Canon 300mm f2.8 IS II

[Dylan777]

Can someone talk me out from NOT buying 300mm IS f2.8 II !!!PLEASE!!!

Yes I admit, I have "Red Ring Acquisition Syndrome"

Please show me your BAD photos taken with this lens ;D ;D ;D

 

[Q8-MC]

im thinking to buy one

 

[neuroanatomist]

Sorry, can't help you. The 300/2.8 II is on my short list.

 

[AlanF]

Sorry, I can't even start to talk you out of it. It is a simply awesome lens at 300mm and f2.8. With the 1.4xTC III it is the second best 400mm available (well, 420mm f/4), very fast focussing and very, very sharp. With the 2xTC III, its IQ is still excellent and it is has snappy focussing on the 5DIII, but slower on the 7D. It is a superb lightweight 600mm. I don't have any bad photos from it attributable to the lens, only me.

Go forth and buy it! And you too Neuro.

 

[docsmith]

Sorry, I can't even start to talk you out of it. It is a simply awesome lens at 300mm and f2.8. With the 1.4xTC III it is the second best 400mm available (well, 420mm f/4), very fast focussing and very, very sharp. With the 2xTC III, its IQ is still excellent and it is has snappy focussing on the 5DIII, but slower on the 7D. It is a superb lightweight 600mm. I don't have any bad photos from it attributable to the lens, only me.

Go forth and buy it! And you too Neuro.

You just described what I may be settling in on for my telephoto set up. Very glad to hear it works so well. I had been thinking of the 500 f/4 or the 600 f/4. Actually, I had just assumed that is what I would eventually want. But the more I thought about it, the more I started thinking the 300 f/2.8 with TCs would suit my needs better. I do a lot of travel and shoot from a kayak. A smaller lens would be better at both.

Regarding the OP, I've been looking at this for a couple of months and I have yet to find an issue. It seems like a great lens.

 

[alexturton]

buy the new sigma 120-300 instead. it is cheaper with almost as good IQ and AF speed but with the added versatility of a zoom. + you'll save £2300 which you could spend on another red ring or two like 50mm 1.2 & 135 2.0

 

[privatebydesign]

You could save a lot of money and buy a 300mm f2.8 IS, rather than the MkII. The differences are minimal as a bare lens, both are excellent with the 1.4 TC MkIII but the MkI 300 doesn't do so well with a 2X TC MkII, but I never used a MkIII 2X TC on one either. As a 420 f4 via the MkIII 1.4TC it is a superb lens.

I have had the 300 f2.8 IS since it came out and though I liked the idea of the MkII, the IQ differences just didn't add up to the $ differences for me.

 

[Vern]

I have the 300 2.8II and the 600 f4II. The 300 is a very nice lens to use alone and with both the extenders, as you point out. In fact, it is the only lens I have where I'm truly happy with the performance with the 2XIII most of the time. It is lower contrast and doesn't handle backlighting very well compared to the lens alone or the 600 f4II but the IQ is typically fine when you avoid these situations. I use this combo often when I am going to walk a lot with the setup and I am not primarily focused on capturing birds. For the latter, the 600 + the 1.4XIII is ideal. While the Sigma would be a nice option if you only want a focal length up to 300, it can't compare to the 300 2.8II w the extenders.

I think the 300, 1.4 and 2X make the best hi-performance, light tele outfit available from Canon for these focal lengths. Truly hand holdable w comfort. The 600 is not, for me. I don't have the 200-400 w 1.4X but that is again in the same weight class as the 600 (and $$$).

 

[Dylan777]

Sorry, can't help you. The 300/2.8 II is on my short list.

I'm waiting for special rebates from Canon and/or BH. Hopefully this Christmas. I might get the x2 TC III with it. I live 10mins away from Hungtington Beach, CA. I'm interested shooting the surfers.

http://www.huntingtonbeachca.gov/

 

[Dylan777]

Sorry, I can't even start to talk you out of it. It is a simply awesome lens at 300mm and f2.8. With the 1.4xTC III it is the second best 400mm available (well, 420mm f/4), very fast focussing and very, very sharp. With the 2xTC III, its IQ is still excellent and it is has snappy focussing on the 5DIII, but slower on the 7D. It is a superb lightweight 600mm. I don't have any bad photos from it attributable to the lens, only me.

Go forth and buy it! And you too Neuro.

Alan,
What are your thoughts on shooting surfers with 5D III + 300mm f2.8 IS II + 2x TC III or 1.4x TC III? You think the AF will be fast enough?

Thanks
Dylan

 

[Dylan777]

buy the new sigma 120-300 instead. it is cheaper with almost as good IQ and AF speed but with the added versatility of a zoom. + you'll save £2300 which you could spend on another red ring or two like 50mm 1.2 & 135 2.0

I have a friend bought this lens last August. We went out did some shooting. AF is quite off in AI servo on my 5D III. AF is also on slow side compared to 300mm f2.8 IS II. I'm not sure he got a bad copy or the lens itself. He returned the lens the back to BH and bought the 400mm f2.8 IS II instead. He extremely happy NOW.

I already have 50L and 135L

Love the zoom though

 

[TexPhoto]

Once you shoot a big white one you'll know it's the right one.

 

[privatebydesign]

Sorry, I can't even start to talk you out of it. It is a simply awesome lens at 300mm and f2.8. With the 1.4xTC III it is the second best 400mm available (well, 420mm f/4), very fast focussing and very, very sharp. With the 2xTC III, its IQ is still excellent and it is has snappy focussing on the 5DIII, but slower on the 7D. It is a superb lightweight 600mm. I don't have any bad photos from it attributable to the lens, only me.

Go forth and buy it! And you too Neuro.

Alan,
What are your thoughts on shooting surfers with 5D III + 300mm f2.8 IS II + 2x TC III or 1.4x TC III? You think the AF will be fast enough?

Thanks
Dylan

I have done a lot of surf shooting with the MkI 300 2.8IS and MkII 2xTC, so a slower AF combo, surfing is an easy AF task, heck I used to shoot it with manual focus FD 300 and 2xTC! You will have no issues, particularly if the sun is out and you have good contrast, very early and very late in the day it can be a little slower.

The newer combo is easily up to the task.

Here is a very strongly back light difficult surf AF situation, even the earlier combo, the 300 f2.8 IS and 2xTC MkII easily tracks focus.

 

[scottkinfw]

I can't help you. I have already started to save for one. Untreated red ring acquisition syndrome leads to necrosis of the right index finger, AKE, the trigger finger. Just think about that before you deny yourself.

You can make more time, you can't make another trigger finger.

Scott

Sorry, I can't even start to talk you out of it. It is a simply awesome lens at 300mm and f2.8. With the 1.4xTC III it is the second best 400mm available (well, 420mm f/4), very fast focussing and very, very sharp. With the 2xTC III, its IQ is still excellent and it is has snappy focussing on the 5DIII, but slower on the 7D. It is a superb lightweight 600mm. I don't have any bad photos from it attributable to the lens, only me.

Go forth and buy it! And you too Neuro.

Alan,
What are your thoughts on shooting surfers with 5D III + 300mm f2.8 IS II + 2x TC III or 1.4x TC III? You think the AF will be fast enough?

Thanks
Dylan

I have done a lot of surf shooting with the MkI 300 2.8IS and MkII 2xTC, so a slower AF combo, surfing is an easy AF task, heck I used to shoot it with manual focus FD 300 and 2xTC! You will have no issues, particularly if the sun is out and you have good contrast, very early and very late in the day it can be a little slower.

The newer combo is easily up to the task.

Here is a very strongly back light difficult surf AF situation, even the earlier combo, the 300 f2.8 IS and 2xTC MkII easily tracks focus.

 

[msm]

Sorry, I can't even start to talk you out of it. It is a simply awesome lens at 300mm and f2.8. With the 1.4xTC III it is the second best 400mm available (well, 420mm f/4), very fast focussing and very, very sharp. With the 2xTC III, its IQ is still excellent and it is has snappy focussing on the 5DIII, but slower on the 7D. It is a superb lightweight 600mm. I don't have any bad photos from it attributable to the lens, only me.

Go forth and buy it! And you too Neuro.

Alan,
What are your thoughts on shooting surfers with 5D III + 300mm f2.8 IS II + 2x TC III or 1.4x TC III? You think the AF will be fast enough?

Thanks
Dylan

The speed loss with either TC is unnoticeable on a 5D III. And that's probably a good reason to avoid other lenses.

 

[jasonsim]

Don't know that I can talk you out of it. I have one and rather give up my 600mm II than the 300mm II. It is just a very versatile lens by itself and with both 1.4x and 2x extenders. If Canon comes out with a 7D II with 1Dx like AF, then it gets even more versatile.

Here are some samples:

300mm II + 2x III on 1Dx; f/8 ISO 1250:

300mm II + 2x III on 1Dx; f/8 ISO 1600:

300mm II on 5D III; f/2.8 ISO 100:

Let me know what you decide.

 

[Skulker]

Can someone talk me out from NOT buying 300mm IS f2.8 II !!!PLEASE!!!

Yes I admit, I have "Red Ring Acquisition Syndrome"

Please show me your BAD photos taken with this lens ;D ;D ;D

Cant help you. Sorry. If you want my advice just get one as soon as you can. It is by far my favorite lens on the 1Dx, often with a converter. What ever they say if you don't say if the converter was on or not they can't tell from looking at the images. Its almost as good on the 5D3 but a bit slower to focus, but its still blimming fast.

According to lightroom about 60 to 70% of my shots with the 1Dx are through this lens. GET ONE NOW, you know you should. ;D

 

[Mick]

Buy it. Its the best of the best in the Canon range. Whatever they do over at Canon, the 300 prime rules over the others. The image quality is nothing short of outstanding including the older models. The latest is light, autofocus is lazer quick, pictures are punchy and contrasty and I can tell whenever I pull up a shot that it was done with the 300. Its damm sharp with both new extenders and soooo versatile. This is how good it is....

 

[bdunbar79]

buy the new sigma 120-300 instead. it is cheaper with almost as good IQ and AF speed but with the added versatility of a zoom. + you'll save £2300 which you could spend on another red ring or two like 50mm 1.2 & 135 2.0

And of course, you're joking right??

 

[AlanF]

He must be joking, my arm is still aching since I tried to lift the Sigma, and by all accounts its IQ suffers with extenders. I have taken 1000s of bird photos at 600mm with the 300 II + 2xTC III. But, here is my grandson playing cricket taken with the 300mm II +1.4xTC III on the 5DIII (100% crop). I cannot think of a greater pleasure than the 300mm III, a grandson and cricket.