Next lens for motorsport

martinxr2

martinxr2

Suspended / Banned
Messages
364
Name
martin
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi, looking for a bit of advice on my next lens for the coming race season, i have a cannon 450D and looking to get a better lens this year. Spoke to few folk briefly and the ones that were mentioned were the 70-200 f2.8 and f4 and the prime 200 and 400. ( new to this so sorry if these are the wrong parts)

looking for advantages and disadvantages, basically what you think would be best and why? also is there much difference between f 2.8 and f4

thanks :thumbs:
 
2.8 you can add a conv plus the extra stop for the british weather comes in handy.
 
i use a 100-400 for my motorsport, but when it starts to get a little later in the day i look on at my mate in anger while he is using his 70-200 2.8!

the 100-400 is GREAT for the reach especially with the IS, but as said the 2.8 will really come in handy
 
alot of reviews pitch the 120-400 sigma above the 100-400 canon for quality, for much less £££
 
Viper said:
i use a 100-400 for my motorsport, but when it starts to get a little later in the day i look on at my mate in anger while he is using his 70-200 2.8!

the 100-400 is GREAT for the reach especially with the IS, but as said the 2.8 will really come in handy
Click to expand...

i'll mostly be at knockhill apart from the odd trackday down south, so bright days are few and far between.
 
I find that my 70-200 F4 is perfect even in falling light but i wouldn't mind a 400mm prime
 
I've been contenplating this, I think i've narrowed it down to the 70-200 IS F4 or F2.8

Just to see what funds will allow!
 
Many people don't like Simply Electronics.

200mm is mostly too short for circuit motorsport unless you're happy to crop. 300mm is much better. Can't comment about Knockhill as I've not been (too far) but most other circuits require slightly more reach than 200mm.

IS isn't really required for motorsport and good technique replaces it.
 
Hi,

Think about:-

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-300mm-f4-l-is-usm-lens/p12822

It's 300mm f4 and IS for just short of your budget. If you need to you could add a 1.4 converter but probably loose auto focus. Plus, if you contact Kerso on here or ebay, he may do it cheaper!

Otherwise, I'd recommend the 70-200 f4 and the 1.4 converter. Again, not sure if you'd loose auto focus. But I have been led to believe (from Malla1962 so ask him by PM) that the f4 is sharper than the f2.8 but can't prove or disprove his comments. However, he has replaced his 2.8 for the 4 and loves it.

You could look at Sigma or Tamron offerings but not sure what they do as I am an L lens fan!

I have the 300 f2.8 IS and love it more than my 70-200 which is my main lens.

Hope this helps,
Carl.
 
CarlOgden said:
Hi,

Think about:-

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/buy-canon-ef-300mm-f4-l-is-usm-lens/p12822

It's 300mm f4 and IS for just short of your budget. If you need to you could add a 1.4 converter but probably loose auto focus. Plus, if you contact Kerso on here or ebay, he may do it cheaper!

Otherwise, I'd recommend the 70-200 f4 and the 1.4 converter. Again, not sure if you'd loose auto focus. But I have been led to believe (from Malla1962 so ask him by PM) that the f4 is sharper than the f2.8 but can't prove or disprove his comments. However, he has replaced his 2.8 for the 4 and loves it.

You could look at Sigma or Tamron offerings but not sure what they do as I am an L lens fan!

I have the 300 f2.8 IS and love it more than my 70-200 which is my main lens.

Hope this helps,
Carl.
Click to expand...

You will not loose autofocus if you add a 1.4x TC to an F4 lens on Canon.

It is only if your max effective aperture goes over F5.6 that you will potentially loose autofocus.
 
For most circuts you will need something around 300mm. With your price limit I would go for a 70-200 f2.8 and some teleconverters, or If your serious about tring to go pro go for the 300mm f4 prime and get use to the techniue needed.
 
Gary.D said:
Found these: http://www.simplyelectronics.net/search.php?keyword=Canon+EF+70-200&gclid=COz-5OqI_Z4CFVtn4wodyD8pIw

Used this site for 2 of my lens, and one of my flash and they have been fine.
Click to expand...

Just my own personal experience but i would never use Simply Electronics again!
I bought a Tamron lens,which was IN STOCK but was clearly not!
Delivery was advertised as within 7 days......i waited over a month & still nothing arrived,every time rang them, i got a different story about how it was damaged when they received it so they were getting me another,i waited another 2 weeks,then cancelled my order!
Bought one from a company called Camera King on Amazon,arrived next day!
It then took me another 2 months to get a refund off Simply Electronics :thumbsdown:
Have heard of other people having a similar experience but also others that had no probs at all :shrug:
Pete

Oh yea,i like my 70-200 f2.8 for rallying but for circuits i find it a tad short,i would like something like the sigma 150-500 but it will have to wait for now!
 
I got by most of last season with a 70-200 f2.8 (that is on a 1.3x crop sensor too), but hopefully I'll be able to get something a bit longer for this year, either a 300 or 400mm prime, but the 70-200 will still be my main lens.
 
thank you all, some thinking and overtime needed now.

any more thoughts welcomed

prob go to kerso, got a good rep for him from guys i've met at knockhill
 
i use an f2.8 70-200mm L and 1.4xTC

if you already have some kind of fast shorter range lens then you are best off with 100-400L
If you dont then get a 70-200 f2.8 with 1.4 TC. But you will always be finding that 280mm is too short (even with a crop sensor) and wishing you had something longer. You'll probably never take the TC off.

Also, if you have a real dislike of push pull lenses then avoid the 100-400.

Dont bother spending extra money on IS. Its not worth it in motorsport. Although with the 100-400L you dont get any choice.

Thats my 2 pence for what its worth
 
Im in the same boat at the moment, Im just getting into circuit racing as i normally just do rallying, so my longest lens is sigma 70-200 2.8. Im getting a 2x con for now and looking to upgrade to a better lens at some point during the year.

Been looking at the sigma 120-400 and canon 100-400 L!
 
Lenses I see regularly at Knockhil are the 300 f/4, 70-200 f/2.8 and the 100-400. The Sigma 120-300 seems a decent compromise as Knockhill is pretty small in racetrack terms and you can get close to the action.
 
I do expect them things to be true, but its got to be better than what ive been using when needing over 200mm. My dads oldish canon 100-300 with the lowest it goes is f5.4, and its stuck at 300mm.
 
I got a sigma 70-200 f2.8 when i was in your position a few years ago, as mentioned it is a little short for most tracks. I picked up the sigma 100-300 f4 not long after, cracking lens really liked that. bought it second hand. used it in all weathers and sold it on e-bay for a little more than i paid for it 18 months earlier. I moved onto a 300 f2.8, I miss the light and versatile 100-300!

I've used the canon 100-400 f4-5.6 nice lens in good light but as soon as its a little overcast i started to struggle.

If it was my money again I'd got for the 100-300 f4, and start saving for the f2.8! I could hand hold it all day where my f2.8 is permanently on a monopod.

HTH

J
 
just back after a wee new year break and going to sit and have a read thro this now and look for the prices of the lenses mentioned.

thanks to all for the replys and help:thumbs:
 
neil_g said:
you could try and find a cheap 2nd hand 120-300.. i picked mine up for a grand, optically its supurb, but cosmetically its "well used" lol
Click to expand...
Given that more and more circuits are pushing the walls back for greater run off area, reach is more important than it used to be.

I used my Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 for many years, it also handled a 1.4 converter reasonably. I now use a 70-200 f/2.8 and 400 prime. I do miss the versatility of the 120-300 and definately get less 'crash' shots! but can't bring myself not to have the performance and IQ from the prime.

I have used a 100-400 but found it to struggle with slow focus etc as soon as the sun dropped past mid afternoon!

Staff edit: No trading outside of Classifieds please
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top