Had two copies of this lens. Twice I bought it expecting to shoot wildlife and twice I sold it as I noticed I shoot very little wildlife. Pity, as it was a really good lens. Build-in lens hood, fast(ish), light, well balanced and IS were making it a very good lens for me. Here is one of my latest shots (with 1.4X).
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1303031201' post='7692']
Good but the borders/corners could be a little better:[url="http://www.opticallimits.com/canon_eos_ff/611-canon300f4ff"]http://www.opticallimits.com/canon_eos_ff/611-canon300f4ff[/url]
[/quote]
Many thanks for this review, Klaus, and for other recent ones on the 5DII (the 400 f5.6L and the 70-300 f4.5-5.6L IS). I have the 400 f5.6L and the 300 f4L IS and my experience accords with your tests; indeed I bought them on the basis of your earler tests on APS-C. It is surprising how close the IMATEST results are for these lenses when you put them on a spreadsheet. I have been pleasantly surprised by the results for the new 70-300L IS zoom so it's very tempting to sell my 70-200 f4L IS, 300 and 400 (don't use it these days) and replace them with just the one lens. That said, having recently spent 4 days wandering around Madrid, Cuenca and Toledo in 28-30 deg heat carrying just a 5DII with a 17-40L and the 70-200L (travelling light!), the appeal of newer lighter cameras such as the GF2 or the Sony SLT A55 is growing by the hour. I miss those days with my old OM1 and a couple of light Zuiko lenses.
Michael
[quote name='HarryLally' timestamp='1303123418' post='7722']
Many thanks for this review, Klaus, and for other recent ones on the 5DII (the 400 f5.6L and the 70-300 f4.5-5.6L IS). I have the 400 f5.6L and the 300 f4L IS and my experience accords with your tests; indeed I bought them on the basis of your earler tests on APS-C. It is surprising how close the IMATEST results are for these lenses when you put them on a spreadsheet. I have been pleasantly surprised by the results for the new 70-300L IS zoom so it's very tempting to sell my 70-200 f4L IS, 300 and 400 (don't use it these days) and replace them with just the one lens. That said, having recently spent 4 days wandering around Madrid, Cuenca and Toledo in 28-30 deg heat carrying just a 5DII with a 17-40L and the 70-200L (travelling light!), the appeal of newer lighter cameras such as the GF2 or the Sony SLT A55 is growing by the hour. I miss those days with my old OM1 and a couple of light Zuiko lenses.
Michael
[/quote]
Hi Michael,
this sound familiar. These are all very fine lenses but at the end of the day you've to use them. I will visit the Himalayas again this fall and one thing is for sure - I will not take a full format DSLR nor anything that doesn't fit into a colt bag. Maybe I will miss some shots but I simply don't want to agonize again why I've taken all this heavy gear.
cheers
Klaus
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1303124255' post='7724']
Hi Michael,
this sound familiar. These are all very fine lenses but at the end of the day you've to use them. I will visit the Himalayas again this fall and one thing is for sure - I will not take a full format DSLR nor anything that doesn't fit into a colt bag. Maybe I will miss some shots but I simply don't want to agonize again why I've taken all this heavy gear.
cheers
Klaus
[/quote]
That is what makes the Canon EF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM such a nice little niche lens. Very compact, reasonably light, and yet one can get surprisingly good results with it. Just a bit expensive... Of course, not everyone wants/uses tele on vacations/trips.
[quote name='Brightcolours' timestamp='1303133724' post='7728']
That is what makes the Canon EF 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM such a nice little niche lens. Very compact, reasonably light, and yet one can get surprisingly good results with it. Just a bit expensive... Of course, not everyone wants/uses tele on vacations/trips.
[/quote]
Indeed. On my recent 4 day jaunt to Spain with the 17-40f4 and 70-200f4, I used the telezoom around a dozen times. All other shots were taken with the WA zoom. With hindsight, the 25-105f4L would have been a great one-lens solution but alas, I don't have one. Even better would be L quality optics in a lighter (but solid) plastic barrel. I also wouldn't take a FF magnesium alloy body again. Small, light and plastic will be my rule for travelling next time. To that end, I'm just about to offload a bunch of long heavy L lenses on eBay.
Michael
[quote name='HarryLally' timestamp='1303135189' post='7732']
Indeed. On my recent 4 day jaunt to Spain with the 17-40f4 and 70-200f4, I used the telezoom around a dozen times. All other shots were taken with the WA zoom. With hindsight, the 25-105f4L would have been a great one-lens solution but alas, I don't have one. Even better would be L quality optics in a lighter (but solid) plastic barrel. I also wouldn't take a FF magnesium alloy body again. Small, light and plastic will be my rule for travelling next time. To that end, I'm just about to offload a bunch of long heavy L lenses on eBay.
Michael
[/quote]
The EOS 60D + 15-85IS has a certain appeal ...
Or the SLT-33 with Zeiss 16-80. Actually I'm already kicking my ass that I sold the A33 after the review.
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1303138225' post='7733']
The EOS 60D + 15-85IS has a certain appeal ...
Or the SLT-33 with Zeiss 16-80. Actually I'm already kicking my ass that I sold the A33 after the review.
[/quote]
Time to review the A55v then? <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='  ' />
[quote name='HarryLally' timestamp='1303123418' post='7722']That said, having recently spent 4 days wandering around Madrid, Cuenca and Toledo in 28-30 deg heat carrying just a 5DII with a 17-40L and the 70-200L (travelling light!), the appeal of newer lighter cameras such as the GF2 or the Sony SLT A55 is growing by the hour.[/quote]
That makes about 2.1 kg you carried around to cover a focal range of 17-200 mm. I´m still trying to make hiking in combination with photography a more pleasant experience. I tried a Pana LX5 plus the ZS3/TZ7, together a weight of less than 0.5 kg with a zoom range from 24-300 mm, but I wanted to improve the long end. My latest setting was a Pana LX5 plus a GF1 with the 100-300 mm lens, that´s 1.1 kg to cover 24-600mm with a gap from 90-200 mm. Given that I rarely used the extreme long end I could save some weight and close the gap by taking the Pana 45-200 mm. Overall, it´s actually pretty comfortable to have 2 cams for different zoom lengths compared to swapping lenses. However, I could also take the nice 20 mm f1.7 Pana plus the 45-200 mm zoom for the GF1 plus the LX5 and would still be below 1.1 kg <img src='http://forum.photozone.de/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif' class='bbc_emoticon' alt='  ' />
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1303138225' post='7733']
The EOS 60D + 15-85IS has a certain appeal ...
Or the SLT-33 with Zeiss 16-80. Actually I'm already kicking my ass that I sold the A33 after the review.
[/quote]
Yes, I like the look of both those combos and I particularly like the look/ feel/ size/ weight of the 60D. However, I share your previously expressed concerns about its sensor (assuming it' the same one as in the 7D), particularly the comparatively high read noise and the banding/ patterns in the shadow areas. I think Canon's previous lead in the sensor department has been well and truly left behind by the new Sony sensor used in the A55 and the Nikon D7000/ 5100. I've just read your review of the 15-85IS and it seems quite decent; I hadn't really considered before it as I had such a poor experience with the awful kit lens on the 350D, which is what made me get the 17-40L (before the EF-S 17-55 f2.8 was announced).
Michael
[quote name='Klaus' timestamp='1303138225' post='7733']
The EOS 60D + 15-85IS has a certain appeal ...
Or the SLT-33 with Zeiss 16-80. Actually I'm already kicking my ass that I sold the A33 after the review.
[/quote]
I think you could say the same for a D7000 with the 16-85; It covers 90% of your needs. But, if you really want to be light, what can beat a P7000, Olympus XZ1, Lumix LX5, etc., etc. ?
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