I am looking for a sharp lens with good color reproduction for wildlife photos and hope some day to be able to afford a 600mm f/4. In the meantime, I was just about ready to make my first telephoto lens purchase for my 7e with the 300mm f4 IS since I really liked its unmatched min. focus of 4.9 feet, which would really be great to fill the frame with small birds, and also, due to what previous messages on this forum indicating it was a very sharp lens. (By sharpness, I mean sharp enough for publishing and enlargements up to 16x20 or even slightly larger using Provia 100 film.) My only other serious consideration had been the 100-400mm IS with its great versatility for all sizes of wildlife, but I assumed a zoom could never be as sharp as a fixed lens. Now I read from a previous message that lens tests are available through photodo.com and find that the MTF sharpness rating, whatever that means, is higher with the 100-400mm (3,6) verses the 300mm (3.4). Not a bit differnce, but it certainly gave me pause and some confusion. Even thought the min. focus would sure be nice I am now leaning strongly toward the 100-400mm lens which I can also handhold with the IS feature. Which is really the sharpest and gives the best color; and is the “MTF” rating really meaningful for such comparison purposes? Any other suggestions are welcome. Thanks.

-- Charlie Spiekerman (cfs5558@aol.com), March 05, 2002

Answers

Apart from any photodo.com lens ratings, you will find both to be plenty sharp and with good color in the real world. I think what matters more is your application. I have the 300 and it is indeed good for close-up portraits of small birds - I have used it extensively for quail.

Some quail examples

There are times I wish I had the zoom for its versatility though. I've met plenty of people with that lens and they've all stood by its sharpness, even wide open. I will attest to the sharpness of the 300 - I don't know what specific rating it has but they look just as sharp on my light table as do the ones from my other primes.

-- Ming Kuo (mtkuo@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.

The 300 F4L IS is sharper than the 100-400L IS. The photodo result is spurious. I am saying this from my experience of owning the 300 F4L IS, and my father owning the 100-400.

Not that the difference is huge, however. If you want more flexibility, go with the 100-400, or for better handling and better image quality (although the difference is relatively slight) go for the 300 F4L and a 1.4X TC as well. Either way, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), March 05, 2002.

The 300/4L IS has superior sharpness. The 100-400L IS is more flexible. Make your choice based on this.

-- Lee (Leemarthakiri@sport.rr.com), March 07, 2002.