70-300mm IS vs. 70-200mm f/4L

For what its worth, I have a 70-300mm and am planning on selling it for a 70-200L. I've never been completely happy with the sharpness of my 70-300.

hsmoscout wrote in post #10263734
So you think the sharpness is worth the hassle of the TC, the weight, the size

Yes, it is more than worth it. The loss of IS is the only unfortunate factor, but with wildlife photography you'd want to keep the shutter speed high anyway to prevent subject movement.

hsmoscout wrote in post #10263734
and the awkward stares from random strangers that I've heard come with big white L lenses?

This is the most comical part of owning a white lens. The ridiculously stupid things people say to you

Click here for comedy

DavidTK wrote in post #10263615
Tough call, but even as a happy former owner of a 70-300, I'd go with the 70-200 IS. I did like the fact that the 70-300 was small and the IS was pretty good, but the focus was slow at times. I was able to get some pretty good pictures from it (see my thread below), but there were plenty of times I found the sharpness lacking. If that's your main priority, I say go with the 70-200 and crop or buy an extender.

https://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthre​ad.php?t=750950

+1 . When the focus was on it was great. Liked the color, range, and form factor, but sometimes the focus was maddingly slow and inconsistant. One day it was great, other days in slightly different light it was terrible. My .02

Most 70-300 copies seem to be very good up to about 200mm and then taper off towards 300mm, but are good again at 300mm @ F/8. The softening is a slight halo sort of look that a lot of 100-400 copies seem to exhibit @ 400mm also.

I think the longer lenses get judged much more harshly because when people want reach they also tend to want more and more, and will crop their shots heavily too.

In summary if you're an extreme pixel peeper I think the 70-300 will disappoint. It's for taking photos, not for gear critics.

shaftmaster wrote in post #10263762
Is the 70-300 IS that much smaller? I own the 70-200 f/4L IS and I used to own the 75-300 IS and they seemed about the same size to me, but the 70-200 is probably heavier due to the better construction.

Size is really not a factor. Get the 70-200 4L

Here are some advantages the 70-200 has over the 70-300:

1) True "Ring Type" USM which provides full time manual focus.
2) Non rotating front element.
3) Internal focusing (lens length always stays the same)
4) Constant f4 aperture
5) Compatible with a 1.4 teleconverter
6) Focus distance scale
7) Better Build

The 70-300 IS is still lighter (much lighter and smaller when the TC is factored in), has IS, and an extra 100mm built-in. Also certainly cheaper than a 70-200 with a TC.

It's a tough choice. Cheaper versatility versus more expensive better IQ. IMO it depends what you're using it for. My 70-300 IS is mostly for airshows these days and I wouldn't use a 70-200 in its place.

As a happy two-camera family, we have both the 70-300 and the 70-200IS. We agree with the 7 points above. However, different tools for different purposes. For no-fuss snapshots in daylight of family, pets, walking on woodland trails, the 70-300 is very fine. It is light, has good reach, and is durable enough for normal use. The 70-200 is a delight for more creative and demanding shots, especially for prints larger than 8'' x 10". When both are available, I sometimes reach for one, other times for the other, depending on my mood. When viewed on screen, friends and family have never commented on the difference in the results. Be happy.

All very good info here. Just ask yourself if you want the best quality pictures, or if you want "convenient-good enough sometimes" pictures.

Well, I think all these comments make the choice pretty obvious. I'll order the 70-200mm tonight and soon I will be a proud L owner.

hsmoscout wrote in post #10266840
Well, I think all these comments make the choice pretty obvious. I'll order the 70-200mm tonight and soon I will be a proud L owner.

Ditto! I will guarrantee you will enjoy it