Almost sold 75-300 IS, what now?

[canonlover]

I have almost sold my Canon 75-300 IS lens as I found it was too slow at focusing for fast moving sports such as fieldsports and motorsports.

 

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I now have a budget of about £600-700.00 for a telephoto zoom or prime to replace it. I guess my only option is a 70-200 f4L and a Canon 1.4x convertor? This will put the cost at around £670.00. I think I can source these from B&H in NY, so I will save a lot UK prices, so this lens fall into my price range.

 

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My questions are:

 

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Will the teleconvertor slow down the focusing speed of the lens?

 

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Does anyone have experience of using this lens with the 1.4x teleconvertor, and is it worth the extra 80mm?

 

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Has anyone ever ordered from B&H from outside the U.S.A?

 

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Does anyone have any better ideas in this price and focal length range?

 

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I am using an EOS 30 (Elan7E).

 

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Hope you can help.

 

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Thanks.

[kenneth darling soerensen]

Re: Ordering from the US. Consider www.ny-camera.net which is based

in Germany. Reliable by many accounts (have only used them once

myself - with good results) and the 70-200 f/4L is 786 Euro and then

you wont have to bother with expensive shipping, customs and tax.

[isaac sibson]

I too live in the UK, and I have the 70-200 F4L and a 1.4X TC.

 

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I bought my 70-200 at Cameraworld of Oregon in the US for $607 (£433

at the time). My local shop in the UK did offer me £569 to supply

the 70-200 new. With their TC price of £299, you'd be looking at

just under £900 for the pair.

 

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The focusing speed is slowed, but not as much as the 300 F4L IS USM

is slowed by the teleconverter. Since you obviously need USM

focusing, I think there isn't a better choice in your price range.

Remember that bringing items into the country from B&H will incur

VAT @ 17.5%, and if you are unlucky, you will get to pay other duty

charges too (I had to pay about 50% of some tshirts I ordered from

the US).

 

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My advice would be to find your local canon pro centre (mine is LCE

Southampton...great guys), and see what the best price they'll do on

it is. Then go to your local jessops, and see if they will beat that

price. Believe it or not, you can also try this in dixons, as it is

a lens they list in their catalogue. Once you've done that, go back

to the pro centre, and get them to sweeten the deal. You'll not do

better than about £570. Buy it at that price, and then save up for

the TC.

 

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Remember to add VAT and customs charges to B&H prices.

[canonlover]

Thanks loads for your advice.

 

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I have seen a place called WestBase Electronics in Regent Street,

London, selling the lens at £599.00. I guess this is a reasonable

place to start? Might use them as an example for Jessops to then

sweeten their price.

 

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Or, would ordering from Germany (NY Camera) attract an additional

17.5% VAT?

 

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I've ordered loads of CDs and DVDs from the US, and never been hit

for duty or VAT. Is it because the products are of a higher value

that you attract the attention of customs?

[isaac sibson]

Ordering from germany will not incur VAT, since you are already

paying sales tax within the EU. I would recommend you also give KP

photographic in cambridge a ring, as they will often match with NY

camera in germany. I bought (some years ago) a 300 F4L IS form my

local pro centre, who were matching kp for £974 inc. VAT. £599 is a

good starting point for the 70-200 F4L. Give LCE southampton (civic

centre road) a ring as well, and see what they'll do (although they

may not mail).

[martin5]

Check out www.internet-foto.de in Germany.

 

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EF 4/70-200 � 747,-- /GBP 456,-

Extender 1.4 I � 319,-- /GBP 195,--

Extender 1.4 II � 409,-- /GBP 250,--

 

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Includes VAT.

[canonlover]

Thanks so much for your suggestions. I think I'll go and check out

all the options and see what sort of a deal I can get. AC Photo

looks pretty good! Can't read German though so there will be some

guess work....

[cameron_beebe1]

I am unable to comment on the 70-200 f4 with 1.4x converter, but my

70-200 f2.8 with 2x converter is slower focusing than my 75-300 IS on

my Elan II.

[canonlover]

Slower than your 75-300 IS? I find that hard to believe that the

same could be true of the 70-200 f4L with the 1.4x TC.

 

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Are you sure that there isn't a fault with this combination?

 

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Issac, if you are reading this can you shed any light at all?

 

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I don't want to trade my 75-300 IS for the 70-200 f4L and 1.4x TC,

then find it isn't any faster at focusing!

[cameron_beebe1]

I'm basing my comment on shooting youth football games in good light

(morning/afternoon/early evening with a few games starting in the

evening and ending up under the lights). I use 400 or 800 film to

keep the shutter speed up. With the 75-300 I hand-held, used all

three focus sensors and never used the IS as I was usually panning or

following a player/runner (plus I had pretty good shutter speeds).

With the 70-200/2x combo, I used a monopod due to the weight and used

only the center focusing sensor and tried to keep it stopped down a

couple of stops for better quality (depending on the background and

desired depth of field). I love the additional reach and quality of

this combination, but I had more missed shots (out of focus or focus

on the background although the player was clearly covering the center

focus area). I particulary had trouble with focus with a player

running straight at me, the 70-200/2x combination could'nt keep up as

well as the 75-300. I never tried the eye control function as my

eyes are constantly changing (getting progressively worse) and I

change prescriptions fairly often. I didn't want to throw another

variable into the mix. I never went back to the 75-300 however. I

kept it as my "walk-around" lens, but it never seems to make it out

of the bag any more. I pretty much use the 70-200 for everything I

do (great for basketball and youth theater/dance productions). If I

need additional reach, I throw on the 2x converter. I never bought

the 1.4x because I felt that I could use the 75-300 if I needed this

range. I guess the 1.4x should be my next purchase.