also have a look at the sigma 100-300mm f4, about the same price as the 300 or if you have the budget look at the sigma 120-300mm f2.8

Thanks the reason why I haven't bought the 100-400mm, praying and hoping that canon pull their finger out and make a decent fast zoom longer than 200mm....a 100-400mm f4 would be stonking

Peter

it would also cost 3x as much, at least. the 100-400L is great just the way it is but it isn't meant for indoor use. light isn't a problem for me.

ed rader

[ed rader]

I'm in the same dilemma. Will be testing a mint pre-owned 100-400 IS tomorrow. Was planning to use it for wakeboarding and surfing with a 30D and possibly a 40D soon. Is it really that slow (AF) even on a 9 crosshair AF of the 40D?


for surfing the 100-400L is great :D!

ed rader

[gpx4]

Not from the boat, it's a cable wake park where the World Series 2008 will be held.

http://www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com/

Hope it's also good for sports cause I (don't) haven't shot WL or birds yet.:confused:

Hey gpx4 - i think they were talking about slowness of it being 5.6. Its AF is fast. its fast on my 40d as mentioned on page 1. All goood, i use it for heaps of things -unless your wakeboarding is in the early morning or late afternoon you will be fine....

You wouldnt use 100-400 from the boat would you? I wanna shoot from the boat - was thinking of using the 24-105 or 70-200

[ed rader]

Not from the boat, it's a cable wake park where the World Series 2008 will be held.

http://www.camsurwatersportscomplex.com/

Hope it's also good for sports cause I (don't) haven't shot WL or birds yet.:confused:

sorry. you lost me. is this a night time event?

ed rader

[downhillnews]

sorry. you lost me. is this a night time event?

ed rader

Ed,
I live in San Luis Obispo so just above the Solvang event! I am going to drive up HWY 1 some more and try to find this spot again.

[gpx4]

@ed the wake boarding events are during the day but usually ends at dusk.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/novellsteel/sets/72157600273684230/detail/

sorry. you lost me. is this a night time event?

ed rader

[ed rader]

Ed,
I live in San Luis Obispo so just above the Solvang event! I am going to drive up HWY 1 some more and try to find this spot again.

i want to do that too! i assume it's a rolling closure....do you know how far in advance thay close highway 1 down?

you should try to make it to san jose. this year they are climbing the back side of mt hamilton BEFORE they take on sierra road (10% for three miles).

i'll be near the top of sierra road.

ed rader

[Larry Weinman]

Having owned both of thes lenses I would say emphatically that the 100-400 will focus faster then the 300 f4 with1.4 TC. It will also give you allot more versatility

[downhillnews]

i want to do that too! i assume it's a rolling closure....do you know how far in advance thay close highway 1 down?

you should try to make it to san jose. this year they are climbing the back side of mt hamilton BEFORE they take on sierra road (10% for three miles).

i'll be near the top of sierra road.

ed rader

I think it is closed about 2 hours before. I have to check with the local riders again.

[ed rader]

I think it is closed about 2 hours before. I have to check with the local riders again.


cool i'd sure like to park somewhere by the bixby bridge but i wasn't sure when the road closed or if there would be any parking.

ed rader

[e.pie]

I shot a hockey game with it no problem :)

[pete.rush]

it would also cost 3x as much, at least. the 100-400L is great just the way it is but it isn't meant for indoor use. light isn't a problem for me.

ed rader

This lens is great....would have loved to take it to OZ, South Africa etc for Hols....but most of the time shot in the UK....weather and light conditions are for the most part against us, and taking photo's of fast jets in wales, or F1 cars at Silverstone or superbikes around brands hatch this lens struggles... it needs good light to get the most from it, and that can't be guarantee'd....Peter

[AdamJL]

So long as you have bright light, it'll be fine. If not, good luck, its performance falls off significantly.

[JC4]

Like a number of people above, I've used the 100-400 for Cars, Bikes and Jets, with NO AF speed issues. I use a 1d, so that might be faster at AF than a 5d, but I doubt it'll have an issue keeping up with bikes. Like most slower focusing lenses, the 1-4 is slow going from one end to the other, but tracking a moving object is not an issue.

I'd recommend taking your 5d + 1-4 to the location you intend to shoot, and try tracking some cars. They should be much faster, and I bet you'll have not trouble getting sharp images.

The only issue I see with the 1-4 is possibly being a stop or two slower than you'd like on a gloomy day. Colors wont pop on a gloomy day anyway, so might as well bump up the ISO.

[rang]

Having owned both of thes lenses I would say emphatically that the 100-400 will focus faster then the 300 f4 with1.4 TC. It will also give you allot more versatility

I didn't like my 300 f/4 IS L + 1.4 TC combo for soccer let alone faster stuff.
Replaced with 100-400 and am much, much, happier. Used back button focusing with both setups.