A Little help on picking a lens....

Hey all, looking at my equipment list (5d3, 24mm II, 50 1.2, 24-104, 70-200 2.8 IS II, I am wanting to get a longer lens than what I currently have. My longest lens is a 70-200 2.8 IS II. I have a 1.4 Kenko teleconvertor. They do work well together. The problem is since selling my 1DMKIII and buying the 5dIII, I have lost some reach going to the FF.

I usually shoot trucks and their respective custom shows, but I wanna start going to air shows and the zoo more ( especially since I have that pesky membership). I have been perusing the forum and have seen the discussions between 70-300L and 100-400L, but I have seen no one with a 5dIII asking as such.

Some have stated the 5dIII has wakened their 100-400. There are more 100-400's out there and, therefore, more images out there from them.

So, the long part is over...here's the short: what should I get to do more long shot stuff from air shows, to beaches, to sky, wildlife, and zoos?


of course, I have always thought about the 28-300 for a great one lens for a quick trip, that gets me the 300mm, but not the 400.

Thanks!

Selling my 24mm 1.4L II to fund whichever I end up getting. I am a CPS gold member and there is an air show coming up in two weeks. I wanted to try out the one most recommended in this post.

I'd consider the 300mm f/4 L IS and the 400mm F/5.6 L both work quite well with the Kenko, and you'll squeeze out a bit more IQ from them as they are primes

The 70-300L was my solution when I had your problem from moving to a FF from a crop. Love this lens and it is compatible with your kenko extender.

I am shying away from primes on the long end, right now. Who knows maybe later I will venture into them, but for now I am looking for a zoom solution. Thanks, lannes. I see you have the 70-300, have you ever had the 100-400? Between those two, for a full frame camera?

Christina, thanks! I am torn. From what I have heard, the 100-400 comes alive on the 5d3, and I want the reach. I guess I could crop if I went with the 70-300, but I have the 70-200 and, I guess, I don't really wanna duplicate the 70-200 range…. Does the Kenko still allow for AF on the 5d3 with the 70-300?

OF course, I could buy a 2xIII canon convertor for the 70-200…cheaper and gives me 140-400 with, what I have heard is fast AF and good AF.

Many may disagree but, I found the Canon 2xIII gave results that were as good as, or better than my 100-400. I made the mistake of selling the 70-200 II and 2x III. Have just ordered both again. Look in the 70-200 II lens thread and you will see what I am talking about.

Sounds like your real options are the 70-300L and 100-400L. I love my 70-300L but since you have the 70-200 I would just go with the 100-400L.

I have used both 70-300 and 100-400 on Crop and FF. I prefer the 100-400.. for a couple reasons, IQ and reach. I will say the 70-300 IQ was not bad, but I fill the 100-400 had a edge on it.
Have a 5DIII coming from CPS towards the end of the month, but as of right now, cant comment on it 's performance on the 5DIII

If and when you receive a 100-400 for testing from CPS, with your 5DIII, be sure to post up your impressions.

As above, since you already have the 70-200, I'd just go with the 100-400 for your reach there.

lawdog2k wrote in post #15100932
I am shying away from primes on the long end, right now. Who knows maybe later I will venture into them, but for now I am looking for a zoom solution. Thanks, lannes. I see you have the 70-300, have you ever had the 100-400? Between those two, for a full frame camera?

Christina, thanks! I am torn. From what I have heard, the 100-400 comes alive on the 5d3, and I want the reach. I guess I could crop if I went with the 70-300, but I have the 70-200 and, I guess, I don't really wanna duplicate the 70-200 range…. Does the Kenko still allow for AF on the 5d3 with the 70-300?

OF course, I could buy a 2xIII canon convertor for the 70-200…cheaper and gives me 140-400 with, what I have heard is fast AF and good AF.

Well, since you already have a 70-200, maybe you should just go with the 100-400 for the reach ability.

As for the person who said it has an edge in sharpness over the 70-300L ... I dunno, maybe you had a soft copy because mine is equal to how sharp my 70-200 2.8II was - that I sold. I rented a 100-400 prior to this, and found it to be decent but not great. There are variances in the copies of any lens.

I can't 100% answer your question about the kenko still AF'ing - I think it does, on the 5D3. But I'm not sure because I don't use extenders myself. I'm only remembering from other posters on the lens sample thread for the 70-300L talking about it. You could ask them there, they are certain to have the answer!

I searched around in the 70-300 thread and it does look like the 1.4 will work because it only makes the lens an f8 at 400, which is the max for the camera. FYI.

Lookin some more around the forum and Internet, the 2xIII canon teleconvertor and 70-200 II looks to be a great combo.

Hhhmmm.

I have a Sigma 50-500 OS... Works very nicely on the 5D 3... If you can use one, a monopod to go along with it.. ( I see no reason why a 100-400L would not work as well- the Sigma just give you a bit more reach.. The amount of reach will seem less on a full frame than it will on a crop. ).

If you miss the reach, however, the most versatile option might be to pick up a crop body...

I've recently bought a 70-200 2.8 MkII and a 2x MkIII converter and with those on my 5D3 the IQ is as good as it was with my 100-400 L. I got a Sigma 150-500 OS at the start of the year and that gets used most of the time for airshows and wildlife but the 70-200 and 2x converter is a real alternative to it and as you already have a 70-200 MkII a 2x converter would definitely be a cheaper option.

lawdog2k wrote in post #15102630
I searched around in the 70-300 thread and it does look like the 1.4 will work because it only makes the lens an f8 at 400, which is the max for the camera. FYI.

Lookin some more around the forum and Internet, the 2xIII canon teleconvertor and 70-200 II looks to be a great combo.

Hhhmmm.

Does the 5diii AF at min f8? I thought it stopped at f5.6. I think only some 1d have f8. Even the new 1dx I don't think has AF at min aperture of f8?

jerber, you are right. After searching a little more, the 5d3 minimum focus aperture for phase detection AF is 5.6, but many have posted on Fred Miranda and other spots they have successful AF at f8 with the 5d3, Kenko 1.4, and the 100-400 at 400.

That would be with a non-reporting extender. I am one of those who posted on Fred Miranda regarding the same.

It is still not worth the hassle as AF will hunt around a lot and you REALLY need a lot of light.