Lens Comparison

[Spatch]

I don't know if anyone is interested but as I received my 300 F4L today I thought I would have some fun and compare all my lenses. Other lenses are 70-200 F2.8L and 17-40F4L. The results below are 100% crops with no post processing. All picture taken on a tripod.

300 @ F4
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/Spatch/Test/167_6791crop.jpg

300 @ F8
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/Spatch/Test/167_6792crop.jpg

70-200 @ F2.8 (200)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/Spatch/Test/167_6793crop.jpg

70-200 @ F8 (200)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/Spatch/Test/167_6795crop.jpg

17-40 @ F4 (40)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/Spatch/Test/167_6796crop.jpg

17-40 @ F8 (40)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v34/Spatch/Test/167_6798crop.jpg

I am very happy with the 300, it looks fabulously sharp. I would have expected slightly better from the 70-200 @ F2.8 but I am now wondering if the focus was spot on. I was rather impressed with the 17-40 though. At F8 there was not a lot to choose between them. I also have filters on the 70-200 and 17-40 so I may repeat the tests without these on to see if there is any difference.

Cheers,

[the.digital.guy]

I still like the Sharpness of the 70-200 F2.8L

[Phil V]

The focus doesn't appear to be in the same place on the samples, so it's difficult to draw any conclusions.

[Spatch]

Whilst the size of the actual picture may be slightly different, the focus points were all in exactly the same place. I only use the centre square to focus with.

[ron chappel]

The 70-200 could be back(?) focussing.
To be absolutally sure take several pics (manually focused) then keep the sharpest.

Well done on comparing these lenses at equal magnification!!!
Very few people think to do that when comparing different focal length lenses.

[Spatch]

Ron,

Thanks for the feedback. I have been a bit concerned that the lens is actually back focusing (I posted a thread on this a few weeks ago but thought I had found out why (however these tests have blown my theory out of the water). I will try to manual focusing but I will also take the filters off - although I do not think that the filters will make that much difference. If it does turn out to be back focusing then I will have to take it back for re-calibration.

Cheers,