The WorkHorse: EF 28mm-300mm F3.5-F5.6 L IS USM

[Max@Home]

A thread requested for:

Originally Posted by aphotographynut

Max: You are the first person I have seen that has the 28-300. I am considering that as the "best" walk around do everything type of lens (though heavy and expensive). Can you elaborate more on this (or start another post with your observations on it and others chime in)?

When I upgraded my 40D+400D combo to a 1D3+40D combo, I did so because I need the exceptional all-weather capabilities of the 1D3. For work, I often get asked to shoot reportages of (rail-)road construction works, as that is 50% of my employer's core business (the other 50% being construction of houses, factories, offices, utility buildings etc, etc...) In the (rail-)road construction business nowadays, stopping because the weather is too poor is often no longer an option, so if my colleagues are working, I have to be able to work too...

Therefor I also needed a true WorkHorse lens, that gives above-average IQ, is weathersealed, and has a decent to good range from wide-ish (on the 1.3x 1D3 ) to tele, as in those circumstances changing lenses isn't an option either...

After a lot of thinking and testing I opted for the EF 28mm-300mm F3.5-F5.6 L IS USM. As aphotographynut wrote, a (very) expensive and (extreme) heavy piece of equipment: with 59oz (70-200F2.8L IS is 52oz) and at US $ 2.500 (70-200F2.8L IS is US $ 1.950) it is both the most expensive *and* heaviest lens in my 'inventory' / line-up.

But what did I get for that: a FoV 36.4mm (close enough to 35mm for *me*) to FoV 390mm ('almost 400mm' ) lens that looks and feels indestructable. With a similar push/pull mechanism as the EF100-400L IS, but weathersealed, and with a MUCH better 'smooth-to-tight' zoom friction ring.

Taking in consideration that this is a 10.7x zoom lens, IQ was a BIG surprise and is certainly up to 'L' standards in *my* book: it delivers contrasty, colorful, sharp images. Distortion is present on both ends, but kept to a minimum and is easily auto-corrected with the DPP Lens Correction feature. Not at it's best wide-open, but with only 1/3 to 2/3 stop extra you get what you have paid for.

...time to let some images )

do the talking



(1D3+28-300, 1/320s f/8.0 at 65.0mm iso1000)



(1D3+28-300, 1/400s f/8.0 at 28.0mm iso1000)



(1D3+28-300, 1/60s f/8.0 at 300.0mm iso1000)



(1D3+28-300, 1/200s f/8.0 at 110.0mm iso800)



(1D3+28-300, 1/1600s f/6.3 at 285.0mm iso1600)



(1D3+28-300, 1/400s f/6.3 at 35.0mm iso200)



(1D3+28-300, 1/1250s f/6.3 at 300.0mm iso200)



(1D3+28-300, 1/400s f/11.0 at 275.0mm iso200)

...that lens is not leaving *my* camerabag anytime soon ...

...€0.02...

Kindest regards!

Max@Home

[jeff5897]

yes, this is a very good lens, you can download the original size photos below, and review it, you will find this lens is sharp, even 300mm

28-300mm L
Flickr Search Engine : Flickr original size search engine.

[musicman5]

Thanks Max! This lens has been at the top of my wish list for a long time and I still have hopes of getting one someday.

[Fireice_2]

If I'm not mistaken this is the best super zoom in the market.

[20DNewbie]

Thanks for the examples Max. I don't often see anyone speaking well of this lens, more often just people commenting on what they have read about someones bad experience(which I chalk up to the user for the most part) with it. Or that it's a 10X+ zoom so it mustn't be any good.

I've looked at it in the past(mainly for the sealing) but for what I was doing at the time it either wasn't fast enough or long enough. Now with the ever increasing higher ISO performance it may negate my need for faster glass when I update my body/ies.

[db83]

With lenses that can get that heavy, I wonder what the stress limit on the actual mount is. I sometimes feel the lens mount could break and the lens could snap off.

[20DNewbie]

Originally Posted by db83

With lenses that can get that heavy, I wonder what the stress limit on the actual mount is. I sometimes feel the lens mount could break and the lens could snap off.

I wouldn't worry about it to much, I've swung around the 300mm 2.8L IS on my bodies plenty of times while holding it by the camera. The only time I've heard/seen about a mount tearing away was over at SS when the guy took a digger coming down the bleachers and landed on his 1 series while it was attached to a 500mm f/4L IS. IIRC everything still worked as the electronics were still connected.

[db83]

I gotta ask though. After a shooting session with a 4-lb lens and a 1-1.5lb body, how much do your arms hurt?

[Max@Home]

Originally Posted by db83

I gotta ask though. After a shooting session with a 4-lb lens and a 1-1.5lb body, how much do your arms hurt?

...the first session: a lot! Now: not any more, I can walk and shoot with that combo all day and/or all night (depending on the job): you get used to that combo, and it balances very good holding body with right hand and lifting/supporting lens with the left hand

...€0.02...

Kindest regards!

Max@Home

[Max@Home]

Originally Posted by Fireice_2

If I'm not mistaken this is the best super zoom in the market.

You are not mistaken

...€0.02...

Kindest regards!

Max@Home