70-200mm F2.8L & Extenders - Talk to Me

[Andy.]

Full frame and decent glass leaves plenty of room to crop, especially if you only use the images in their digital form.
Taken with a 5DII & 70-200 f2.8 L IS MkII

Before:

DierenPark Amersfoort by .monk3y, on Flickr

Crop:

DierenPark Amersfoort by .monk3y, on Flickr

 

[Cup_Phil]

Yes... but again.... animals 3m away aren't the same thing as aeroplanes at 4,000 feet

 

[Andy.]

11.9 meters, but yes, that is a bit different from 4000ft.
The crop factor still takes you close enough for more detail/ frame filling subject without the need for massive glass in most scenarios.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Yes - I know. I know that you can crop.

I was simply saying that with the OP wanting both motorsport and plane shots that the extra length is more beneficial than the speed.

Cropping a 200mm shot is never going to give the same result as a 400mm..

400mm

Cropped 200mm

And both those are on crop bodies - so you'd have to crop even more for a full frame body

 

[dunganick]

Both look like sharp photos to me. So i dont see the point.

I think everyone realises that 200mm is shorter than 400mm. I think the point Andy is making is that people are afraid of cropping, but with the quality of modern glass and resolution of modern bodies - this isnt something to be afraid of.

Funnily enough i have just sold my 300mm as i dont use it enough. Thats how much i rate the 70-200 + 1.4tc combination. And i suspect you may be surprised how hard professionals crop and nobody notices. ultimately it doesnt matter if the subject is doing 0mph of 500mph. If the image is sharp then you can crop into it. The superior AF you find in 'faster' glass such as the 70-200 2.8 will produce more keepers than slower longer focal length glass.

It's each to their own. Everyone has their favourite setups based on their experiances. That's half the fun of it. It's just expensive!

 

[Cup_Phil]

I just shot with a 70-200 f2.8 at Waddington and got some brilliant shots - but most were cropped past the point I'm happy cropping.
That being said the f2.8 was fantastic for crowd shots and shooting through people.

The 70-200L + 1.4tc is a LOT more expensive than a 70-300L though. Swings and roundabouts

 

[dunganick]

If you're buying new (which i wouldn't)

WEX prices - so probably about 10% more than you could get them for.

70-200 2.8 Non IS : £960

1.4x TC mk3 - i just wouldnt buy this new. I paid £140 for my mk2 used. But list is £390

70-300 L : £1129

I wouldn't see that as a huge difference. You loose IS with the 70-200, but gain F2.8.

I've never used the 70-300 L so i have no idea if it's anygood. Might be the bargin of the century!

 

[Cup_Phil]

Yeah I was comparing with IS as the 70-300 IS system is the same as the 70-200 2.8 IS.

It really is swings and roundabouts though - I quite like the IS system, but the extra stops of light are handy too lol.
If only money was no object...

 

[Riad]

1Dmkiii with 100-400

BTCC by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

1Dmkiii 70-200 2.8

BTCC @ Oulton by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

6D 100-400

BTCC @ Thruxton by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

6D 100-400

BTCC @ Thruxton by Riad Ariane, on Flickr

Both lenses are great it depends what you require and your shooting style though, my advice would be to rent the Lens for 2-3 days and get a proper feel for them as you don't want to spend £1000 and regret the decision, I think i would go for the 100-400 as it great for motorsport and will fit in with your other photography.

 

[Cup_Phil]

Epic! ^^

 

[Riad]

Cheers Phil

 

[Habitual]

Sorry for the delayed reply - busy weekend and Monday as usual.

This response to this thread has been way better than I could have hoped and better than TP (shame on them)!! I was set on the 100-400, then the 70-200, then 100-400, then 70... You get the idea. I'm really torn, so I've made the abstract decision to use my ~£1000 to get a FF body first. Then I can rent lenses until I find what I want.

This saves me having to worry about a lens that works well on both a FF and a crop body. It also gives my indecisive ass some time to decide.

Thanks again guys. Golden thread!

 

[Cup_Phil]

Good choice. You can rent both for about £60 for a 4 day weekend. Well worth doing a few events with rented lenses till you get a feel for which one suits your style best

 

[Brazo]

I recently shot the red arrows using a 70-200 and whilst perfectly useable with a crop to the final image a 70-400 would have been a better choice.

 

[Habitual]

Yeah, I think I'll do exactly that man.

I'll hopefully be getting a 6D before November.

Where do you rent from Phil?

 

[Cup_Phil]

I recently shot the red arrows using a 70-200 and whilst perfectly useable with a crop to the final image a 70-400 would have been a better choice.

Exactly the same - just editing my shots this afternoon. Cropping makes them usable but 400mm would have been much nicer

Yeah, I think I'll do exactly that man.

I'll hopefully be getting a 6D before November.

Where do you rent from Phil?

6D - NICE!

I'm lucky enough to rent/borrow most of mine off my mate as he's a fairly well established photographer with a lot of kit - but I know a lot of guys on here recommend these people -> http://www.lensesforhire.co.uk/

I'm still stuck between 7D and 70D - before I even start making a decision on lenses again lol. So much choice!

 

[Habitual]

Cheers man. That was one of the ones I had looked at already so that's neat!

What are you currently using?