HELP NEEDED CHOOSING THE RIGHT TELEPHOTO LENS!!!

[swiftparkour94]

The Canon 400mm L USM prime or the 100-400mm L IS USM?

I shoot everything but my main focus is sports and wildlife. I'm looking for a telephoto lenses that i feel like i will never need to replace, my EF-S 55-250mm will not cut it. USM is a must! IS would help tremendously too because i have tourettes syndrome and it is sometimes hard to control (very rarely) when concentrating so much. I'm looking for it to last me at least the next 5-15 years. What scares me is the reviews. Through my research i have found that the 100-400mm gets soft the closer you get to 400mm, yet so many people claim that it is tack sharp (i doubt they had flawed copies, they seemed experienced enough to know). What's really pushing me to get it is that it is very versatile due to the focal lengths, where as the prime i'd have to use my feet a lot and there is no IS (i could use a monopod but i love moving around), and i heard that primes are VERY sharp. I am very critical with sharpness. I am on the fence with them both and it is stressing me out! Please help! [I'm a very serious amateur with OCD seeking a pro lens] :meh:[h=1][/h]

 

[Heitz]

why does every noob have to post with a title in all caps?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

I love the 100-400mm

Let me go find a 100% crop at 400mm. BRB

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

100% crop SOOC, if I remember correctly.

At 400mm

ISO 100
F/5.6
1/250
5DmkII

 

[swiftparkour94]

From the prime?

 

[MLeeK]

I shoot sports and I'd need to go with the 100-400. I couldn't be left at 400 full time. I'd miss a LOT. I miss quite a bit even when I am at 70mm, but usually I'd be happy to lose the stuff that close to me for the added reach of the 400mm end of it.

 

[swiftparkour94]

I honestly did not expect any replies, sorry. Other forums I've been on I'd at least 2 replies after 3 months have passed

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

5.6
390mm

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

No, these are from the 100-400mm which I said I love. It's my walk around lens.

 

[3bayjunkie]

Umm 400mm L

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

At 400mm f/11

 

[swiftparkour94]

I shoot sports and I'd need to go with the 100-400. I couldn't be left at 400 full time. I'd miss a LOT. I miss quite a bit even when I am at 70mm, but usually I'd be happy to lose the stuff that close to me for the added reach of the 400mm end of it.

ok that sounds good, I'm just concerned with the sharpness of it. I also heard that the AF is slightly slower than the prime

 

[swiftparkour94]

No, these are from the 100-400mm which I said I love. It's my walk around lens.

AWESOME! Thank you so much for your help! Just being clear here, have any of these been sharpened in post?

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

At 190mm f/4.5

 

[Bitter Jeweler]

All have been sharpened in post except the first image that is 100% crop

Sharpening improves already sharp images, but doesn't help soft ones as much like what came from that 55-250mm which I also have. Which is soft, and frustrated me.