300 F4L user opinions

I have the 300/4L and I've also owned and used the IS version. Image quality is superb and still very good with a 1.4x TC. Drops to "OK" with a 2x. This applies to both lenses, but my tests showed the non-IS version to be just a touch sharper and less prone to flare under adverse conditions.

It's probably 2-3 stops harder to hand hold than the IS lens, just as you would expect. If you don't intend to use a tripod, get the IS version.

Just as long you have a steady hand and good technique, it's no problem to hand hold at 1/focal length (1/300 sec). It helps to use a heavy body and rest against fences, trees, etc. I rarely use mine at any aperture other than f4. Image quality with the Extender 1.4x is excellent and suffers little degradation.

With all that said, every breath, twitch & fart will be visible through the viewfinder, so it takes some practice to hold her steady. I find her at best on a monopod or tripod--not only to reduce vibration--but to keep the VF from bobbing around. Makes ya seasick...

I have the IS version though. Beautiful lens. Sharp!.

http://flickr.com/photos/dallascowboysfan/2706732966/sizes/o/

http://flickr.com/photos/dallascowboysfan/2704456947/sizes/o/

I should have added that the most use the lens will see is for auto racing, I'll be panning with the cars not standing still trying to point the lens at something so IS is not an issue for me. Thanks so far for your input!

P.S. The lion pic is fantastic, you could count the individual hairs on his mane!

What the others have said. If you're hand-holding you'll find it more comfortable to use if you remove the tripod ring, plus you'll save some weight.

Richard,

I shoot surfing from the local piers with the 300 f/4L IS and find my ability to keep the subject where I want in the viewfinder is much better with IS on, especially after a long day. Something to consider...

I just picked one of these up recently from KEH. It's the non -IS version. I use it mostly for sports and auto racing. You can handhold this fine for sports action shutter speeds. But if using it all day it will get heavy. I mostly use a monopod vs a tripod. Although you could pan auto races with either or none.

Like Bob I find the IQ fantastic and fine with a 1.4 tc basically no difference. I have not tried with a 2X but I may buy one now after reading Bob's comment that it's "OK".

I paid $700 for mine and am very happy with it. I would jump on it if it's a decent price. I think the new IS version is about $1150 though.

I have the non-IS version.

What puppy said! I cannot hand-hold it at all with my 1.6x crop sensor, but on a tripod it is one of the sharpest lenses I have ever owned. Even if the shutter speed is good enough, I can't seem to get the framing I want, so I always put it on a tripod.

I can use it with a monopod if I can push it up against something like a tree.

I do yet have any TCs yet.

I would get the IS version. The IS makes it much easier to hand hold in low light.

The mode 2 IS is also very hand when panning action. I use mode 2 IS on the 300mm F4 L IS for car racing. It allows me to lower the shutter speed and get more wheelspin in the shots.

Remember that you can always flick the switch and disable IS if needed for a shot.

Definitely go for IS. I was a non-believer two years ago when I started looking for the f4 non-IS version. At KEH there was only about a 10-15% discount for a used non-IS version, so I went with the current version and couldn't be happier. I'm typically a monopod or tripod shooter, but it's amazing what I can do hand held with this lens. The 1.4x is a definite purchase also. I mainly use mine for landscapes, city scapes, and action shots here and there.

I have to warn you, though, the purchase of this lens in 2006, and its subsequent use and hassle with proprietary gitzo and bogen QR heads caused me to switch my entire support outfit to the arca-swi$$ $tyle tripod head$ and plate$. Good luck...Tom

Daniel & Paul,

Do you find the IS mode 2 for panning works? I used it on my 70-300 IS for racing and it was worthless. No shots taken with the lens in mode 2 came out at 2 races I tried it at. Check out the photo taken with my 70-200 F4L, I doubt mode 2 could make the photo any better.

As far as others advising to get the IS version, I appreciate your input but the lens will only be used for auto racing in daylight conditions. I won't use that lens for anything else so the IS is not needed for me.

Ditto the IS recommendations.

I have no problem hand-holding the 300/4 IS + 1.4x extender on a 1.6x crop body. That's effectively a 672/5.6 lens.

I'm usually picky about sharpness. With the IS switched off, I would try get a shutter speed around 1/1200.

With the IS switched on, I get similar results at 1/250. I'm a believer. Obviously, if subject motion dictates a faster shutter speed to stop the action, IS won't help a bit. But I'd much rather just battle subject motion than camera motion.

Eric

John G, Those are awsome shots!

Hello Eric,

"But I'd much rather just battle subject motion than camera motion."

I couldn't agree more. For me one of the big advantages of IS in the lens (as opposed to in-body stabilization), is that it steadies the image in the viewfinder which makes framing a lot easier and helps to avoid clipping part of your subject when you are trying to fill the frame.

@Richard and @Bernard..thank you for your compliments. God has made them so beautiful, I'm just a copier :-).

Although you didn't ask, I use the IS version. Here is a sample.

Well, you can turn IS off if you have it, but you can't turn it on when you don't have it; buy the best lens made at the moment, no regrets later if your style changes. IS.

I agree with Bob Atkins's assessment of the performance with TC for the 300/4 IS.

I haven't tried the non-IS, but I doubt that a small improvement in sharpness that may not be noticeable in real life is worth the trade for IS.

It might be worth getting the non-IS if you intend to use the lens on a tripod 99% of the time and want to save some cash (presumably), after all you can always turn the IS off.

NB that the IS also helps with a monopod although I found this was best in mode 2, so weather you are using handheld, monopod or tripod, with IS it is win-win. Handhold-ability is possible even in marginal light. I measure 3 stop advantage with IS on compared to off working handheld (link)

Only possible issue I can think of is the non-IS is of course discontinued, so service life might be an issue (ie availability of parts etc).

Overall go for the IS.

This post has turned into an IS vs. non IS issue which was not what I was looking for. What I was really interested in was how comfortable is it to handhold for longish periods of time. As I said, IS is not an issue for me, if I buy one it is going to be used for fast action daytime auto racing.

Richard:

The 300/4 IS is comfortable to handhold.

I would get very wear of handholding the non-IS. It is tiring to my eyes to look at a non-stable image for long periods of time.

Looking at it from only a weight perspective, the weight is easy enough to hand hold.

Eric

Richard,

You opened the door with the "or any other input" comment.

"What I was really interested in was how comfortable is it to handhold for longish periods of time."

Sorry we were getting off track and interpreting handhold as handhold-ability!

I presume you are talking about weight and balance.

Generally it is OK, but a question like this depends so much on the individual and situation. For me extended holding specially pointing the lens up somewhat can quickly lead to back pain, but I have an old back muscle injury that makes it difficult for me to stand in one place for very long, others will probably not find this an issue.

I don't see what alternative you have in this focal length range that will be lighter. If you can go a bit shorter there is the 200/2.8 which is less long as well as lighter. It is almost as sharp as the 300/4 IS with a 1.4X on although the AF is slower; this combination is smaller and lighter than the 300/4.

The following table from this page http://www.zen20934.zen.co.uk/photography/longlensselection.htm might help

This post has turned into an IS vs. non IS issue which was not what I was looking for. What I was really interested in was how comfortable is it to handhold for longish periods of time. As I said, IS is not an issue for me, if I buy one it is going to be used for fast action daytime auto racing.

IS improves your ability to handhold for long periods. It stabilizes the viewfinder image so you put less effort into your hand holding and tracking. Less effort = less muscle stress.

Take it from somebody who has used a 300 f/4L IS any where from half a day (surf shots) to all day (airshows), hand held, in the blazing sun.