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Thread: Brand new 100-400L woes.

  1. #1
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    Brand new 100-400L woes.

    Well, as everyone who was at the June 11 meet knows, my 300D decided to die on me right in the middle of it. Got that replaced with a shiny new 30D which is one heck of a fine piece of machinery.

    At the same time, I decided to change the purchase of a 24-70L to a 100-400L instead. Figure I'm going to head up to NYC more often now, and I can pull off some wicked angles of departures at PHL. So my dad (also an aviation photographer as some of you know) decides to get one too.

    So yesterday me and my buddy Ed head out to PHL. I quikcly realised upon reviewing the photos that everything above 250 to 300mm is unbeleivably soft. Just absolutely horrible. So today me and my dad go out to PHL. We both shoot with the 100-400 all day. Now both of us are sitting here lamenting over absolutely horrible photos.

    Now, since I know the great majority of the Canon users in NYC seem to wield 100-400s, I figured this is the best place to go for advice. Is the 100-400 really that bad of a lens? Everything I've read owners are raving about the thing. Ok, so maybe One can get a bad lens, but is it possible to get two bad lenses? Am I expecting too much from it? I would hope not considering it carries a $1400 price tag with it. I mean I had a $180 75-300 that was soft above 200mm, but this is far worse and its L glass!

    Thanks in advance for the help.

    Joe Wagner

    PS: My signature would apparently not apply if one was using my 100-400 to shoot the photo. :D
    "I think Big Foot is blurry, that's the problem. It's not the photographer's fault. Big Foot is blurry... And that's extra scary to me, because there's a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside." - Mitch Hedburg

  2. #2
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    The 100-400 is a fantastic lens, it really only gets soft up towards 400mm. What settings and conditions were you shooting in? If the light was poor your shots are going to be soft regardless of what lens your using. Also did you have the IS on? The IS helps to reduce vibrations therefor improving the picture quality. Worst comes to worst send it in for repair.

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    Light conditions were about as good as they get at PHL today. Mostly sunny (except for the occasional fair weather cumulus puff), low humidity and therefore little haze.

    IS is always on with me, as it is on my 702-00 2.8 IS as well. Since I'm getting used to the 30D and heard it tends to over-expose, I was shooting F 7.1 and 1/640th. I also tried F8 and 1/500th but that had no effect at all. I normally try to keep F8 always, but went with the higher shutter and F 7.1 on the assumption I was suffering motion blur (not likely with a relatively high shtter and IS anyway).

    I should note my 70-200 2.8 IS has never given me a single problem and has performed magnificintly. I shot a few shots today with it and they came out great as usual. It still is my primary lens for railroad photography where the 100-400 is a bit too much lens.

    Joe
    "I think Big Foot is blurry, that's the problem. It's not the photographer's fault. Big Foot is blurry... And that's extra scary to me, because there's a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside." - Mitch Hedburg

  4. #4
    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    I pretty mcuh agree with Tommy as far as 100-400 performance.

    There is the slight chance that you got a lemon. You might want to take advantage of your having just bought it and swap for for another at the camera store quickly.
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  5. #5
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    Phil,

    I thought I had a lemon as well. But my father and I both got a 100-400, and both show the same results. Now of course we could have both gotten lemons as well, but the odds of that are pretty small I would assume.

    We got them from B&H and they have a 14-day return policy so that's an option til about next Friday.

    I may post a couple sample images tomorrow unedited and cropped to show just how bad they are.

    Joe
    "I think Big Foot is blurry, that's the problem. It's not the photographer's fault. Big Foot is blurry... And that's extra scary to me, because there's a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside." - Mitch Hedburg

  6. #6
    Administrator PhilDernerJr's Avatar
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    Yeah, post some images.

    Honestly, I experienced some soft images as well, but I always attributed it to the angle of the aircraft coming in.

    I also had some issues because I had shined the lens into the sun and it affected the IS.

    I had a couple issues when I first got my camera and lens that I don't seem to have right now.

    I'm babbling. I'm tired. lol. But show me some sample images and we'lll take it from there. :)
    Email me anytime at [email protected].

  7. #7
    Senior Member FlyingColors's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Phil D.
    I pretty mcuh agree with Tommy as far as 100-400 performance.

    There is the slight chance that you got a lemon. You might want to take advantage of your having just bought it and swap for for another at the camera store quickly.
    I can agree with that.
    Granted I'm sporting a Nikon D200, that just went back to them, for service.

    Cameras today are a technological wonder and marriage of sensitive electronics and mechanical hardware.

    Take a peek at http://www.sportshooters.com, where pros post.
    I gather on average at any given time any of them have half of everything getting repaired and shooting with the rest. Most seem to have at least double the gear for this reason.

    Its part of the sport. No worries.
    "my finger on the shutter button, while my eye is over my shoulder"

  8. #8
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    Ok, here are a few sample photos I shot yesterday. Focal length is in the top left corner of each photo. If you're really intrested in details, the EXIF info should still be attached to the photo. These are all un-edited, just cropped but not resized.

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/DL_752_180.jpg

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/DL_752_365.jpg

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/UPS_752_170.jpg

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/US_A319_330.jpg

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/US_A321_285.jpg

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/US_A330_330.jpg

    http://www.cityscenes.net/airport/US_PSA_235.jpg

    Joe
    "I think Big Foot is blurry, that's the problem. It's not the photographer's fault. Big Foot is blurry... And that's extra scary to me, because there's a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside." - Mitch Hedburg

  9. #9
    Senior Member FlyingColors's Avatar
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    Your DL 757 is the sharpest one in that batch..

    Keep in mind your shooting in some crappy conditions.
    Very hazy and the sun is very high.

    We are all shooting one of the most difficult subjects.
    Your shooting through a "fluid mass", all that air between you and the plane. Humidity, smog, dust and the wind that carries all of this has a way of showing up in your pics.

    What are your shutter speeds? All your other shots are blurry, not just soft. Plus you can see the underexposed area under the USair shot too, thanks to the lack of lighting.

    I would go out shooting in better conditions, exam the shooting data and results before sending your gear in.
    "my finger on the shutter button, while my eye is over my shoulder"

  10. #10
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    We shot the day before he took the shots above and it was worse as far as haze and lighting goes. My shots came out great and his shots on the 2.8 came out great as well. We shoot in conditions like that often, light haze etc.. With much more success. Joe, like I told you last night (as Phil) also mentioned. It's ironic that your father and you both got bad ones... I guess all there is to say is that you both got sucker punched. I shot with Justin's for about 5 days and can attest that it's a great lens.

  11. #11
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    I want clarify that I am by no means a "n00b" when it comes to aviation photography. I've been in this hobby for 6 years with various equipment ranging from crappy 2.1 MP Point and Shoot now to a 30D. I'm not trying to be a smart ass but you don't have to give me the old "shoot in better conditions" speech the n00bs get.

    I also own a 70-200 F2.8L IS, which is a fantastic lens. I get nothing but fantastic shots with, even in horrible weather conditions. I also shoot trains as well with Ed, and can make an Acela moving at 125 MPH look like its parked (aside from the nice blurry background of course).

    As Ed said we shot on Thursday as well, and conditions then were far worse. High Humidity and lots of haze with visibility hanging around 7 miles. Friday (when my sample shots were taken) was much cooler and low humidity thanks to some Thunderstorms the night before. Summer lighting may not be the best I've been shooting at PHL for those 6 years and I know the angles and times there like the back of my hand. Conditions yesterday were about as good as they get in the summer, and I've never had problems in varrying weather as my 339 photos on A.net will atest (and we all love to complain about them and their standards).

    I'm just shocked at the results from this lens. I shot with a highly flawed and cheap $180 75-300 on my 300D 2 years ago and got better results. I also realized there was some motion blur. I can't understand how I can blur a shot like the UPS 757 (170mm) at 1/640 and F 7.1. I've shot sunset shots at far lower F stops and shutter and gotten excellent results on my other glass.

    Just a few of my favorite shots from over the years:

    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0985744/L/
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0964887/L/
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0934898/L/
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0882244/L/
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0877803/L/
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0821727/L/
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0702241/L/

    And finally, no sunlight to speak of, F4 and about 1/125 on a crappy lens:
    http://www.airliners.net/open.file/0728242/L/

    Also, low light conditions of some railroad action. F3.2 and 1/250th at 400ISO.

    http://www.cityscenes.net/Rail/9518_UP8 ... e_Q301.jpg

    Again, I'm not trying to sound like an ass but since most of you haven't known me for long you may be underestimating my experience in the field.

    Joe
    "I think Big Foot is blurry, that's the problem. It's not the photographer's fault. Big Foot is blurry... And that's extra scary to me, because there's a large out of focus monster roaming the countryside." - Mitch Hedburg

  12. #12
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    Take it back and exchange it for a new one... if that one is no good just eaither suck it up or get your money back. Might aswell utilize there return policy!
    Jordan Greene. - Happy Jetting

  13. #13
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    Def take that back!!!! There is something seriously wrong with that lens. That's beyond soft. If you exchange it I'd try the new one out in the story before you leave.

  14. #14
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    It looks like more motion blur on a few of those shots more than soft.

    My 2 cents


    Paul
    Expanding Beyond PHL
    http://phlairline.com

  15. #15
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    I wouldn't call that motion blur, with the IS on and those lighting conditions you should not experience that much softness. The one picture at 180mm should be razor sharp.

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