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| 1 | 2 | 3 |  » Stats |
Members: 34,127
Threads: 51,350
Posts: 561,742
Top Poster: glsammy (13,488)
| | Welcome to our newest member, Akion-Totocha | | |
Welcome to the Wild About Britain forums | | | |  | 
05-07-2009, 12:08 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 533
| | | Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
I currently have an EF 500mm but was thinking about selling and buying the 300mm f2.8.
I wonder people who own this lens could answer a couple of questions?
Is is easily hand-holdable?
Does is perform well with the 2x converter? To get a decent range I think I'd have to use one of these most of the time. Obviously it wouldn't be worth doing the swap if the image quality wasn't much good. |
05-07-2009, 12:39 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Watford, Hertfordshire.
Posts: 2,458
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
How about this: Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM Lens Review
Fearsome price and weight!
Jim |
05-07-2009, 02:39 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 533
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Cheers Jim.
Although a bit heavy its still quite a bit lighter and smaller than the 500mm. I wanted to see if I could go hand-held as I'm getting bored with lugging the tripod around me with.
I'm sure this would be no problem at 300mm but I suspect that after adding the 2x converter it might start to get difficult. |
05-07-2009, 05:50 PM
|  | Knight Grand Cross of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Nottingham
Posts: 13,488
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyPilgrim  Cheers Jim.
Although a bit heavy its still quite a bit lighter and smaller than the 500mm. I wanted to see if I could go hand-held as I'm getting bored with lugging the tripod around me with.
I'm sure this would be no problem at 300mm but I suspect that after adding the 2x converter it might start to get difficult. | Targetman the one to ask. He uses the 300mm with a 2X a lot. From what I've seen and heard it's a good set up. I'd have thought a monopod would have been amble support for that size lens, especially one with IS. |
13-07-2009, 08:47 PM
|  | Active Member | | Join Date: Jul 2009
Posts: 60
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
I've heard a lot on this subject and was talking to a pro about it not too long ago - it seems a popular subject, because people want the reach without the price/weight of a 500mm. The verdict was that the 2x converter can perform well, but is best suited to getting a bit closer in to a bird you are already close to - rather than using it over larger distances, where the image could easily deteriorate. |
16-07-2009, 10:24 PM
|  | Wild Member | | Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: South West
Posts: 120
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Billy
I have a 300mm its an excellent lens producing excellent results -- but its heavy heavy. Not the sort of lens you would want to carry all day. I also have the 500mm. both have their place in the work I do
I would say however stick to the 500 - you got that extra 200 and that extra 3000 in the bank!
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for those coming after us |
19-07-2009, 06:17 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 533
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by Deer Hunter Billy
I would say however stick to the 500 - you got that extra 200 and that extra 3000 in the bank! | Cheers for the replies everyone.
Yes I reckon I will stick with the 500. I occasionally try to find a way of not having to carry a tripod around with me but I suppose its just not an option! |
29-07-2009, 06:26 PM
|  | New Member | | Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Wensleydale
Posts: 8
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
The 300mm f/2.8L IS is a fantastic and very versatile lens, especially with the extenders. In good conditions the 2x extender works really well and can easily produce very publishable images. Its just a case of stopping the lens down to at least f/7.1 to get the sharpest results with this setup. I regularly walked six miles or more with the 300mm over my shoulder and had no qualms about shooting handheld at 600mm.
Having said all this I still bought a 500mm f/4 because that extra range is the most valuable asset (and I'm mad enough to cart the extra weight over long distances  ). |
29-07-2009, 07:32 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
I really have become to enjoy shooting with the 300mm F2.8 and got good quality images using extenders, and got some great hand held action shots at 600mm.
Regards
Colin |
12-08-2009, 04:47 PM
| | Active Member | | Join Date: Jan 2008
Posts: 44
| |  Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Hi Billy
Have you considered buying a 300mm f4 i.s and keeping 500mm i used to have 300mm 2.8 but i could not fit it in bag with 600mm f4 i.s so i opted to buy the 300mm f4 it fits nicely in bag alongside tthe 600mm
Regards
lost in the woods |
12-08-2009, 07:07 PM
| | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 426
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Watching tv news .. the Japan station, this morning.. ( I'm not Japanese but the gist of all the other stations produced depression ), I was interested to hear, and see, Japans answer to falling camera sales.
The first invention was a camera that using two lenses, produced a 3D photograph. Really impressive.
The second was a camera that could take high definition colour photo's in the pitch dark. Unbelievable, could hardly believe my eyes.
There was a third but I've forgotten its selling point.
The cameras were off the drawind board and ready for sale. Wow. |
21-09-2009, 12:21 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
A cropped image of a Grey squirel snapped making its way in the trees.
With the 300mm 2.8 lens plus the canon 2.0 xTC.
Regards
Colin  |
28-09-2009, 07:29 PM
|  | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: coventry
Posts: 860
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
I have a similar question, so instead of starting a new thread I'll just highjack this one 
I'm a Sony user so my options are restricted. The choice I have is either the Sony 300mm f2.8 ( I appreciate probably no one on here as experience of this lens but it is rated as a cracking bit of kit made by Carl Zeiss) with a 2x converter or the sigma 500mm f4.5. The question I have is how well would the sigma 500mm perform with a 1.4x or a 2x converter. And at some of my sites I am within the focal range of a 500mm. Would extension tubes bring the focal range closer without losing image quality, if so does anyone know know the equivalent focal ranges using 12mm, 20mm, 36mm tubes and all of them added together.
Ian
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28-09-2009, 09:25 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Warrington
Posts: 339
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
I've got the 500mm f4.5 for nikon. See if you can get a shop to let you try in store before you buy. On some makes you lose af with any converter.
with a 2x I've found stopping down to f9-f10 necessary to get the best out of the lens but you have to have rock solid support. Fantastic lens but much better naked than with a converter.
Just my opinion, I know others on here use it too and would be interesting to hear from them also.
regards.
Stu. |
28-09-2009, 09:32 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Leigh, Lancashire
Posts: 3,725
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by Simon_P The 300mm f/2.8L IS is a fantastic and very versatile lens, especially with the extenders. In good conditions the 2x extender works really well and can easily produce very publishable images. Its just a case of stopping the lens down to at least f/7.1 to get the sharpest results with this setup. I regularly walked six miles or more with the 300mm over my shoulder and had no qualms about shooting handheld at 600mm.
Having said all this I still bought a 500mm f/4 because that extra range is the most valuable asset (and I'm mad enough to cart the extra weight over long distances ). | Me too as regards the 500 (and I wonder why my back is in such a state.....) The thing I gather about the 300 2.8 is its unbeatable for flight photography - which might make me buy one some day - till then I shall continue to decapitate folks as I swing the 500 wildly around trying to catch the action!!!!
Pauline |
29-09-2009, 04:53 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 533
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by willing to learn A cropped image of a Grey squirel snapped making its way in the trees.
With the 300mm 2.8 lens plus the canon 2.0 xTC.
Regards
Colin | That's a stunning image, Colin. Did you take it hand-held? |
29-09-2009, 08:03 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by BillyPilgrim That's a stunning image, Colin. Did you take it hand-held? | Yes hand held on a 40d. Thanks for the comment.
Regards
Colin
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Don't just talk the talk :) walk the Walk. |
09-10-2009, 07:08 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Managed this shot (Jpeg) and others this morning with the 2 X TC on. The light was pretty poor. But Got a few yesterday in good light, just got to work out how to convert from raw? As yesterday I shot a card in Raw 
Regards
Colin
Double click 
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Don't just talk the talk :) walk the Walk. |
09-10-2009, 09:42 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Leigh, Lancashire
Posts: 3,725
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Both are stunning shots and show this lenses capabilities in low light and hand held - can't be beaten I say under thos conditions  |
10-10-2009, 10:42 PM
|  | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Ashbourne, Derbyshire
Posts: 1,022
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by willing to learn Managed this shot (Jpeg) and others this morning with the 2 X TC on. The light was pretty poor. But Got a few yesterday in good light, just got to work out how to convert from raw? As yesterday I shot a card in Raw
Regards
Colin
Double click | Brilliant photo Colin, and the squirrel is stunning!  Well done!
I saw my first Kingfisher ever a couple of weeks ago at Carsington - my photo was almost a silhouette at a distance.
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11-10-2009, 05:20 AM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Hastings, East Sussex
Posts: 341
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by willing to learn But Got a few yesterday in good light, just got to work out how to convert from raw? As yesterday I shot a card in Raw
Regards
Colin | Raw conversion is dead easy with Canon's Digital Photo Professional which comes bundled with the camera. I use it all the time to convert the raw files I get with my 50D. I very rarely use any other programs to do any work on my images, a bit of tweaking of levels and possibly a crop and then resize and convert. |
14-10-2009, 05:50 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by PMG Both are stunning shots and show this lenses capabilities in low light and hand held - can't be beaten I say under thos conditions | Thanks for the kind comment Pauline
Regards
Colin
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Don't just talk the talk :) walk the Walk. |
14-10-2009, 05:52 PM
| | Commander of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Derbyshire
Posts: 1,016
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Quote:
Originally Posted by Phoebe Brilliant photo Colin, and the squirrel is stunning! Well done!
I saw my first Kingfisher ever a couple of weeks ago at Carsington - my photo was almost a silhouette at a distance. | Thanks Phoebe, I stopped a couple of nights at Blackwell, This kingfisher was also taken at Carsington.
Regards
Colin
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Don't just talk the talk :) walk the Walk. |
14-10-2009, 07:41 PM
| | Officer of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: West Yorkshire
Posts: 533
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
I haven't bought a 300mm f/2.8 yet but I just got a 2nd-hand Sigma 2x teleconverter. I took some test shots today with it on my 500mm lens in miserable light. Gotta say I'm quite impressed. This example was taken at ISO 1000.
I have applied some sharpenning in PS but even before that it was quite good for what was in effect 1000mm lens at 1/200s. http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/ar.../size/big/cat/
Last edited by BillyPilgrim; 14-10-2009 at 07:52 PM.
|
26-10-2009, 03:16 PM
|  | Member of the Wild Empire | | Join Date: May 2006
Posts: 384
| | | Re: Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L users
Bit late on this thread but here is my take on the 300/2.8. After using the 400/5.6 for three years I recently decided to upgrade to the Canon 300/2.8.
I was confident that the IQ with a 1.4tc would be great but was not so sure how it would pan out with a 2x tc. I have to say that I am over the moon with the performance on my 40D. With the 2x attached AF is a bit slower but adequate - using the focus limiter helps a lot.
Attached are a few shots taken at 600mm with the 300/2.8
edit: how the heck do you show the image in the thread?   
Last edited by Roy C; 26-10-2009 at 03:31 PM.
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