If you want "birds in flight" lens, i would recommend 400/5.6 instead. It's much (a little bit?) lighter, faster to focus, and (from my experience) better pict quality at wide open.
I don't think this paticular lens has dust problem as every lens which changes its length should have the same sort of effect.
One question,, what's wrong with your 300/4?? or 300/4 plus 1.4x??
There is nothing wrong with 300 & 1.4... I just love that lens !!
But sometimes when I take action pics ( birds, dogs etc ) that over 650mm ( 300 +1.4 ) is too much and with prime I cant zoom out. Also the 70-200 4 is sometimes too short and with 1.4x the focus it too slow...
So I think that the 100-400 would be just perfect for this kind of action pics besauce I can zoom quickly in and out... I think that 100-400 would be somekind "allrounder lens" for me.
Here is some pics of dogs so you can see what I mean...
...and here is pic of bird which get too close to me so I didn't get more pic of him... ( it's Arctic Redpoll and it's only visitor here in southern Finland )... well maybe next time.
Pasi, I think the photos you are taking with your current lenses are great! If you decide to get the 100-400mm I'm sure you'll have no trouble getting remarkable photographs with it.
Thanks for sharing those photos.
Lisa
Hi Pasi,
very nice pictures of the dogs!
As you correctly mentioned, the 100-400 is very flexible and the image quality is good as well. As for the dust problem, I think it it is overhyped - I don't have any dust issues with the push-pull at all.
I just bought the 100-400 this week, I just love it, true, it maybe is " less sharp" than a prime, but it still is really sharp! The fact that you're able to zoom is just great!
The fact that you're able to zoom is just great!