Need an affordable 300mm

[Botts]

This trip -> race cars, tigers, and airplanes.  -> In good light.

Normally, I shoot landscapes, or portraits.

[bdunbar79]

the 300mm f4L IS is a really nice lens i got mine second hand on ebay for $800
the IS is only 2 stop and makes a clunking sound showing its age but optically its very nice even wide open
and with a 1.4 TC it becomes a nice 420mm f5.6 with IS, its a really nicely balanced lens on any 5D body

I ususally have the tripod foot removed on this lens and on my 70-200 as i mostly shootin them handheld but keep a foot in my bag to pop on if i do want to use a monopod the 300f4L and 70-200 f2.8L have the same tripod feet so i only need to carry one foot to cove both lenses

300 f/4L is okay by me anyday.

[jonathan7007]

I, too, like my recently-acquired 300f4L Is. Yeah, clunk on IS action but the lightness is good. I admit I reach for the non-existent zoom sometimes. Glad I found it at a good price. I chose this over the 100-400 as I decided I's not shoot the range 300-400 enough for my clients. Tried a friend's 100-400 and can see the appeal but I saved a fair amount buying this 300 prime.
jonathan7007

[TexPhoto]

I loaned my 300 f4 IS to a girl at a soccer game (a friend, but I was working on more) I mentioned that it was a prime lens.  After about an hour she came over with a dreadful look and told me she was really sorry, she'd broken it.  How? I said.  "It won't zoom anymore" she explained.  I explained the prime thing again and she admitted she had no idea what that meant or that there were any lenses that would not zoom.  She swore it was zooming when I first gave it to her.