Bought an EF 75-300mm f/4.0-5.6 EF IS

[mandingo]

Now starts the two day waiting period!
I wish I lived in a town that had a few camera shops!
I hate waiting for packages, but I enjoy getting new things!

[MrChad]

Once this lens arrives be prepared to hate the kit lens, the build of the IS USM is so much better then the kit lens, that you will begin to hate it.

I would just reserve yourself right now to selling the kit lens and start looking at either the 17-85 IS EFS or the 24-85mm EF.

I own a Sigma 18-125mm DC, but I took a gamble and got a good copy. You can take your chances with that too.

I love everything about the 75-300 IS, except the speed of the AF...I shot alot of auto-races for fun that I attend. Else it's a wonderful lens IMO.

[MadMesh]

your gona HATE your 75-300! haha I had one, and it got returned so fast. After 200mm, it just falls sooo soft. I dont care what anyone says, At 100% crop, @ 300mm, the pictures are too soft for any kind of enlargements.

And no im not being mean, i bought it for the 2nd Time from Dell.com after i thought.. maby it was a bad copy. NOPE! It Sucks.

If your gona buy a lens that falls super soft after 200mm. Id get the 70-200 f/4 (almost the same price)

And MrChad is right, it focuses super duper slow... He may like the lens, but for the $, id get something else. Im sure other people on this forum can back me up.

If you cant afford anything else, then maby you can stick it out, just dont expect a mirical lens at 300mm.

[Simon Spiers]

your gona HATE your 75-300! haha I had one, and it got returned so fast. After 200mm, it just falls sooo soft. I dont care what anyone says, At 100% crop, @ 300mm, the pictures are too soft for any kind of enlargements.

And no im not being mean, i bought it for the 2nd Time from Dell.com after i thought.. maby it was a bad copy. NOPE! It Sucks.

If your gona buy a lens that falls super soft after 200mm. Id get the 70-200 f/4 (almost the same price)

And MrChad is right, it focuses super duper slow... He may like the lens, but for the $, id get something else. Im sure other people on this forum can back me up.

If you cant afford anything else, then maby you can stick it out, just dont expect a mirical lens at 300mm.
I hope he isn't going to hate the lens ,however I had one and I did find it very soft wide open and over 200mm. Some copys are better I believe but I changed mine for a Sigma 70-300 APO II

[c3p1]

And do you find the Sigma lens better? or still soft at 300, but not as soft? Are their better options at this range and price?

I was looking to purchase the Canon 75-300 IS lens, so I would be interested to hear if you liked it.

[mandingo]

Well it will be here in a couple of days so I'll let you all know how it shoots.

[MDJAK]

Not as soft as people think: See here.

http://www.photo.net/equipment/canon/70-300do/

And take this:

http://www.e-fotografija.com/artman/publish/article_306.shtml
:)

[Sydor25]

This isn't that bad of a lens and most people talk about getting the 70-200mm L instead, but I love the additional reach of the 300mm of the 75-300mm IS lens.

I've had good success with faster shutter speeds, but the autofocus is a little slow.


Here is a shot at 300mm:

http://sydor25.com/Pictures/Sunset_4_30_05-230.jpg

[Zeke]

your gona HATE your 75-300! haha I had one, and it got returned so fast. After 200mm, it just falls sooo soft. I dont care what anyone says, At 100% crop, @ 300mm, the pictures are too soft for any kind of enlargements.

A good carpenter never blames his tools.

[Sonny]

i just bought one on monday, returned it wednesday cause the IS stopped working...got a new one and retured it thursday cause the IS stopped working on that one too...the third that was on the shelf squeeked when focusing....
No luck here on that lens

[c3p1]

Great shot Sydor25, looks sharp to me.
And thanks for the links MDJAK, very detailed. Sadly, it hasn't made this decision easier...mainly due to the money.
Can't wait to read your thoughts Mandingo! Please post a picture if possible.

[MadMesh]

haha, go ahead and buy it. I really dont care, its not my money. I used it, and used it well. That lens is terrible. Your $500 is well spent on something else.

[MadMesh]

And if your just looking for reach, I rather take the Sigma Bigma over that 75-300 clunker.

[MrChad]

I'd hardly call the lens a clunker, I have shots at the 140-160mm focal lengths shot at the same event using the 70-200 f4L and the 75-300 IS and you would be hard pressed to tell the two apart. But again the 200mm can't reach 300mm lens either. I've cropped and framed many a shot from this lens. It's build quality is quite nice too, it's hardly Canon kit lens cheap....

Yup, the lens can be soft at the 300mm end, please name a zoom lens under $1000 that will give you sharp photos at 300mm, it's a short to non-existant list, period. And I wouldn't really want to pack a Bigma or 100-400L in a vacation carryon either. 70-300 DO would be great for this, but it too is softer at it's 300mm end.

I love the IS, wonderful feature when needed. My only complaints with this lens are the focusing speed and rotating front barrel. But I don't shoot this lens all the time either.

[Outdoor23]

sydor - thats a really nice shot...and you were able to get it with the lens' slow focus?!?! that bird must be flying slow. Its a good price lens for it money..though its no L quality, but its no soo heavy and big as well

[zacker]

I got this lens also.. slower, but shoots nice none the less. I dont mind it. At any rate,i dont get paid to shoot so if i like the pics i get from this lens... thats my opinion, if you dont than thats your opinion. no two people HAVE to like the same things.
-zacker-

[MrChad]

sydor - thats a really nice shot...and you were able to get it with the lens' slow focus?!?! that bird must be flying slow. Its a good price lens for it money..though its no L quality, but its no soo heavy and big as well

For sports I pre-focus in M then switch to AF quickly to get my shots, anticipation is the key with this lens :)

[mandingo]

Been playing with the new lens. Here's a sample.
Link (http://www.guysmilie.com/IMG_0369.JPG)
I can sharpen it up one step in Photoshop and it looks better but over all I am very happy with the lens!

[nitsch]

Congratulations on the new lens Mandingo! Glad you are happy with the copy you've got. Sharpness at 300mm certainly seems comparable with my old Sigma 70-300 APO which I was very happy with. Have fun! :D