Age old question... 70-200mm

The Canon 70-200 f/4L USM

I am thinking about getting another lens (Im new to photography). The above lens is what im looking to get. Ive searched and searched and searched and my question still is...

Will this lens cover the following:

Motorsport (outdoor)
Shooting Landscapes
Everyday spontaneous shooting

The camera is have is a 400D (Rebel XTi). The only other lens I have is an old 28-80mm EF which isn't what I want anymore.

Im on a tight budget so thats why I am not contemplating the f/2.8 or the IS versions. Also I want it to be easy to carry around so the lighter the better.

Any advise would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

There are a zillion threads on this, but here goes. If you can afford it get the IS version of the f4. Its a newer design, its sharper, and the IS makes it a bit more versatile. The non IS is a good lens, but having had both, its worth the extra.

The 70-200 f4 is one of the best values around. Go for it!

Landscapes can be done, but get a nice tripod+head. The extra weight and the length of the 70-200 might test your existing setup especially in portrait mode.

Capeachy wrote in post #13897599
Landscapes can be done, but get a nice tripod+head. The extra weight and the length of the 70-200 might test your existing setup especially in portrait mode.

My tripod would 100% fail under a larger lens. Ive had to bodge it just to hold my current small lens!

A tripod is in the pipeline but at the moment everything I do is landscape.

Start with upgrading of 28-80 first. Get real and get 18-55, 55-250, better tripod and flash.
With those you could get spontaneous, take landscapes and sports.

You may find that you will have to use your 28-80 for spontaneous stuff, especially indoors since the lens can be a little too long for that.

It may be a little too long for landscape as well. I guess that depends on how far away you are. I was under the impression that you need to go wider for landscape stuff.

For outdoor motorsports it should do well. I also used it for outdoor portrait work.

If budget is tight I'd consider getting a 18-55 and a 55-250. While the 70-200 f4 is an excellent lens, I couldn't imagine using it as my every day walkabout.

Get a ''cheap" prime, suddenly all your shoots look very different

Motorsport - yes.
Landscape - yes.
Everyday shooting.....only if your idea of every photo involves medium to long telephoto. This actually kind of applies to the landscape part above. The 70-200 is a fantastic landscape lens for any landscape that is well suited to telephoto.

If you are not keeping the 28-80, I think you are going to find that 70mm is really, really narrow for your widest AOV. And if you do keep the 28-80, you may grow to dislike it as compared to the 70-200, but be stuck using it because the 70mm end of the 70-200 is so often too long.

It's going to suck at landscapes, especially on a crop (oh, unless its a landscape shot thats well-suited to a telephoto lens... I had one 3 years ago). Most people want a wider lens. But its all up to you. ƒ4 isn't an issue at all, tripod or not — you'll probably be deeper than ƒ4.

For motor, it would be fine. For everyday it might be long.

Thanks for your replies, only just managed to get back online as I work away from home.

The 28-80 is awful, I know. Its so slow at Af and most of the time the shot I wanted went by 5 minutes ago...

My one problem is the budget and its extremely tight. The motorsport may have to wait and hope to buy the 70-200 before the summer. Looks like ill get hold of the 50mm 1.8 for the time being and see what I can learn to do with that

Good choice!

The Canon 70-200 f/4L USM is great for any outdoor activity

As was mentioned in this thread - also pick up a prime (eg. 50mm 1.4 canon or siggy) for everything else and your on you way to assembling a good kit

Stuuk1 wrote in post #13916333
Looks like ill get hold of the 50mm 1.8 for the time being and see what I can learn to do with that

I don't see how that is going to address any of your needs.

If you can afford a 70-200/4 before long, surely you can afford the 18-55 IS + 55-250 IS pair that will go a long way towards your goal. You'd probably even have $300 left over for a functional tripod/head/plates.