300mm F2.8 Lens or Nah

[Luke345678]

Hello there friends!

I posted a few days ago regarding a different lens question but I have a new but somewhat similar one today. I was originally trying to decide between a sigma 120-300mm f2.8 or a 1.4x teleconverter for my canon 70-200mm f2.8 lens. I got a rather lucrative contract recently and have set my sights a little further. I shoot just about every sport you could imagine.

While the 400mm f2.8 is still out of my budget I'm now looking at the 300mm f2.8. I'm leaning towards getting a used 300mm f2.8 IS for around $3.5k or a 300mm f2.8 IS II for around $5.5-6k depending on if I go brand new or used. I'm kind of wondering it it's worth it to pick up the 300mm f2.8 or just go with the 1.4x teleconverter and settle on f4 280mm.

Any thoughts?

 

[PaulWog]

Depends on what the contract is, and what you plan to do with the gear.

If you have a good contract, you want to build up a reputation, and you're going to keep taking on more contracts, the 300 f2.8 IS II new might be a good choice.

Or... sticking with what you have might be fine if this is a one-off.

 

[table1349]

The 300 f2.8 II would be the first choice closely followed by the used 300 f2.8. Both are top of the line lenses for action. I own the older 300 f2.8 and love it. Sharp as a tack. They one reason to go with the MkII version is for future AF compatibility in the future.

The 300 f2.8 II is a group A lens, meaning that on the newer bodies such as the 7DMkII all the focus point are cross type focus points with the center point being a dual cross point where the 300 f2.8 is a group B lens. All the focus points are cross type including the center point. There are also group C, D, E, F, & G lenses. The progressively loose the number of cross type focus points.

With the 1Dx MkII the number of dual cross points increase and the number available are dependent on the group letter.

A tc for sports is always the last choice to consider as you 70-200 f2.8 becomes an f4 with a 1.4X tc. The tc will also cause a slight focus lag as well.

 

[Luke345678]

The 300 f2.8 II would be the first choice closely followed by the used 300 f2.8. Both are top of the line lenses for action. I own the older 300 f2.8 and love it. Sharp as a tack. They one reason to go with the MkII version is for future AF compatibility in the future.

The 300 f2.8 II is a group A lens, meaning that on the newer bodies such as the 7DMkII all the focus point are cross type focus points with the center point being a dual cross point where the 300 f2.8 is a group B lens. All the focus points are cross type including the center point. There are also group C, D, E, F, & G lenses. The progressively loose the number of cross type focus points.

With the 1Dx MkII the number of dual cross points increase and the number available are dependent on the group letter.

A tc for sports is always the last choice to consider as you 70-200 f2.8 becomes an f4 with a 1.4X tc. The tc will also cause a slight focus lag as well.

Thank you for your response. I actually contacted my local camera store and discovered they could hook me up with a barely used 300 f2.8 II for around $5k. I've gotten a lot of gear from them and have the pleasure to call a few of their employees friends. Seemed like a great deal and I took it. I should get it this Thursday in time for a Football game I have to shoot on Friday. I'll post a few images and my thoughts once I get it. Thanks for your help! I really do appreciate it.

 

[beagle100]

The 300 f2.8 II would be the first choice closely followed by the used 300 f2.8. Both are top of the line lenses for action. I own the older 300 f2.8 and love it. Sharp as a tack. They one reason to go with the MkII version is for future AF compatibility in the future.

The 300 f2.8 II is a group A lens, meaning that on the newer bodies such as the 7DMkII all the focus point are cross type focus points with the center point being a dual cross point where the 300 f2.8 is a group B lens. All the focus points are cross type including the center point. There are also group C, D, E, F, & G lenses. The progressively loose the number of cross type focus points.

With the 1Dx MkII the number of dual cross points increase and the number available are dependent on the group letter.

A tc for sports is always the last choice to consider as you 70-200 f2.8 becomes an f4 with a 1.4X tc. The tc will also cause a slight focus lag as well.

Thank you for your response. I actually contacted my local camera store and discovered they could hook me up with a barely used 300 f2.8 II for around $5k. I've gotten a lot of gear from them and have the pleasure to call a few of their employees friends. Seemed like a great deal and I took it. I should get it this Thursday in time for a Football game I have to shoot on Friday. I'll post a few images and my thoughts once I get it. Thanks for your help! I really do appreciate it.

you should get great pics from the 300mm 2.8 II

 

[fmw]

Understand that teleconverters do soften images. Be sure you understand that the amount of softening will work for you. No problem for internet photos. Perhaps a problem for larger images.

 

[PersistentNomad]

Understand that teleconverters do soften images. Be sure you understand that the amount of softening will work for you. No problem for internet photos. Perhaps a problem for larger images.

Thank you for this! I also had been considering a teleconverter for a shorter range lens as part of all my upgrading I want to do, but I had no idea that this would be a thing, and since I like to print large images it's a really big deal! It's actually really hard to find good and accurate info on how a teleconverter will affect what your camera sees and how it sees it.

 

[table1349]

TC's are not designed for lenses shorter than 100mm. Yes some TC's from 3rd party manufacturers will fit anything, but that does not mean that they will work. TC's are best used on top quality lenses, preferably prime, but also on top quality zooms as long as the TC is also a top quality TC. The TC is going to magnify the image the camera records. The TC is also going to magnify any and all optical flaws with the lens as well as add its own flaws.

The other issue with TC's of course is the light loss. A 1.4X - 1.5X TC will result in a one stop loss of light. A 2X TC will cause a two stop loss of light. In addition, as I mentioned above, the TC will cause the focus system to be slightly slower. In low light situations it can in certain instances case the focus to be quite slow.

The only 4 lenses I will use either my 1.4X or 2X TC is generally on my 200 f2.0, 300 f2.8 or 400 f2.8. I will in a pinch use the 1.4X TC on my 70-200 f2.8.

 

[fmw]

Understand that teleconverters do soften images. Be sure you understand that the amount of softening will work for you. No problem for internet photos. Perhaps a problem for larger images.

Thank you for this! I also had been considering a teleconverter for a shorter range lens as part of all my upgrading I want to do, but I had no idea that this would be a thing, and since I like to print large images it's a really big deal! It's actually really hard to find good and accurate info on how a teleconverter will affect what your camera sees and how it sees it.

Perhaps you can borrow one, do some tests, and develop your own opinion. Personally, I no longer use TC's because our cameras can now exceed the resolution of film and lens problems become more visible. If you want to use a TC, get the best one you can afford with the least magnification that will be useful to you.

 

[EIngerson]

Both versions of the 300 2.8 are phenomenal lenses. Neither one would be a bad decision. As far as the AF points, I can't remember the last time I used anything besides the center point shooting sports with it. I'm not sure I've ever moved it.