p.1 #1 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I have the xt50 and I'm looking at a telephoto lens but really not sure which to get. I know the Fuji 100-400 is bright but it's also nearing 10 years old at this point. I think the Sigma 100-400 might be a better competitor to the Fuji 70-300 these days since they're newer and close-ish in focal length and price (major factor being compactness/portability and if you need the extra 100mm?). Beyond that the Tamron seems like the obvious choice if you can swing it but harder to find in a good deal, especially used.
Does this this all seem about right? I'm hitting the Indy 500 in a few weeks and love taking photos of random animals/perched birds around. I also live near an Air Force base so I'm always seeing cool planes around that I'd like to get pictures of.
p.1 #2 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I had the 100-400 and now have the 70-300. I like the 70-300 better. The image quality is good. It has a short min focus of ~2 ft giving you a .33 magnification and I believe it will even take a tele converter. No experience with the sigma or the tamron models.
I saw your WTB and for a fast prime telephoto look at the Fuji 90mm or the original Fuji 56 1.2 they can be found for a reasonable price used and are excellent.
p.1 #3 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
For birds, longer is better. I have the 70-300 and it’s a great versatile range and optical performer in a compact package, but it’s marginally short for good bird photography. 400 better, 500 or 600 best for birds.
p.1 #4 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
xf 70-300 with or without the 1.4x is an excellent, portable, compact option, especially with the 1.5x crop factor reach. Stepping up if you like to the xf 150-600, also with or without the 1.4x, will give you amazing reach for planes or birds in good light. In poor light, unfortunately AF suffers with false positives and crop DR is an issue, but for your use case the more compact option may be best (no experience with 3rd party, and not sure if AF performance compounds Fuji's AF issues).
p.1 #6 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I’ve rented the 100-400 and 70-300 w1.4 TC. The 100-400 is as big and heavy as my Canon was. I really didn’t think it was mechanically impressive. Zoom was stiff and focus was alright. IQ was great. The 70-300 focuses well without the TC, is smaller, smoother focusing and the IQ is still excellent. It doesn’t focus as well with TC but the images are still fine. F/8 wide open though. I’d buy the 70-300. Unless birds and small critters are your subjects. The get a longer lens.
p.1 #7 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
The 100-400 if you're happy to go used and you prioritize image quality and additional focal length over size and weight. It's better at 300 than the 70-300 and it is better at 400 than cropping the 300. It's a steal on the used market but it's over priced new. They are very close performers and if you can live with 300 you won't be disappointed.
p.1 #8 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
For me, the 70-300 is small and light enough to carry in my backpack with only a possibility that it will be used if a situation presents itself. The 100-400 is much larger and I wouldn't be carrying that unless I was sure I needed it. As pointed out, the 70-300 for bird shots is a bit short unless you are fairly close.
p.1 #9 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
The Sigma 100-400 is not very 'new', it's been around a while in other mounts. I have a Nikon mount version I also use on Fuji via Fringer and it's good, but reviews don't show it better than the Fuji. The Sigma is smaller, lighter, cheaper, but slower at 400 compared to the Fuji.
p.1 #11 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
FWIW, I am pleased as punch with the Sigma 100-400 f5-6.3 w/ IS. IMHO, it's tough to beat at $800 new from BH three weeks or so ago. Doggone good for 600mm crop at that price point.
X-H2SIGMA 100-400mm F5-6.3 DG DN OS | Contemporary 020 lens400mmf/8.01/900s100 ISO-0.3 EV
p.1 #12 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I picked up a used 100-400 - at a very good price. It was an amazingly sharp lens ... even at 400.... However, it was far to big for me to lug around... had to let it go.. I then picked up a new 70-300 and I am pleased with it so far, extremely portable and lightweight considering the 450mm FOV.. A very versitile lens .. close as well as distant. imo...
X-H2XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens142mmf/5.01/1000s200 ISO0.0 EV
X-H2XF70-300mmF4-5.6 R LM OIS WR lens300mmf/9.01/500s160 ISO0.0 EV
p.1 #13 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I’ll add my two cents. If you want portable or easily carried and very good optical performance, the 70-300 is the choice. I owned a good copy of the 100-400 that worked well with the 1.4x converter, but it was large enough it was only with when I knew I might want it, while the 70-300 is always in my bag. FWIW
I’ve never used the Tamron, but several reports of its AF stalling or jittering often enough it can be a frustration. A good copy of the Fuji 100-400 is undoubtedly a good choice as it doesn’t stutter on AF.
For me now owning the portable 70-300, I would look to the 150-600 if I felt I needed more than 300. 400 isn’t hugely longer than 300 while 600 is; and the 150-600 is only slightly larger physically than the 100-400. It’s also very good optically, and with the usably longer focal length, albeit with a little slower aperture, it would still be my long lens choice.
PS comment: You should be aware that shooting with longer telephotos requires some additional technique for optimal results. First issue is not in our control and that's mirage, and it's a very real and largely negative telephoto effect. The next is simply stability. Even with great IS, handholding has its limitations. A lot of us, especially older shooters, will use a gimbal head to aid both fluid tracking and stability; IOW don't expect perfect images with really long lenses until you master proper technique. Offered only FWIW
p.1 #14 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
The 70-300 is a pretty perfect balance of portability and reach. I also quite like how it's balanced on the X-T3, and since the X-T50 is close in weight, I expect it would be balanced on it well too. If you find yourself needing more reach on occasion, teleconverters are always an option.
p.1 #15 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
az-dave wrote:
I had the 100-400 and now have the 70-300. I like the 70-300 better. The image quality is good. It has a short min focus of ~2 ft giving you a .33 magnification and I believe it will even take a tele converter. No experience with the sigma or the tamron models.
I saw your WTB and for a fast prime telephoto look at the Fuji 90mm or the original Fuji 56 1.2 they can be found for a reasonable price used and are excellent.
Good luck
Dave
From everything I hear, the 70-300 is a fine lens. For some uses I would consider if for my own use — I thought about getting one for a particular bit of travel where I thought I might want a longer lens that isn’t too gigantic. But I do not own it. (IIRC, it is compatible with the f.4x TC, which would extend its use.)
I have the 100-400. I like it quite a bit. I use it mostly for wildlife, though also for occasional landscape photography. (I do most of my landscape photography with a non-Fujifilm system, but occasionally the Fujifilm XT5 gets some use for that subject.) I like the greater “reach” of the 100-400, and appreciate the extending zoom design for its smaller packed size.
For the real long lens aficionado, there’s the 150-600. I considered it, but decided that a) the angle of view of teh 400mm would be sufficient (especially with occasionally use of the 1.4X TC), and b) I’m a bit uncomfortable about the limited useful apertures at the long end.
p.1 #16 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
Do you plan to always carry a tripod with it? To me, that kind of simplifies the question as the 100-300 even with 1.4x is still pretty easy to hold. The 100-400's and up would really need a tripod for very much shooting. Not joking when I say maybe you need both. If I get a longer lens I still wouldn't sell the 100-300 due to portability.
p.1 #17 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
SGinNorcal wrote:
Do you plan to always carry a tripod with it? To me, that kind of simplifies the question as the 100-300 even with 1.4x is still pretty easy to hold. The 100-400's and up would really need a tripod for very much shooting. Not joking when I say maybe you need both. If I get a longer lens I still wouldn't sell the 100-300 due to portability.
With the 100-400 it depends on your subject. I usually use it handheld for photographing birds, but I would definitely use a tripod for subjects like landscapes.
I agree with you on the portability issue. The 100-400 is not a small lens.
p.1 #18 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I never liked the 100-400 because of the extending front barrel. I'd step up to the 150-600 if you're at this price range. If you don't like a big lens and OK with less reach, go with the 70-300.
p.1 #19 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
I am new to Fuji equipment. I bought a 45-100 GF lens with my GFX 100s ii and LOVE it! The Canon 70-200f2.8 is my most used focal length lens on my Canon dslrs. I dont see any reason why that fl would not be well served on a Fuji camera!
Dan
p.1 #20 · Looking for a telephoto lens, not sure which option is best
mjeffv2 wrote:
I have the xt50 and I'm looking at a telephoto lens but really not sure which to get. I know the Fuji 100-400 is bright but it's also nearing 10 years old at this point. I think the Sigma 100-400 might be a better competitor to the Fuji 70-300 these days since they're newer and close-ish in focal length and price (major factor being compactness/portability and if you need the extra 100mm?). Beyond that the Tamron seems like the obvious choice if you can swing it but harder to find in a good deal, especially used.
Does this this all seem about right? I'm hitting the Indy 500 in a few weeks and love taking photos of random animals/perched birds around. I also live near an Air Force base so I'm always seeing cool planes around that I'd like to get pictures of....Show more →
I don't care for the Fuji 100-400 build quality. Mine broke confirming my fears. I had it repaired and sold it. IQ is decent and focus fast enough. You can add a TC and it's fine for portraits. Take the TC off for action.
The Fuji 70-300 is a very average lens. It's sharp enough and fine for portraits with the TC yet if you shoot into the sun or backlit CA can happen, particularly with a TC.
I have not used the Sigma 100-400. Those owning one report it is sharp and focuses fast. Be aware that it zooms in the opposite direction of Fuji zooms. This can impact muscle memory and cause missed shots. TCs may not work.
The Tamron 150-500 is reported to focus fast and is sharp though you may want to sharpen it a bit more at the 500mm end. TCs are not an option.
There is also the Fuji 150-600mm and the Fuji 500mm yet it sounds like there outside of your budget. Another option is to use a Fringer adapter with older Canon EF mount and Nikon F mount lenses. You can find some of them used at a very attractive price. Watch out for older lens and parts availability for repairs.
For smaller birds, you will want more reach than 100mm
