Which glass?

[ArtierSquare]

I have just bought the 1D Mk II. It is without doubt just the most fantastic bit of kit. As the £/$ is soo good for me here, :D , I am going to B and H in a few days to buy new lenses as my current lenses are for my old EOS 5...

I have decided on three of my four lenses but the last one is a problem.

I should like a good quality 400mm lense without paying the price of the Canon IS range!

F4 or F4/5.6 is about where I was going to pitch my purchase. I have checked dpreview but couldn't find any suitable advice there.

Your advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance

[Jon]

Why not the 100-400 IS L? Why dumb down a Mk II with someone else's glass?

[roanjohn]

There is a Canon 400 f5.6 prime............a bit cheaper without the IS.

OR-

With an extra 100 at the tele end...........you can get a BIGMA!!! Even much less than the Canon 100-400 IS version.

Ro1

[CyberDyneSystems]

Canon has three 400mm primes..

the fabulously affordable 400mm f/5.6L.
It lacks IS and is has the f/5.6 limitation. Still fast AF and sharp as a tack.

Next is the 400mm f/4 DO IS.. but this "mofo" is hugely pricey... 4 times the cost of the f/5.6 and not as sharp :(

Then it's the 400mm f/2.8L IS.... even more pricey and as heavy as a 600mm f/4

A tough call....

Were I you.. all I would be considering is the f/5.6.. and If I wanted "more" the next lens I'd be looking at is the 300mm f/2.8L IS.

[MrChad]

I'd much rather have the 70-200 f2.8L IS with a 2x converter any day.
Less gear to lug and the 70-200 has to be one of the best lenses ever period.

[drisley]

You could also get the EF 300mm f4L IS lens and also the EF 1.4x extender. Reports are that this combo is just as sharp with the extender (some say it's sharper) as the 400mm f5.6L. This combo is definately sharper than the 100-400mm L.
This way you get IS, plus 2 focal lengths.
I'm not sure how much the focus speed is affected with the extender. I'm sure it's still faster than the 100-400mm L, but may not be as fast as the 400mm f5.6L alone.
In my experience the 135 F2L is just as sharp with the 1.4x extender, but focus speed goes from blazingly fast without the extender to just fast with the extender. WIthout the extender this prime has faster autofocus than the 70-200 F4L, but with the extender it focuses about the same as the 70-200 F4L.
The 300 F4L IS is the route I'm going, along with the extender when needed.

[ArtierSquare]

The three I'm going for are:

* Canon zoom Super Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
* Canon zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
* Canon zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer

Is it therefore in my best interest, rather than buy an affordable prime, to buy a 2x converter?

I shall await your views and in the meanwhile pop out to get some pics with my old lenses... There is a beautiful sun rising over the hills and its frosty as hell out there!!!

Best wishes

[Canuck]

The three I'm going for are:

* Canon zoom Super Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
* Canon zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
* Canon zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer

Is it therefore in my best interest, rather than buy an affordable prime, to buy a 2x converter?

I shall await your views and in the meanwhile pop out to get some pics with my old lenses... There is a beautiful sun rising over the hills and its frosty as hell out there!!!

Best wishes

I have the 16-35L and 24-70L and really like both of them. For reach I have the Sigma 120-300mm F2.8EX lens which is awseome as well. By the way, when you go from £ to $ you loose a little...I suspect you will get about $1.90 for your £.

[Jon]

The three I'm going for are:

* Canon zoom Super Wide Angle EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM
* Canon zoom Wide Angle-Telephoto EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM
* Canon zoom Telephoto EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Image Stabilizer

Is it therefore in my best interest, rather than buy an affordable prime, to buy a 2x converter?



I don't think there's a 2X TC out there that's worthy of that glass. The 1.4X ones seem to be pretty good, but the 2X ones have noticeable degradation, and the concensus around here seems to bethat it doesn't matter whose it is.