- Messages
- 4,638
- Name
- Paul Beastall
- Edit My Images
- Yes
Well, after lots of thoughts and discussions, my new toys have arrived.
As some of you know, I sold my 400DO last year to fund a 500. Although it was absolulely the right choice at the time and I love the 500, I missed the portability of the DO and was looking at getting another. The problem is that they are a bit hit and miss on IQ and stupidly expensive brand new.
I find the 500 a bit of a beast to use and sometimes have found I've not taken it out as it is too heavy. Then, my longest lens is my 70-200 (with 1.4 extender). I decided I wanted a lighter solution for days when I didn't want to lug tripod and stuff around.
Unsure what to do, I decided to rent first and see how I got on. For my recent trip to the Western Isles and Highlands, I rented a 400/5.6 and 300/2.8 from Stuart at Lenses for Hire. I loved both lenses for very different reasons and decided they would be a better (and cheaper) option as a pair than the 400DO.
The 400/5.6 is so light that I can take bird in flight shots with it all day. It is razor sharp and fast to focus. For those sort of shots, you don't really need IS, so it does exactly what I want.
The 300/2.8 is really three lenses in one. It takes a 1.4 extender superbly well to be a 420/4 (therefore making an excellent alternative to a 400DO except slightly heavier) and still delivers good images with a 2x (making a heavy-ish but still handholdable 600/5.6). But, for me, the icing on the cake is that when light levels are low, you can trade a bit of reach for an extra stop of light.
So, following the rental, it was time for a chat with Kerso. Both lenses arrived yesterday morning and I am desperately hoping for decent weather to get out for a play this afternoon.
Paul
As some of you know, I sold my 400DO last year to fund a 500. Although it was absolulely the right choice at the time and I love the 500, I missed the portability of the DO and was looking at getting another. The problem is that they are a bit hit and miss on IQ and stupidly expensive brand new.
I find the 500 a bit of a beast to use and sometimes have found I've not taken it out as it is too heavy. Then, my longest lens is my 70-200 (with 1.4 extender). I decided I wanted a lighter solution for days when I didn't want to lug tripod and stuff around.
Unsure what to do, I decided to rent first and see how I got on. For my recent trip to the Western Isles and Highlands, I rented a 400/5.6 and 300/2.8 from Stuart at Lenses for Hire. I loved both lenses for very different reasons and decided they would be a better (and cheaper) option as a pair than the 400DO.
The 400/5.6 is so light that I can take bird in flight shots with it all day. It is razor sharp and fast to focus. For those sort of shots, you don't really need IS, so it does exactly what I want.
The 300/2.8 is really three lenses in one. It takes a 1.4 extender superbly well to be a 420/4 (therefore making an excellent alternative to a 400DO except slightly heavier) and still delivers good images with a 2x (making a heavy-ish but still handholdable 600/5.6). But, for me, the icing on the cake is that when light levels are low, you can trade a bit of reach for an extra stop of light.
So, following the rental, it was time for a chat with Kerso. Both lenses arrived yesterday morning and I am desperately hoping for decent weather to get out for a play this afternoon.
Paul
