Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM

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Hello. Ive been looking around for a motorsport lens. Ive just noticed a "Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM" for £429.99 brand-new. I have a Canon 400D Gripped, 18-55mm kit lens, charger, batteries to sell and some bike parts (I used to ride trials). Im thinking of saving up for the "Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM" and then possibly a 1.4 extender. I wouldnt mainly be using it for motorsport. I know it isn't the IS version but I have seen a few review videos and it seems to be a good lens and worth the money. I have looked at the IS versions and they seem to be around £1000 more which for me as a hobbyist is a bit too steep.
 
What type of Motorsport? And depends which side of the fence you're on
 
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Beav said:
Ile be on the spectators side. Motorsport, mainly at Oulton Park for the time being.
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Not done Oulton Park but for me personally 200mm ain't long enough. Done quite a few circuits in the UK and in Europe and 400mm is more the minimum. Ok there are places where 200mm or less are ok, but they're far and few between especially with all the safety fences now going up, I just think there are better longer alternatives to the 70-200mm especially for Motorsport.

I mainly used primes, the 300mm and TCs work for me, my 70-200mm get very little use unless I can really get close to the action
 
pete.rush said:
Not done Oulton Park but for me personally 200mm ain't long enough. Done quite a few circuits in the UK and in Europe and 400mm is more the minimum. Ok there are places where 200mm or less are ok, but they're far and few between especially with all the safety fences now going up, I just think there are better longer alternatives to the 70-200mm especially for Motorsport.

I mainly used primes, the 300mm and TCs work for me, my 70-200mm get very little use unless I can really get close to the action
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I was originally looking at the sigma 120-400 for £550. Also the 150-500 sigma
 
Dazb75 said:
On a 60D (a cropped sensor) the 200mm is equivalent to 320mm. It might be long enough for your needs.

The IS version is worth getting. I got mine used for £600.
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I currently have a 55-250mm so when I re-think it it might be worth stepping up and going for a 120-400mm sigma or 150-500mm sigma. I would be paying out £400 for slightly sharper photos when I could get sharper photos and a long focal length with the sigma.
 
70-200 non IS is very sharp.

Agree on the length problem though. Maybe rent one for a weekend and see how you get on ?

You could also consider a used 100-400.
 
Craft said:
70-200 non IS is very sharp.

Agree on the length problem though. Maybe rent one for a weekend and see how you get on ?

You could also consider a used 100-400.
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100-400 is around £800/£1000. A little to steep bud. Thanks anyway. Like I say might look into the sigma telephotos.

On a review someone said its ok as a walk about lens. If the 70-200mm L USM lens is ok with a 1.4 or even 2.0x extender I would get one but im not too sure.
 
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I love my 70-200 non is for motorsport. It is so sharp and the autofocus is so fast. You can usea 1.4 tc but you can't use a 2 x as that will reduce the amount of light by two stops unless you buy a 1D.
Google 70-200 Oulton park then that will give you an idea of what pictures you can get.
 
D-pearce92 said:
I love my 70-200 non is for motorsport. It is so sharp and the autofocus is so fast. You can usea 1.4 tc but you can't use a 2 x as that will reduce the amount of light by two stops unless you buy a 1D.
Google 70-200 Oulton park then that will give you an idea of what pictures you can get.
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Im tempted for the sharpness but like I say I currently have a 55-250mm canon so im tempted to save another £100 and got for the sigma with the extra range.
 
Beav said:
Im tempted for the sharpness but like I say I currently have a 55-250mm canon so im tempted to save another £100 and got for the sigma with the extra range.
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How about renting the sigma or canon to try it for a weekend to see what you think
 
DABgp said:
There are quite a few spots at Oulton where 200mm is adequate, and clear of fences. I have the lens we are talking about.

Some examples are to be found in my motorsport folders on Flickr.
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But if OP went to Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Donnington Park, Cadwell Park or Thuxton for example, you would be very limited on where you could take images unless you like really cropping into your image, personally I perfer almost full frame images to dots.

The sigma 120-400mm OS (f5.6) would suit and is slightly faster lens than the 150-500mm OS (f6.3)
 
pete.rush said:
But if OP went to Brands Hatch, Silverstone, Donnington Park, Cadwell Park or Thuxton for example, you would be very limited on where you could take QUOTE]

You're limited at those places more by the mesh fences anyway, unless you have a media pass of course. That's one of the best things about the Goodwood Revival; no fences.

One from Oulton at 200mm:


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Beav said:
100-400 is around £800/£1000. A little to steep bud. Thanks anyway. Like I say might look into the sigma telephotos.

On a review someone said its ok as a walk about lens. If the 70-200mm L USM lens is ok with a 1.4 or even 2.0x extender I would get one but im not too sure.
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Yeah, £800 should see you right, but if you are in the £500+ range you could always hang on for a couple of months to save the extra.

Just keep in mind you'll lose a stop with a 1.4tc and 2 with a 2.0tc. That means minimum aperture of f5.6 or f8. I don't know how much a tc will affect auto focus on this setup either.
 
David you wouldn't have got either of these shots with a 70-200mm. Taken with a 1D (1.3x crop) and a Canon 300mm f2.8 + 2x TC (MKII)

IMG_5724copy1.jpg


IMG_5711copy1.jpg
 
DABgp said:
Quite true. Can't afford, or at least justify, that sort of kit either! And probably couldn't handle it that well anyway.

Brilliant shots...
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Thank you David, ok the extreme in terms of lens, but what I'm trying to highlight is the limitation of a 200mm lens for Motorsport with regards to reach at other race circuits and that's why the sigma 120-400mm would definitely be a better option although new £570 - 650 or used £500-550 depending on what the OP wants to spend.
 
Those shots weren't taken at Oulton Park and if you did you'd need a bloody long lens get them pmsl.
I agree though, taken loads of pictures from Oulton Park since the late 80's and a true un-cropped 200mm there are only a few places where you will fill the frame but the extra 1.4 crop will help. The 70-200 f4L is a very very sharp lens so pre-focussing and panning will allow you fill the frame and get razor sharp images. It's a nice lightish lens and you'll easily hand hold it and still maintain a decent shutter speed but for nice sharp images and a sense of speed you can shoot slow shutter speeds and still have a nice depth of field on low ISO ratings.
 
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