{"id":8883,"date":"2012-03-07T17:30:07","date_gmt":"2012-03-07T21:30:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/?p=8883"},"modified":"2012-03-09T12:52:38","modified_gmt":"2012-03-09T16:52:38","slug":"gear-evaluation-the-canon-300mm-f2-8l-is-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.birdsasart-blog.com\/baa\/2012\/03\/07\/gear-evaluation-the-canon-300mm-f2-8l-is-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Gear Evaluation: the Canon 300mm f\/2.8L IS II"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
ngg_shortcode_0_placeholder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

This incoming Red-crowned Crane was photographed at the Akan Crane Center with the hand held Canon 300mm f\/2.8 L IS II lens<\/a>, 1.4X III TC<\/a>, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV<\/a>. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 stop off the snow: 1\/3200 sec. at f\/7.1 in Manual mode. <\/p>\n

Central Sensor\/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here<\/a> if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. <\/p>\n

To learn what others thought of this image check out “Inbound 747<\/a>.” <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Gear Evaluation: the Canon 300mm f\/2.8L IS II<\/h3>\n

As regular readers know, I have–thanks to the kindness of the folks at Canon Professional Services (CPS)–especially Paul Ng, been field testing the same Canon 300mm f\/2.8L IS II for more than two months. I first used it on my amazing Cheeseman’s Southern Oceans trip, then on the SW FLA IPT, and finally on the Japan IPT. It will be returned by Fed-X the afternoon that I get back to the office on March 13th. \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

I have long given the 300 f\/2.8 lenses short shrift. In the original The Art of Bird Photography<\/a> I wrote something to the effect that the 300 f\/2.8s were favored by many of the world’s best raptor photographers but that I saw little need for one. In the all new follow-up, The Art of Bird Photography II<\/a> (916 pages on CD only), I totally ignored these lenses but did include a few Homer eagle images made with one that I had borrowed from CPS. The images above and below show the incredible potential of the 300 f\/2.8L IS lens\/1.4X III TC as a flight photography combination. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ngg_shortcode_1_placeholder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

This head shot of a point-blank fly-by Red-crowned Crane image was also created at the Akan Crane Center with the hand held Canon 300mm f\/2.8 L IS II lens<\/a>, 1.4X III TC<\/a>, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV<\/a>. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1 2\/3 stops off the snow: 1\/2500 sec. at f\/4 in Manual mode. <\/p>\n

Central Sensor\/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here<\/a> if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

On my Antarctica trip the 300 IS II with the 2X III teleconverter served as my long lens (see the image immediately below) and I used it a lot with and without the 1.4X III TC both on landings and on Zodiac cruises. Carrying it on the long hikes was a pleasure when compared to the long lenses I am used to carrying…. I used the lens sparingly on the SW FLA IPT but my erstwhile assistant Tim Kaufman made a killer image of a Great Blue Heron in flight with a large southern whiting in its bill with it while toting the lens for me at Blind Pass Beach. You can see that spectacular image here<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ngg_shortcode_2_placeholder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

This Macaroni Penguin preening its mate was photographed at Hercules Bay, South Georgia, with the tripod-mounted Canon 300mm f\/2.8 L IS II lens<\/a>, the 2X III teleconverter<\/a>, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV<\/a>. ISO 400. Evaluative metering -2\/3 stop: 1\/200 sec. at f\/10 in Manual mode. This is one of my favorite images from the trip. The birds were so tame that I rarely if ever felt limited with my longest effective telephoto length of “only” 780mm (300mm X 2 X 1.3). An upper left-hand sensor was chosen manually: AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here<\/a> if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial.<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

When I sent the image above to Christopher Robinson, editor of Outdoor Photographer<\/a>, as part of a submission for an article on pros’ favorite Canon lenses, he commented via e-mail, “By the way…your Macaroni Penguin image, in particular, is incredible. I think it shows the sharpness of that lens better than anything I’ve seen. It’s an awesome lens and in your hands one can see why it’s so highly prized.” And that with the 2X III TC!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
ngg_shortcode_3_placeholder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

That’s me hand holding the Canon 300mm f\/2.8L IS lens with the 1.4X TC and the EOS-1D Mark IV body alongside the fishing pier at the eastern end of Sanibel, FL. Photo copyright and courtesy of Peter Kes. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

What’s To Like?<\/h3>\n

What can I say. The lens is incredibly sharp. Sharp wide open. Sharp edge to edge. Sharp with the 1.4X And yes, sharp with the 2X. When I do everything right–which is often with this lens in my hands–the images seem to leap off the computer screen. At A.B pounds, the lens is just light enough (5.19 pounds, 13% lighter than its predecessor) to hand hold for extended periods of time even though I have had some problems with my shoulders for the past few years. When Peter Kes made the image of me above we were photographing Red-breasted Mergansers swimming and diving. For more than two hours. I held the lens elevated for extended periods of time. When I got back to the motel and took off my sweatshirt I could barely lift my arms; I was very much in pain. It was sort of like what I did by swimming too many laps when my pool was finished…. By the next morning I was fine. On the sea eagle boat trips in Rausu I made sure to rest the lens on the gunnels when I was not actively photographing; having a nice neutral rest position when hand holding relatively heavy gear is always best. <\/p>\n

With a maximum aperture of f\/2.8, the lens is very fast. There were times on each trip that I was able to keep photographing in low light without going to crazy-high ISOs. Another benefit of all that speed is being able to work with either teleconverter and still have all AF points active. The lens is very versatile as it offers three focal lengths: 300mm, 420mm (with the 1.4X III TC), and 600mm (with the 2X III TC). I have not worked hand held with the 2X much but with enough shutter speed I am sure that competent folks would be able to create sharp action and flight images. For static work, however, it makes sense to be on a sturdy tripod like the Gitzo 3530 LS<\/a> topped by a Mongoose M3.6<\/a>, the latter was absolutely made for the 300 2.8 lenses. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
ngg_shortcode_4_placeholder<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n

This immature Whooper Swan head portrait was created at Lake Kussharo, Hokkaido, Japan with the hand held Canon 300mm f\/2.8 L IS II lens<\/a>, 1.4X III TC<\/a>, and the Canon EOS-1D Mark IV<\/a>. ISO 400. Evaluative metering +1\/3 stop: 1\/500 sec. at f\/5 in Av mode. <\/p>\n

Central Sensor\/AI Servo Rear Focus active at the moment of exposure. Click here<\/a> if you missed the Rear Focus Tutorial. Click on the image to enjoy a larger, more spectacular version. <\/p>\n

When using shorter focal lengths than I normally do it is important for me to get low. That often means not being lazy, kneeling, sitting on the ground, and getting down, dirty, and prone. For this image I simply bent over a bit as the Whooper Swans are big birds. <\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n

Idiosyncracies<\/h3>\n

All four of the Series II telephoto lenses have three Image Stabilization modes: IS 1, IS 2, and IS 3. Here’s what Canon has to say about each: <\/p>\n