New lense EF100-400 L IS USM or EF70-200 L IS USM + 2X EF2

[cerealsurfer]

OK... What to go for?

Currently my set-up is a Canon 400D with a stock EF-S 18-55 lense and a 75-300 f4-5.6 III USM. Currently I mostly photograph at Car Shows and Autosports.

However I also plan to go to New Zealand later this year and take some landscape shots.

Now.. I know these are slightly divergent requiemnts but I'd like to kill 2 birds with one stone.

So.. Do I go with the EF100-400 L IS USM f4.5-5.6 at £989 which I can use for the motorsports stuff... and live with the higher f and use the other lenses as well....

OR...Do I go with the EF70-200 L IS USM f2.8 at £1119 and a 2XEF 2 Extender at £229 thus giving me a lense I can use for general shots which is higher quality than my 75-300 and by putting the extender on I can get upto 400mm with f4.8 for motorsports pics whilst retaining the autofocus?

Is it worth the extra £300 or would I be better saving the £300 and using the lenses I already have?

[tertius]

Neither of the lenses you mention will help you much with landscape though the 18-55 should be OK (focal length wise) for that.

Not sure how helpful this is, but in a very similar situation (350D with Sigma 18-50 F2.8 and the same 75-300 USM lens as you and a couple of others) I did the following:

1. firstly I borrowed the 100-400L and tried it for a week or two: I did not get on with it, the push-pull zoom was not at all to my taste

2. I have bought (but not yet received) the following: 70-200L F2.8 (non-IS); 1.4x TC and 50mm F1.8

My rationale was: I couldn't justify the cost of the 2.8 IS and preferred the faster lens over the F4 IS.

I decided on the 1.4xTC over the 2.0x as it seems to be slightly better regarded

I got the 50mm as it was £48!

[F308 MAN]

70-200 IS 2.8 over the 100-400
and
1.4x telecon over the 2x

"every single day of the week"

d

[cerealsurfer]

F308 MAN said:

70-200 IS 2.8 over the 100-400
and
1.4x telecon over the 2x

"every single day of the week"

d

OK I get the IS 2.8 bit but why only the 1.4 telecon? That only gives me a 280mm effective lense... a problem I have is zooming into cars from the stands or the public side of the track fence.. I thought a 400+ focal length would sort me out...

So what's the difference in quality/effectiveness between the 1.4 and the 2X ??

[F308 MAN]

i bought the 1.4 'cos i was reliably informed of:
i) lack of pin sharpness with the 2x.
ii) lack of speed of the autofocus facility.
iii) the pro's don't use 'em.
d