500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

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Archive 2009 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

PetKal
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p.3 #1 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Breitling65 wrote:

Please try one day to shot against of sun light, I am interesting in results. Great ducks BTW, I am impressed how many types you have in your shots collection.

I will try. Usually I like to have the sun beaming into my back.

However, quite often I end up having to shoot against a strong backlight, be it skyshine or water reflection, like on these three images below, shot with bare 500 f/4. In fact, I thought I got less subject washout than I expected, which is very good.

Edited on Nov 08, 2009 at 08:34 PM · View previous versions

Nov 07, 2009 at 10:23 PM

Adam L
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p.3 #2 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

So many birders own this lens

Nov 07, 2009 at 10:23 PM

Breitling65
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p.3 #3 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

amirm wrote:
OP's observations match mine. A few years ago I tested a number of supertelephotos with and without 1.4 and 2.0 TCs. There is no question that you get more CA and other artifacts when you add a TC. As noted, the 300 f2.8 was least affected. And had the best performance with 2.0 TCs.

In my case, I bought the 500 and was frustrated by the slowed down AF on birds in flight. So I bought the 600 and that has been a welcome improvement in being able to shoot with the "naked" lens far more often than with the 500.

When using 2.0 TC, I always try to stop down if the background is clean and I have enough light. One or two stops makes a large difference.

Right, that is possibly because I been using stunning 300/F2.8L IS with any tc's lot before 500L. Not sure if any other Canon lens impressed me as much with optical performance...

Nov 07, 2009 at 11:51 PM

Colin Key
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p.3 #4 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

I do not see any deterioration of I.Q. when I use my 500mm f/4 L with a Canon x1.4TCII on my 1D Mk3:

Little Bittern
1/2,000s f/7.1 at 700mm ISO 400

Spotted Crake
1/1,250s f/7.1 at 700mm ISO 400

Fan-tailed Warbler (Zitting cisticola)
1/1,600s f/7.1 at 700mm ISO 400

Nov 08, 2009 at 02:08 PM

PetKal
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p.3 #5 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Breitling65 wrote:
Right, that is possibly because I been using stunning 300/F2.8L IS with any tc's lot before 500L. Not sure if any other Canon lens impressed me as much with optical performance...

The 300 f/2.8 IS handles difficult exposure situations very well, while maintaining good contrast, colours and bokeh, without a need for manic postprocessing, assuming camera exposure was done reasonably well. See examples below for some fairly tough exposure conditions I've encountered today.
In fact, because of its f/2.8 nominal aperture, much lower weight/bulk and faster focusing, whenever possible at all I will use 300 f/2.8 as opposed to 500 f/4 or even 500 f/4.5.

Edited on Nov 09, 2009 at 02:30 AM · View previous versions

Nov 08, 2009 at 04:50 PM

AGeoJO
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p.3 #6 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Here is another shot with that combo on my 1D MarkIII

Canon EOS-1D Mark III 700 mm f/8.0 1/160 sec 400 ISO 0.0 EV

Nov 08, 2009 at 06:19 PM

rd4tile
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p.3 #7 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

PetKal wrote:

The 300 f/2.8 IS handles difficult exposure situations very well, while maintaining good contrast, colours and bokeh, without a need for manic postprocessing, assuming camera exposure was done reasonably well. See examples below for some fairly tough exposure conditions I've encountered today.
In fact, because of its f/2.8 nominal aperture, much lower weight/bulk and faster focusing, whenever possible at all I will use 300 f/2.8 as opposed to 500 f/4 or even 500 f/4.5.

PetKal:

Can you post up a few from your 500 f4.5 as well? (just bought one of those myself and I'm waiting for it to show up.)

thanks
Rich

Nov 09, 2009 at 02:32 AM

PetKal
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p.3 #8 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Here you go, one of my favourites taken with the 500 f/4.5L.
BTW, I have to look at full exif in order to see which 500mm lens a shot was taken with. Those two lenses have practically indistinguishable IQ, although I'd perhaps give a very small edge to the f./4 version.....and not quite sure about it either.

Edited on Nov 09, 2009 at 11:43 PM · View previous versions

Nov 09, 2009 at 02:42 AM

rd4tile
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p.3 #9 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Thanks, I love threads like this!

I've always wanted a 500 f4 L IS so I figured a (much) cheaper 4.5 version would be a nice way to figure out if I'll use it enough to justify dropping the extra $.

Nov 09, 2009 at 03:11 AM

TooManyShots
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p.3 #10 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

500L + 1.4x converter. 1dmarkIII

500L + 1.4x converter. 1dmarkIII ISO1600

Nov 09, 2009 at 04:00 AM

GeneO
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p.3 #11 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Here is one from today (too low shutter speed 1/800 but it worked out

) 1D3 + 500/4L + Canon EF 1.4X II

This image is copyrighted by the owner

Edited on Nov 09, 2009 at 11:12 PM · View previous versions

Nov 09, 2009 at 04:05 AM

PetKal
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p.3 #12 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

rd4tile wrote:
Thanks, I love threads like this!

I've always wanted a 500 f4 L IS so I figured a (much) cheaper 4.5 version would be a nice way to figure out if I'll use it enough to justify dropping the extra $.

If the lens is representative of its design, I don't think you will be disappointed. Granted, you might feel the need for IS as handholding it requires good steadiness. If you will have it tripod mounted, then that is not a big deal. Also, depending on what you like to photograph, you might find out that the AF drive speed is very unremarkable.

Here is another one taken with the 500 f/4.5 from the other day: a Hoodlum Vergaser hen.

Edited on Nov 10, 2009 at 11:51 AM · View previous versions

Nov 09, 2009 at 06:19 PM

PORSCHE917
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p.3 #13 · 500L owners, lens performance with 1.4tc

Dear Breitling:

The images you posted most recently in this thread are terrific. You and your 500 are definitely cooking.

Best regards,

Roman

Nov 09, 2009 at 11:15 PM

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