Questions about 70-200mm 2.8 L IS USM

[NJDrew]

I’m in a bit of a dilemma. I shoot mostly motorsports (drifting to be exact) and I am looking to get a new lens for this year. I do allot of night shooting threw out the year, so I want to try for an f/2.8. The problem is, I want the 300mm 2.8 L IS USM, but its a ton of money. Will the 70-200mm do what I need? I shoot both pro and amateur events, so the amateur ones I can just about get as close as I want. The pro events not so much. I also saw that the zoom appears to be a ring type, not slide, so how hard is it to zoom and manual focus at the same time hand held? Impossible or a fast hand can do it?

Thanks for your help, Drew

P.S. My current gear is 10d +grip, 75-300 L f/5.6 non-is, non-usm lens.

[pcasciola]

If you need manual focusing, and your budget is as high as the 70-200mm L IS, check out the 100-400mm L IS. It's a few hundred cheaper, and uses push-pull zoom which allows you to zoom and focus using the same ring.

[DaveG]

I’m in a bit of a dilemma. I shoot mostly motorsports (drifting to be exact) and I am looking to get a new lens for this year. I do allot of night shooting threw out the year, so I want to try for an f/2.8. The problem is, I want the 300mm 2.8 L IS USM, but its a ton of money. Will the 70-200mm do what I need? I shoot both pro and amateur events, so the amateur ones I can just about get as close as I want. The pro events not so much. I also saw that the zoom appears to be a ring type, not slide, so how hard is it to zoom and manual focus at the same time hand held? Impossible or a fast hand can do it?

Thanks for your help, Drew

P.S. My current gear is 10d +grip, 75-300 L f/5.6 non-is, non-usm lens.


I think that the idea of a two ring zoom is to let the camera do the focusing while the photographer worries about the composition with the zoom. The 10D will work fine this way.

As for the zoom range it's effectively a 320mm lens fully zoomed so you'll have to ask yourself if it's far enough. One presumes that the subject size will change as the car heads down the track so the zoom feature - even with the 70-200's shorter focal length - gives you something that the 300 f2.8 won't.

Although the IS part of this lens is very nice, you might want to think about the non IS 70-200 f2.8L. I have that lens and it's wonderfully sharp. Do I wish that I had IS? Sure I do. It'd be useful for more than a few things and I could always turn it off. But not for the difference in price between the two lenses.

I'm going to use either lens with a monopod so camera/lens stability isn't as critical if I were to hand hold it. IS is not going to help with subject movement and there are times when I think that some shooters miss that point. Sure the camera is nice and steady but if the subject is moving at that shutterspeed then the picture is blurry. If I use a monopod and 1/500 second will my image be better with IS on or off? Possibly but with diminishing returns as the shutterspeed gets higher and higher.

If you were to get the non IS version of that lens you could also afford the 1.4X extender. This would change the focal length from 70-200 to 100-280 and therefore effectively to 160-450 at f4. I have the 1.4 extender, use it with my 70-200, and the results are excellent.

[jud]

Many areas have a camera store that will rent lenses. If you happen to be in or near such an area, it might be well worth it to rent one of each for a day and see for yourself. The 1.4x extender slows your lens by a full stop, which may be too slow for what you need. You can also bump up the ISO.

[NJDrew]

Thanks for the replies,

pcasciola - I like the idea of a higher end zoom lens, but how good is the f/4.5 end with low light?

DaveG - The problem with auto focus is when I use it, it focuses on the wrong area. So mid drift it will focus on the door not the nose, like I want.

ex.
http://www.blitzkriegmedia.com/IMG_9532_small.jpg

jud - I have been trying to find a place around here that rents lenses, but I havn't found any.

[friscomgm]

drew - shoot me an email at friscomgm AT yahoo.com - i shoot drifting a LOT.

check my galleries here:

http://www.friscomix.com/event_index.html

sample shot here:

http://www.friscomix.com/images/JGTC/slides/IMG_7689.html

I've shot with a drebel, 20d, 70-200IS, 70-200 f/4, 400 2.8 IS, 70-300 DO, etc, so I know what would be best.

honestly I'd get a 70-200IS and go for a 1.4 extender, then go for the 300 2.8IS after that.

most of my drifting is shot with the 70-200 IS fyi. although lately i've been LOVING the 400 2.8 - it's just ridiculously cumbersome to shoot with.

[Tom W]

I must be old - we used to call that "fishtailing". :)

Nice shots, BTW!

[CyberDyneSystems]

Drew.. if the 300mm f/2.8 IS is your goal,.. but you can't spring for it right now,. I think you are on the right track

In this case I would agree that the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS is your best choice.

[friscomgm]

Drew.. if the 300mm f/2.8 IS is your goal,.. but you can't spring for it right now,. I think you are on the right track

In this case I would agree that the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS is your best choice.

I most def. agree.

[pcasciola]

Are you going to be shooting at New Egypt or East Windsor by any chance?

[NJDrew]

friscomgm - I sent you an email.

pcasciola - In NJ, I only shoot at Englishtown Raceway, because thats only place DG does events at right now. However, FD is going to do an event here this summer at Wall Stadium. That one I will be at.

It sounds like the 70-200mm L 2.8 is my best bet, but Im still concerned about being able to zoom and manual focus quickly.