Canon 70-200 F4 L alternatives

olv

olv

olv

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I'm pretty much set on getting the 70-200 f4 L as my first telephoto lens but just wanted some user opinions as I know quite a few of you have this lens.

I've read nothing but excellent reviews and the sample shots i've seen also been excellent.

Basically, what else should i be considering in the £400-£500 bracket?

Primarily I want this lens for my trip to canada in the winter and will be mostly shooting skiing/snowboarding, where there is an abundance of light so IS not required.

Any thoughts/suggestions/comments?
 
Sigma 70-200 2.8 is often considered an alternative. Heavier maybe, but 2.8 can be useful.
 
Really trying not to spend as much as that. would rather keep it on the nice side of £500 and I don't want to buy off ebay.

Another question I forgot to add was how does the F4 L perform with the 1.4x teleconverter?
 
Just get the 70-200L. A lot of peoples first L (myself included) and its very very good. Light enough to carry around all day yet the IQ is still awesome.

I haven't found myself wanting the extra stop of light much, for sports yes (although not motorsport) but asides from that its brill. Still because Canons modern bodies have so little noise at high ISOs just bump that up a notch.
 
I can only agree with xolotl's comments. I got my 70-200 F4 L last Wednesday and I'm loving it. Try and get it from Kerso if possible. He got me the lens sub £400. That will save you a few £ to put towards the 24-70 F2.8 L.

If you need any sample images posted then just give us a shout or add me to msn.

Bigp99 @ msn.com

Thanks

Blackvault
 
nolimit said:
Is the tripod collar necessary if you plan to shoot on a tripod?
it costs whooping £70-80! :eek:
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No. If you were talking about the 70-200 F2.8/IS then yes but the F4 is light enough.

Blackvault
 
If your looking into the f4 region then it might be worth saving a little more for the Sigma 100 - 300 f4. It is highly recomended by pros and semi pros alike. It is cheaper than Sigma 70 - 200 f2.8 as well. It doesnt come with IS/VR/OS but you can alawys up the ISO to compensate these days. Have a look and see what you think.

King.
 
cheers i'll have a look at the sigma. 300 would be useful but then the extra weight and loss of 30mm at the wide end are things i need to consider.

cheers for the comments so far.

anyone comment on 1.4x use with the 70-200 f4?
 
Your only other Canon choice in the price bracket is the 75-300 IS lens but I like the super fast focus, higher image and build quality on the 70-200 f4 so that why i went for the L lens when I did my searching around.
 
TomWilko said:
Your only other Canon choice in the price bracket is the 75-300 IS lens but I like the super fast focus, higher image and build quality on the 70-200 f4 so that why i went for the L lens when I did my searching around.
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I have the 70-200F4 and am very happy with it. I have a collar for it, but I've never bothered using it - though I still use a pretty weighty EOS 5 (film), if i was using something a bit lighter I might be less inclined to hang the lens off the mount.

The latest version of the 75-300 f4-5.6 IS is supposed to be a good option up against the 70-200F4, especially on a 1.6x crop DSLR.
 
olv said:
Basically, what else should i be considering in the £400-£500 bracket?

Primarily I want this lens for my trip to canada in the winter and will be mostly shooting skiing/snowboarding, where there is an abundance of light so IS not required.

Any thoughts/suggestions/comments?
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I always recommend the Sigma F2.8 as an alternative to the Canon F4L, but if you're planning on shooting skiing/snowboarding then the F4L lightness and size is an advantage.

I'm not sure if the autofocus on the F4L will work when the 1.4TC is attached. It depends on the camera body.

BTW where & when are you going? I'll be at Whistler in late March next year.
 
Tomsk said:
I'm not sure if the autofocus on the F4L will work when the 1.4TC is attached. It depends on the camera body.

BTW where & when are you going? I'll be at Whistler in late March next year.
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It will work fine as the aperture will work out at f/5.6 which is the minimum the non pro canon bodies need to focus. The 1D series can focus at F/8.
 
Tomsk said:
BTW where & when are you going? I'll be at Whistler in late March next year.
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I'm gonna be in Whistler from the middle of January till the end of April. Give me a shout if you need a mountain guide, i spent 2 months there in '05 so i'm pretty familiar with the town and mountains :)

I think the f4 L is going to suit me best. there's a possibility my mum is going to hong kong next week so hopefully i'll be able to get one for sub £400. International warranty applies just to lenses, not bodies, right?
 
olv said:
I'm gonna be in Whistler from the middle of January till the end of April. Give me a shout if you need a mountain guide, i spent 2 months there in '05 so i'm pretty familiar with the town and mountains :)

I think the f4 L is going to suit me best. there's a possibility my mum is going to hong kong next week so hopefully i'll be able to get one for sub £400. International warranty applies just to lenses, not bodies, right?
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Yeah that is correct about the international warranty. And remeber we want to see pictures of ducks when you get your new lens.

Blackvault
 
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