(1D Series Owners) How Many of You...

industryimage wrote in post #14444333
Don't have a 100-400 but hears a few with 1d mk2 300mm f2.8 and a 2xII handheld

and 100% crop


next ones taken 1d mk2 300mm f2.8 and a 1.4xII handheld

and 100% crop


Warren

Warren,

That's pretty sharp, for sure!
If I could afford one of those, I might be persuaded to do that, but I can't afford that lens, or any other 2.8 I don't think, not the way prices are sky-high on those.
What I have heard about that lens is true, it sharp, and even with the extenders!
How is that set-up with BiF?

Thanks Warren, I really appreciate you're input on this.

Randy

Randy I haven't read all the answers but personally I will spend $3000 on a lens first before the camera body. 300mm f2.8 IS with even decade old 1dmk2 is better than 100-400L with 1dmk4 IMHO. Now some will disagree. I have had used 100-400L, 400mm f5.6, 500mm f4 and 300mm f2.8 IS.

Bobby,

I know what you mean, but I am getting the mkIV for other reasons too, I needed a low-light camera, one that does what I need, the lack of noise, and also, mainly the focus points on it, I like that. I know I could get a 7D, but I have thought and thought about this, this is what I really want.

Yeah, I agree though on the lenses you mentioned, I've learned a lot since I posted this, not enough though, but enough to make me think of what is realistic for me, mostly monetarily.

Really, I am not opposed in buying a $3,000. lens that will do what I want, if I could find one, there is definitely a shortage of lenses out there that are in the same category. Also, it doesn't have to be new, I prefer it to NOT be actually, it helps saving money. heheh
I see a lot of DO lenses on e-Bay, but after reading up on them, I am not interested any longer, due to their soft backgrounds and strange flare/bokeh. (I may have worded that wrong, but the images I have seen I am not that impressed with)

Thank you for that though, that all helps, and I'll keep re-reading this thread until it all soaks into my noggin enough, hopefully soon.

By the way, I saw a 400mm that I really would buy in a minute, but it's LOCAL only, in San Francisco, and I'm in Texas, so, if only...
I'm not really being a tightwad, but rather a brokewad... heheh
The 400mm f/2.8 L IS Lens...
You can't find these anywhere, it seems...

Randy

What you shooting more, like sports, birds, need to describe. What sports, any birds?

In the beginning of this thread, I mentioned I was a birds in flight (BiF) shooter, that is about 90% or so what I do, no sports at all, some landscape and if I get a chance to do wildlife, (anything) I'll do that too.

Thanks Bobby,

Randy

Then why do you need 1dmk4? I would pick 7d. Lens wise 400mm f4.6 over 100-400L any day night for BIFs.

bobbyz wrote in post #14445976
Then why do you need 1dmk4? I would pick 7d. Lens wise 400mm f4.6 over 100-400L any day night for BIFs.

Like I said, I have given this a lot of thought, and my decision was to go with the 1DmkIV, I realize I could save a LOT of money going with the 7D, but from the comparisons I have done, I like my choice.
I'm after sharp, low-light/low-noise capabilities, and so on.

It may not be what some people want, like, in 1985, I bought a new Corvette, it was beautiful, fast, got 30mpg highway, and had all of the bells and whistles, I loved it, for awhile, I soon found out it just didn't fit my lifestyle. I got rid of it and got a pick-up, I did more outdoors stuff than I needed to ride around in a sporty car. The moral is, there is no moral, heheh, sometimes I like to do what I want to do, and at my age, this may possibly be my last chance to own a really nice camera, so I'm going for it, whether I'm right or wrong. Now the lenses, that's something else, I'm definitely open to ANY suggestions on that stuff.
The 100-400mm L IS is good for what I do, I use the zoom a LOT, there are many times that I wouldn't get the shot I wanted due to it being close if I had the prime 400mm, but, you get what you need for the job, and I want a 400mm prime, mainly to check it out, and see the difference for myself. When I first wanted a 400mm, I went back and forth with the 400mm prime and the 100-400mm zoom, I chose the zoom for my shooting style.

I am not against the 400f/4.6 either, I plan on checking out how good the 100-400 I have is, since I already have it, if it's not working good for me, then I will start looking at other lenses. This is a lot of fun to do, but it's also not at the same time, shopping's hard to do. heheh

Randy

I really love the 400mmF5.6 on my 1dIII for action subjects, birds, racing, dogs, or most other subjects. Always hand held for freedom of action, I could not wish for a more suitable lens
Cheers,
Don

Shotted wrote in post #14498884
I really love the 400mmF5.6 on my 1dIII for action subjects, birds, racing, dogs, or most other subjects. Always hand held for freedom of action, I could not wish for a more suitable lens
Cheers,
Don

Don,

I'm sorry I didn't see your post, I didn't mean to overlook your pictures.
You took so very good shots with that set-up, that is exactly what I need, good shots.

Thank you for taking the time to show me what I need.

Randy

In case it matters to anyone, maybe someone that was planning on doing something similar...

Anyway, what I ended up doing was buying a 1DmkIV (out of the Classifieds here) and a 400mm f/3.8 L IS USM (also from the classifieds here), so that is where I am at at this point.

I just got back from a short 3-day trip (800 miles) from Texas to Southwestern Oklahoma to the Wichita Wildlife Mountain Refuge, I LOVED that area, I'm going back, real soon... (I highly recommend that place, when it is a little cooler, like in the Fall!)
I used the 400mm lens and a Kenko brand 1.4 extender to help me along. I got really good results with it, that is what I wanted, so my purchase (to me) was a good one. I do plan on getting a Canon brand 1.4 II extender soon, I don't need the options that a 1.4 III has, at least not that I am aware of.
The focus speed was fine, better than fine, I couldn't tell I had an extender on actually. I took only a handful of shots without the extender, so I can't say what would've happened had I not had it on. (I'm sure it'd be good though!) The ONLY time I had any problem at all was when I was at Possum Kingdom Lake (In West Texas) and I had a buck (in velvet) in my sights and I couldn't get him all in the there.
I was actually asking about BiF when I posted, and to be honest, there weren't many shots I had a chance to do that with. This 400mm f/2.8 is HEAVY, (12lbs not counting the 1DIV or the 1.4 X) and I shot 99.9% of the time hand-held, 'just because', really, I didn't want to hassle of me setting it up every time I stopped. I mostly shot from my SUV, I had a piece of closed cell foam that I slit to fit my window, it worked PERFECT!
I had planned on trying out the Kenko 2x extender also, but I had such a full schedule, I didn't even get it out once. I had also planned on stacking them, 'just to see', maybe next time.
The only time I used my monopod was when I was videoing the prairie dogs for my wife so she could see them, and that was using my 400mm/1.4x on my 5DII.

So, really, I got exactly what I was needing and wanting, the only drawback to this set-up is the weight, of course, I have a monopod and a gimbal mount for when I do get to shoot BiF, or hiking any distance.
I ain't going to lie, I trembled and sweated when I held it any length of time at all, and I know it's not to be hand-held, but I had to in the way I was traveling. Some of my shots showed that I was having trouble keeping the camera and lens steady, so my focus was occasionally off, but I'm still learning it too, hopefully I'll get better soon.

What I should have done was have the 1DIV with the 1.4 extender on my 400mm f/2.8 lens, my 100-400mm L on my 5DII, and brought a 3rd camera, my T2i with my 100mm Macro lens, that would've been perfect! I say that because I like macro too, and the insects were everywhere out there. I had a 14mm wide-angle Rokinon lens for landscapes on the 5DII most of the time, and sometimes switched it out for my Canon 28-105mm.
Mostly, I took landscape shots, but some mammals, (Bison, Longhorn, and prairie dogs) and some birds, mostly sitting, not many flying, and some insects.
All I know is, I had the best time I have had in a long time, saw a LOT of cool stuff, and RELAXED, really a good time, cameras or not. (O.K., that last part is more of a lie, but it sounded good!) heheh
What was strange to me, I didn't ever mount my 100-400mm L lens on any camera, it stayed in my bag, that is a first, it never, EVER left my main camera before.

Thank you to all that helped me understand my decision, and helped me think of what I might need, you never know until you ask...

Randy