300mm ( with 2x ) or 600mm EOS lens ?

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Hi, Which would be the better option - to buy a Canon EOS 300 f/2.8 with a 2x TC or to really blow the budget and buy a Canon EOS 600 f/4 ? Primary usage would be wildlife and sport ( stadium and golf ). What would be your reason for selection ?

-- Ian Roelofsz (roelofsz@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002

Answers

"What would be your reason for selection?"

money.

-- m. lohninger (anavrin@mac.com), March 12, 2002.


If versatility's most important, the 300/2x option would save you money and weight while giving you two focal lengths (three, with the 1.4x). Optical quality (esp. wide open) and speed (5.6 vs. 4) obviously would not match the 600's, however; whether it's close enough for your standards, only you can decide.

.

-- Terry (tcdvorak@aol.com), March 12, 2002.


If you've got the funds, there is no substitution for horsepower. Get the 600, take up weight lifting to get in shape to carry it and spend a small fortune again on a Gitzo carbon fiber tripod. Oh yeah, get the 1.4x and 2x extenders too. After a while, 600mm will not be enough.

-- Lee (Leemarthakiri@sport.rr.com), March 12, 2002.

I have a 300 2.8L IS and the older canon 2X TC. I love the combination. The 300 is hand holdable for brief periods. The tripod mount is removable which saves a little weight, but more importantly makes room for your hand to cradle the lens when hand holding. With the lens on a tripod and the 2X TC it is terrific. I also have a Gitzo monopod outfitted according to the recommendation in the Really Right Stuff catalog. The 300 on the monopod is a great sports configuration. You can see a sample of the image quality with the 2X TC in my photo.net portfolio. There is a shot of a train with the resulting 600 5.6.

-- Robert DiTommaso (newbabyd@yahoo.com), March 20, 2002.

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