70-300L impressions.......

[Max]

I have had this for a couple of weeks and would like to share my impressions. Anyone that is interested in this lens has probably read the relevant technical reviews by now anyway.
Compared to the 100L macro it doesn`t look a lot longer or thicker, but there is definitely a noticeable difference. Its also a fair bit heavier.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/70_300_100.jpg

The way I use the 100 macro is to rest it in between my thumb and pointer and my hand, its very comfortable, feels natural and allows for really steady shots and minor adjustment of the focus. Unfortunately even though the focus ring is in the same spot it doesn`t work for the 70-300L, because you cannot use the zoom from there and any movement affects your focus. It took me a while but I now hold it between the two rings and its not a problem, its better that way for fast movement/panning and fast action shots. But I still think that due to the weight of the 7D it would have been better to have reversed the two. Would be interesting to see how the balance is on a 550D for example.

My best mate has the 100-400L, so I know how much bigger and heavier it is and its one of the reasons I chose this lens. Its all-round portability, better IS and better weathersealing. Also I am chasing the kids often and needed a larger general purpose Zoom. I may well have bought this if it had been updated, newer IS, weathersealing etc.

I seriously did consider the 70-200 F4 L, but its not that much different to this one, its lighter but longer and its 100mm shorter zoom. I was really worried that I should have bought this lens instead, as its known for its quality. Funnily enough, having a cropped body, if this lens was a 50-200 F4 , I would have bought it. Anyway I took a bit of a gamble, because I still wanted a reasonable zoom length for wildlife photography or bird nerding as my wife calls it, but it needed to be as good as the 70-200L F4.
I am going to buy some bigger zoom lens in future, but I cannot justify the expense at this stage.

As far as dof is concerned, I spotted this as I was washing the car today. A nice big Huntsman spider was hanging on a thread and I focused on his rear end as I liked the way he was hanging of the spiderweb. I actually picked him up by the thread and moved him later.

F5.6, at 269mm, 1/400, iso 400. I also dialled in a bit of neg exposure, the reflection of car window wasn`t helping. There seems to be a fair bit of jpg compression going on here, these should be really sharp.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/Hunt1404.jpg

then the spider itself. 1/250 f5.6, at 300, iso 400 with flash.
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/Hunts1409.jpg

I am happy with these shots, it has taken me a while to get these, bloody rain. Heard something about wettest Summer in recorded history on the radio.

Australian Wood Duck, at 300, ISO 100, F 5.6. at 1/400
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/Duck1388.jpg

Kookaburra at 300, iso 125, F 5.6, 1/500
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/kook1394.jpg

Galah
ISO 100, F5, at 200. 1/640
http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/Galah1434.jpg


I will add more pics, when the weather improves, I am especially keen to add birds in flight. The fast focusing system is what I bought the 7D and this lens for.

[Gollum]

Thanks for posting your thoughts.

Looking at the duck picture, it may be front focusing. It may pay to check the focus system for your body lens combination. See link below for details:

http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/article_pages/cameras/1ds3_af_micoadjustment.html

[Max]

now using flickr, just noticed that I cannot go back and edit previous post, was going to change from photobucket to flickr.

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5131/5510973857_c58c2a4dfa_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxjjj/5510973857/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5137/5510973609_bc97481704_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxjjj/5510973609/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5017/5510973697_64ff6b254d_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxjjj/5510973697/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5174/5510973777_211e2289a3_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxjjj/5510973777/)

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5136/5511174573_d9a869ed32_z.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/maxjjj/5511174573/)

[Max]

shortly after I got the 50prime I found that some photos, especially with big aperture were not sharp. Unfortunately I found this out after taking photos of my wife`s sisters new baby. The hand of baby was in focus and the face wasn`t. After a few more experiments and using some charts, would like to provide link, but that will only get this post deleted by mods.
I solved that by adding +3 but I did it for that lens only.

I have been a bit disappointed with the sharpness from some of the photos when using the 70-300L. I took lots of photos at a local reserve of little birds. Way too many shots were sharp just in front of the birds. But I had been using spot focus and focused on the eye.
As you can see in above photo, the nose is more in focus than the eye. Also see duck photo as was pointed out its focused before the duck.

I got three shots of this, all the same. Spot focus on eye. 1/1250 and at 5.6. Too fast a shutter speed to be motion blur.

http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/focus-1.jpg

Anyway I tried the charts again with all my lenses and it appears that the camera front focus`s consistently with all of them. I have adjusted the micro adjustment to +3 for all lenses.

I always had some difficulty with my macro shots not being in focus on the right spot, always thought it was me. Possibly moving around too much. Now looking back at those photos, typically I would spot focus on the head and the front legs would be in focus.

after the adjustment, so far so good. The barbed wire gives a good indication of dof. On the original its more obvious, but I think this there is enough detail here to show the improvement. I have taken many other photos since making the adjustment, there is an improvement across the board. I didn`t expect the 7D to be out from the factory.



http://i137.photobucket.com/albums/q218/maxjjj/Focuss-1.jpg

[gje38752]

I have read your comments as they relate to your photos taken with the 70-300, as I am ordering a 70=200 and you have convinced me I am doing thr right thing for me. Love your pics:rolleyes:

[Max]

I have read your comments as they relate to your photos taken with the 70-300, as I am ordering a 70=200 and you have convinced me I am doing thr right thing for me. Love your pics:rolleyes:

Sorry don`t get it, what comments exactly are you referring to. The 7D front focusing issue affecting the pics or the 70-300L specifically, there is nothing wrong with the lens. Did you read the whole post? There is better shots I have done with the lens here http://www.ausphotography.net.au/forum/showthread.php?80567-little-bird-ID-help-please, but they don`t show up the problems the 7D caused.

Which 70-200 are you looking at ?