I currently have an APS IX camera with a 24-85mm lense and I would like to get a bigger zoom lense, I am trying to decide between a 75-300, or a 100-400...whats the difference besides the 25mm extra ...what do you recommend? and why?...thank you

-- Bryan battel (tristan288@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002

Answers

Assuming you mean 100-300, as in the title...

I'd go for the 100-300 USM rather than any of the 75-300s. The 100- 300 has (arguably) better optical quality, although there's not a lot in it, but the use of the lens is so much better, with ring USM and FTM. Alternatively, look into getting a second-hand 70-210 F3.5- 4.5 USM, since neither of the above lenses are stellar above 200mm.

-- Isaac Sibson (isibson@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

I agree with Isaac, the EF 100-300 4.5-5.6 USM is a better all around telezoom than any of the 75-300 versions: much faster and more accurate AF, FT-M, distance window and more compact. It's pretty too (matches the design of the 24-85). Moreover, with only 56% of the image area used APS compared to 35 mm, you use the sweetest and sharpest portion of the lens (the edges are where these lenses fall a bit short).

-- Puppy Face (doggieface@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

http://www.photo.net/photo/nature/x-300

-- Steve Dunn (steved@ussinc.com), March 13, 2002.

Just read the article by Bob Atkinson on his web site. He reviewed those lenses.

I went thru the same process of chosing a while ago and got 100-300/5.6L for ~300$ from BHphotovideo.com

I don't care much about fast autofocus coming with USm, but optically this lens is the BEST in x-300 range (non-pro).

Leon

-- Leon (leonkaz@yahoo.com), April 03, 2002.