Hi i am looking for a l series lens for my 10d iam torn between the 500 f4 is and a 400 f2.8 is, my main use being bird and wildlife, although the 500 will give me the distance,iam thinking the 400 being a faster lens will give me more choice of acceptable shots and if i needed that bit extra i could add a 1.4 or 2 x converter .would this setup be as good optically as the 500 f4 i dont no much about converters do you lose sharpness and quality,can you use both at the same time do all features work with the 10d ,af , is ,etc any help please paul
[QUOTE=paul_j_c2000]Hi i am looking for a l series lens for my 10d iam torn between the 500 f4 is and a 400 f2.8 is, my main use being bird and wildlife,l[/QUOTE]
Both of these are monsters! If you're absoultely sure that you'll be going somewhere, sitting down and waiting for nature to come to you, then either of the beasts on your list will be a great thing to have - I think you'd probably get better results from the 400/2.8; the longer the lens the more difficult to use and less versatile it is.
If on the other hand, you plan to go out and find things to photograph, I don't expect you'll get much further than a mile from the car before you get completely arsed-off with the giant bazooka on your back.
I've just spent a week mulling over all of the above; I looked at the 300/2.8, and even that is just too big to be properly portable for a day out (I want to carry my scope & bins too), so I've ended up buying the 300/4 and a 1.4x TC, simply because I know I'll use it. It's less than half the weight, the hood is built-in, and it's narrow enough to fit in the bag along with all the rest of my kit. BUT.. it's still an L-series lens. Oh.. yes... AND (as if it mattered) it's £2,500 cheaper!
If you're dead set on one of the bigger lenses, there's a couple of 400/2.8's (non-IS) on ebay at the moment. Interesting to see how much they want for postage & packing (insurance extra) - that should give you an idea of what kind of monster it really is!
Al
Weights according to Canon's spec:
500mm F4 IS = 3.87kg
400mm F2.8 IS = 5.37kg
300mm F4 IS = 1.19kg
Whilst on this thread, Paul has mentioned teleconverters with the bigger lenses. Has anyone any comments on the 300mm F4 IS lens + 1.4x teleconverter vis-a-vis the 400mm F5.6L (non-IS) lens?
Adey