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|| SportsShooter.com: Member Message Board
New Canon EF70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS mini-review for lit hoops?
Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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Powell | TN | USA | Posted: 12:38 AM on 01.12.11 |
->> I bought this lens after hearing Peter Read Miller talk about it for day football games. He said the AF was hard to make it miss on almost anything. I was intrigued. I tried the 100-400mm f/5.6L years ago but never found it to be very sharp past about 320mm or so and it tracked poorly on moving subjects. It was pretty dang dark in there as well. The new lens has the next generation IS which keeps getting better and better so I thought I'd get to use it some for video on the 5DMII as well.
I bought one from Roberts and LOVE it. Now, I am on strobes, so shooting at f/5.6 is no problem but this new glass connected to a 1DM4 is amazing. It will even AF accurately when they turn the lights out in the arena to do the player intros! It is very sharp at 70 and killer at 300mm and you really can shoot one lens for the entire court. I'm getting things at mid-court, for instance, that I might not have before.
It seems all these II lenses and anything new from Canon has better build quality, faster and more accurate AF, and sharpness uncommon to silly zooms of the past that they always have in stock at Best Buy. I will definitely be using this guy for football day games next year and for soccer, tennis, and other field sports like lacross. It's a real sleeper but it is a real performer and not too bad for the cash either. If you want to have something really lightweight in your bag that has a huge range of zoom and real L glass, this might be for you... Would be a great lens to "cruise for features," for those of you that are still employed at newspapers. If you don't know what I'm talking about, just forget it.
Bad news: it pretty much sucks on the 7D in anything but bright sunlight.
lens/optical quality: A
AF speed and tracking: A
price: B+
performance on non-pro bodies: C+
IS performance: A |
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Jeff Brehm, Photographer, Photo Editor
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Salisbury | NC | USA | Posted: 11:52 PM on 03.03.11 |
| ->> I'm putting a CPS loaner through its paces and the AF is impressive. The biggest disappointment is no tripod collar. Of course, I can buy one separately if I want to spend another $190. Personally, I think that's a bush league move by Canon, especially on a lens this slow. |
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Peter Read Miller, Photographer
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Manhattan Beach | CA | USA | Posted: 12:11 PM on 03.04.11 |
->> I'm also a big fan of this lens. I used it a lot towards the end of the football season. At day games of course. Fast AF and super sharp.
The double page opener from the Oregon/Oregon State game was shot with it. If only it was an F4..... |
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Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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Powell | TN | USA | Posted: 11:02 PM on 03.06.11 |
| ->> I was shooting this at a game a week ago and nailed three photos that I should not have gotten... the game was moving fast, passing quickly on the perimeter, and suddenly a guy went into the paint and was right there in just an instant. I shot "at him" and thought... "no way I got that." Then I chimped in disbelief... then it happened twice more in the same game. I'm thinking that sucker is almost as fast as the 135 f/2 for hoops, and that's real fast... |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 12:54 AM on 03.07.11 |
->> But only LIT hoops?
Heck, I used the 70-300 Nikkor at a Laker game... at ISO 8000 with the D3s and it was beautiful!
I know John McDonough uses the 70-300 Nikkor with lights.
70-300mm is a great range for hoops and hockey ... |
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Robert Hanashiro, Photographer
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Los Angeles | CA | | Posted: 12:59 AM on 03.07.11 |
->> This has got to be a heck of a lot sharper than the old 35 - 350mm zoom (aka: The alley sweeper!).
I used to use that lens a lot with lights at the old GW Forum for Lakers hoops and Kings ice hockey.
It AF'd ok ... but was not the sharpest lens in the old camera bag, that's for sure. But a 35 - 350 range was great for hoops and hockey!
(The photographers that shoot "red carpet" events really used that range as well.)
I loved that lens, but it was in the shop a lot because it just wouldn't be/stay sharp. |
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Patrick Murphy-Racey, Photographer
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Powell | TN | USA | Posted: 7:12 PM on 03.12.11 |
| ->> yeah, I had a similar experience trying to find a really good copy of the 100-400 EOS lens. This new one is wicked fast and sharp at every focal length. It's nice to be surprised over and over again with sharp images! pm-r |
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