Originally Posted by mushy Anyone using the Canon 100-400 IS USM L ?? its possibly my next purchase so any comments positive or negative would be appreciated

I just bought one and I love it. I used it in a recent trip to Everglades National Park. I used the entire zoom range, especially trying to capture large birds in flight. It is very heavy! My arms are going to get bigger. You can see the pics at www.michaelayers.smugmug.com .

Hello All this is My Very first post ! i'm a young man interested in photography, and have been taking photos for around 4 years, mainly wildlife as i live in south africa ! I'm just seeking some advice on a new lens, and am looking at the canon ef 100-400 is usm ! comments on this lense please ! or sample images ! or any other recommendations ! using a 20d ! thanks alot...

Originally Posted by Milky Hello All this is My Very first post ! i'm a young man interested in photography, and have been taking photos for around 4 years, mainly wildlife as i live in south africa ! I'm just seeking some advice on a new lens, and am looking at the canon ef 100-400 is usm ! comments on this lense please ! or sample images ! or any other recommendations ! using a 20d ! thanks alot...

Look at these:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/s...&cat=27&page=1

Remember that this lens is not compatible with the Canon extenders for auto focus with the 20D.

Thanks alot for that Ric

But I will give a new meaning to cheapness.
I have a Canon 75-300 USM III. It costs 150$, and is not sharp anywhere except in F8-F11 range. Wide open you cannot go 100% crop, but if you are upto 50% crop its fine.
It focuses slow, but is pretty light. I use it for potraits at 100mm in bright light.

Before I start...lemme comment.. EXCELLENT pictures !!! something I really dream I should get.

But I was wondering that you guys are talking about 80mm, 200mm and stuff..How do you manage to get so close to the subject.
I have a 300mm and even with that I am never able to get so close to the birdy and get a full frame picture of it.

Kindly enlighten...

Thanks
lilbumbee

Originally Posted by lilbumbee Before I start...lemme comment.. EXCELLENT pictures !!! something I really dream I should get. But I was wondering that you guys are talking about 80mm, 200mm and stuff..How do you manage to get so close to the subject. I have a 300mm and even with that I am never able to get so close to the birdy and get a full frame picture of it. Kindly enlighten... Thanks lilbumbee

A lot of it depends on your geography. I live in Florida where the birds have become used to the presence of people allowing you to get closer to them than in other locations.

If you have the patience to spend a few hours with a subject you can gradually and carefully approach them and shoot at a shorter distance. The use of a blind will also requre a lot of patience and get you closer to your subjects than you could otherwise.

In the end though you will need at least a 300mm and a TC to get decent wildlife shots.

Hi All i just orderered a canon ef 100-400 is usm... and was just wondering which uv filters to get !! or just a protector !! please share youtr views and experience !!

thanks alot

Originally Posted by Milky Hi All i just orderered a canon ef 100-400 is usm... and was just wondering which uv filters to get !! or just a protector !! please share youtr views and experience !! thanks alot

I'm assuming you are talking about the UV filter as protection for your lens. In that case you don't need one. Why pay over $1K for a lens and then put $20 of glass in front of it?

Put on your lens hood and be careful. That's all the protection you will need.

Originally Posted by Harryb I'm assuming you are talking about the UV filter as protection for your lens. In that case you don't need one. Why pay over $1K for a lens and then put $20 of glass in front of it? Put on your lens hood and be careful. That's all the protection you will need.

Thanks alot for the advice ! so I am assuming that you don't use filters ??

Hi again all ! was just looking at lenses for landscapes, and was wondering wat u shoot with, so far i've narrowed it down to the sigma 18-50 f/2.8, the canon ef 10-22 USM f/3-4.5 and the canon ef 17-40 f/4L USM

Any other suggestions ? please share your views ! thanks alot, much appreciated

Originally Posted by Milky Thanks alot for the advice ! so I am assuming that you don't use filters ??

I use a polarizer and graduated ND filters. I use them when I want to get their effect on a shot not as lens protection.

Originally Posted by Milky Hi again all ! was just looking at lenses for landscapes, and was wondering wat u shoot with, so far i've narrowed it down to the sigma 18-50 f/2.8, the canon ef 10-22 USM f/3-4.5 and the canon ef 17-40 f/4L USM Any other suggestions ? please share your views ! thanks alot, much appreciated

This is a question better suited for the Field and Street forum where landscape shooters hang out.

Originally Posted by Harryb This is a question better suited for the Field and Street forum where landscape shooters hang out.

Thanks alot ! sorry never knew that, im new here...

lazy day

Originally Posted by brodavidrogers lazy day

I want to say "thank you" to the many posters over the course of a year. I was going to post a thread titled "Going on Safari Africa ... how much reach and speed will I need?", but I don't think I need to now. Feel free to chime in and offer your thoughts however! But I think a 80-200 f/2.8 + 1.4TC and/or 1.7TC, or 300/f.4 + 1.4TC or 1.7TC is the answer.

I am a Pentax shooter, for mainly features and built-in-body IS; oh and dust removal (I was sure Nikon would announce a new D200 model upgrade with dust reduction the week after I bought one; as that was the main contender). I'm in the process of trying to decide which lens to buy -- options are either Sigma Bigma or 300 f/4 new if I get word from my contact there they'll have a deliver this week, or used FA* Pentax.

So with all that said, I surmise from all this that when out on the savanna...
- 200mm f/2.8 zoom + 1.7TC is minimum
- 300mm f/4 | f/4.5 prime + 1.4TC is better
- 200mm f/2.8 zoom + 1.4 & 1.7 stacked TC even better if I can live with the f/6.7 speed?
...or I get a Bigma if they become available in time for my trip ( less then 2 weeks)...

EDIT: It's the next morning from this post. I got word this morning from the -extremely- helpful folks @ Sigma America that they had a 300mm f/2.8 in Pentax mount. I decided to buy it!!! That, plus the 1.4x TC, plus the 2x TC... I'm pretty sure I'm set!

Originally Posted by m8o I want to say "thank you" to the many posters over the course of a year. I was going to post a thread titled "Going on Safari Africa ... how much reach and speed will I need?", but I don't think I need to now. Feel free to chime in and offer your thoughts however! But I think a 80-200 f/2.8 + 1.4TC and/or 1.7TC, or 300/f.4 + 1.4TC or 1.7TC is the answer. I am a Pentax shooter, for mainly features and built-in-body IS; oh and dust removal (I was sure Nikon would announce a new D200 model upgrade with dust reduction the week after I bought one; as that was the main contender). I'm in the process of trying to decide which lens to buy -- options are either Sigma Bigma or 300 f/4 new if I get word from my contact there they'll have a deliver this week, or used FA* Pentax. So with all that said, I surmise from all this that when out on the savanna... - 200mm f/2.8 zoom + 1.7TC is minimum - 300mm f/4 | f/4.5 prime + 1.4TC is better - 200mm f/2.8 zoom + 1.4 & 1.7 stacked TC even better if I can live with the f/6.7 speed? ...or I get a Bigma if they become available in time for my trip ( less then 2 weeks)... EDIT: It's the next morning from this post. I got word this morning from the -extremely- helpful folks @ Sigma America that they had a 300mm f/2.8 in Pentax mount. I decided to buy it!!! That, plus the 1.4x TC, plus the 2x TC... I'm pretty sure I'm set!

The 300 2.8 should just about be the perfect lens for you.

Thnx! Still lots to learn (latest lesson in futility was trying to use the 2x converter shooting dragonflys close using AF... just one real keeper. ...lol ) but yep, It takes pretty pix... have a look.

Hi there, these are great images and you know your gear well too, thanks for the detailed reviews, I'm interested in which of these lenses can deliver the best results