There have been countless threads of the "100-400 vs. 400 f/5.6" type all over the internet photography fora. The sharpness debate is probably the most popular one.
Typically the 100-400 owners like their 100-400, the 400 f/5.6 owners like their prime lens best. What else is new.
However, there is also a rather commonly held notion that the prime is better for photographing fast action such as running animals or birds in flight. A few, but not all, 100-400 owners do acknowledge that their lens is sluggish to focus.
That is what I'd like to explore in some detail here: the agility of 100-400 lens.
How good have you found the lens for tracking fast objects, be that animals, birds, fast vehicles, sports and such ?
As usual, first hand experience based input is hoped for. Those folks who have used the 100-400 for fast action successfully might wish to include some photo examples........that would be quite helpful.
Uhhh...no offense but how exactly is the above image portraying a fast subject? It doesn't speak anything to the 100-400's AF let alone AF at all. Anyhow, in reference to the thread here are a few I shot with my 100-400+1.4x TC. Keep in mind I do not shoot a lot of fast action with this lens, so what you see it pretty much the only quick action I've captured with it in as many attempts. Also keep in mind that the subject, even though it was shot with a TC attached, was shot against a clear blue sky which makes it that much easier for the lens to track it. I've done some little league baseball as well, but I've yet to upload it to flickr. http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2451/3556954582_a6fd0b708b_b.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3374/3555324620_b891586bcc_b.jpg
I do want to state that I don't feel the lens is as fast to focus as the 400/5.6 but it's not a terribly slow lens either. Obviously it can shoot fast action, there are just better lenses out there for the job.
It would probably be most useful if people who've owned and used both lenses would offer their opinion. You could do fast action with manual focus with enough time, effort, lost shots and luck, but it really doesn't say much about the alternative.
Out of curiosity, Peter, have you shot with the 100-400 at all? If so what were your personal findings--specifically when compared to the 400/5.6? The only reason I ask is because you seem to be an exception to the rule in that your ability to use nearly any lens for PIF's and do so successfully, regardless of the lenses AF speed. It makes me think that technique in such situations outweighs AF performance almost entirely.
Matt, I do not wanna spoil the feedback with my experience yet because I haven't used the 100-400 for action recently. These days I like to use it for stationary targets/scenes and I am very pleased with its performance.
In the daylight, my 100-400 worked well for sports -- and I was sometimes even afforded the luxury of stopping down a bit, if the light was bright enough. Although I must admit, most of my sports photography is indoors or under night lights, so I rarely used the 100-400...so infrequently that I just sold it today on the B/S board . We'll see if I miss it.
reno.peterson wrote:
The "NAVY" shot....Where were you able to get that perfect of a shot? Were you on the ground or in the air? Beautiful shot. Thanks for sharing...
I've got way too many to post but I've shot motorsport including rallies, V8 Supercars etc along with Aussie Rules (AFL) football, soccer, tennis, cycling, rugby league, wrestling, motocross, air shows plus heaps of other sports, plus stuff like rock concerts etc all with the 100-400 and in different lighting (day, night, artificial) conditions.
I don't regret at all having bought it. It's a great lens indeed.
Go to www.freewebs.com/philwillmedia/apps/photos to see my photo gallery.
Most of the images up until March of this year (2009) were taken with that lens.
From August 2004 until late 2007 it was coupled to a 10D. In late 2007 I bought a 1D MkII and used it with that until March this year when I bought a 70-200/2.8 and 300/2.8 with 2X and 1.4X extenders and have been using those most of the time but still have the 100-400 and have no intention of getting rid of it.
