70-200mm f4 L - What a Cracker (Long)

[mdr]

Have used my 70-200mm f4 L lens for the first time in earnest while on holiday in Egypt, and what a joy it was :D:D:D. Lens performance and quality is absolutely fantastic and it puts the 100-300mm USM and, especially, the 75-300mm IS USM which I previously owned in the shade. The lens performed fantastic even handheld with the 1.4x TC.

Based on my experiences of the three lenses on my 20D and EOS3, my recommendations are:

If you're on a budget, go for the 100-300mm USM.
If you can afford it, go for the 70-200mm f4 L with 1.4x TC.
Most of my RAW files are still somewhere stuck in my workflow, but a few of my favorite shots are:

Taken with 20D, 70-200mm f4 L and Hoya Pro-1 UV(0) filter:
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=17&image_id=56
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=17&image_id=55
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=17&image_id=54
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=17&image_id=53
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=21&image_id=60

Taken with 20D, 70-200mm f4 L, 1.4x TC Mk I and Hoya Pro-1 protective UV(0) filter:
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=17&image_id=50
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=17&image_id=47
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=16&image_id=46
http://www.marcderidder.com/galleries/image.php?page=1&gallery_id=16&image_id=62

Feel free to nose around on my web site. You'll need a hard hat, as it is work in progress. The look and feel, and site navigation will change drastically in the next couple of days.

[cfcRebel]

Seems like a very pleasant trip. Very nice photos, marc! Congrats on the new lens!
I want that lens too. ;)

[ed2day]

Enjoyed your pics. Gotta love that lens.

[Medic1]

Nice pics...glad you posted them. I have the 70-200 f4L already and a TC....I am picking up the 20D next week. Nice to see what kind of results the 2 combos will get....

[mdr]

Go straight for the 70-200mm f4 L and 1.4x TC. Don't make the mistake I made and trade in your 100-300mm for the 75-300mm IS. You'll regret it big time.

[Vetteography]

You took some really nice shots! I expected more pyramids, camels and sphinx shots though, what kind of tourist are you? :D

[keithkorg]

wow nice and clear, i need to get a L lense.

mom!

[superstar]

Sweet pics - they look like something you would see in National Geographic.

[TTP]

Great Photo's!!
You sold me on that lense..
Actually it was already sold on me,,Now I really
want it , like now!!

[mdr]

One who enjoys seeign the real foreign country, their people and wildlife, and not just join buses of Japanese photographers at a tourist hot spot, tacky :D.

Of course I got plenty of temple and tomb photos, but these are still stuck in my workflow. We were in Upper Egypt (Luxor to Aswan) so nowhere near the pyramids ;).

[OceanView]

Don't know if it just me but some of those photos look a bit dark.
Anyone else notice?

[AprilShowers]

Not an expert but I noticed they were a at least 1-2 stops underexposed. For Egypt I'd expect sun and hard light. I think it could've been the filter causing a false reading?? Perhaps upping the ISO for some additional leeway would've allowed for more flexibility and color variance. very nice shots regardless. I'm envious that you were in Egypt- can't wait to get there!!!

[BlueTit]

I like the photos as they are, I also like that they are not the typical holiday subjects. Sweet lens ok.

[guitarman3]

Great photos, Marc! I particularly like the one with the 2 guys in the greenish boat, using their make-shift paddles. The blue boat in the upper right corner seems to help frame the shot. When I get my 70-200 4L next week, I know I won't be shooting in a foreign country but I'm hoping to get some sharp shots in the Portland area! Maybe my next purchase should be the 1.4x converter!!

[mdr]

A Hoya Pro-1 UV(0) filter for lens protection on it. Wouldn't have thought that this would cause a false reading.

Tweaked the colour space slightly using Fred Miranda's Velvia Vision. Is it maybe colour saturation rather than under exposure? I will post a couple without this change tonight when I get home so you can assess.

[NJPhotoGuy]

I just received my 70-200 f/4 this past Monday and have a couple weeks now to get somewhat used to it before leaving on a boat cruise. I'm really looking forward to getting some decent shots with it now that I have that little extra zoom range on my 20D.

Prior to going digital, I was always a film camera guy. I toted around a Canon AE1-P for over 15 years, with a multitude of Canon FD lenses, including a 300mm that got me in right in where I wanted to be. Now having this 70-200 on a digital camera, and taking into account that 1.6 factor because I'm using a 20D vs the AE1-P, at the farthest zoom, I'm thinking this should get me out close to what I was used to seeing at 300mm via my old film-based set up. Based on what others have posted here in this forum, I can't wait to see what this lens can really do once I start to use it.