50D of 7D with 400mm f5.6 prime?

[Arthur1979]

Hi guys,

I recently switched to Canon as I always wanted to try the 400mm f5.6 prime. I bought a 50D with it but I am starting to wonder if the autofocus will be fast enough for airshows (F4 farewell and RIAT), so I was wondering if somebody has experience with both, preferably combined with the 400mm.

As I am posting anyway, I often had issues with the dynamic range of my D90 (either I had dark planes or white skies) and the 50D seems to peform less well on that level, is there a way to cope with this or can it only be fixed in post processing?

Thanks for your time,
Arthur

[sebah]

50D autofocus with 400mm 5.6L is very good for all airshows!
All pictures from here http://www.flickr.com/photos/shinca/set ... 490491759/ I made with 50D + 400 5.6 L

7d su*ks

[Arthur79]

Dude these pictures are sharp. I specially like the close ups and bad weather pics. I do see that most pictures have been made with nice and sunny weather, and shooting airliners is not the same as a F18 pulling G's, and then have to crop 90% of the picture to fill the frame.
Do you have pics of fighters online?

[Erik_7Xi]

Dude these pictures are sharp. I specially like the close ups and bad weather pics. I do see that most pictures have been made with nice and sunny weather, and shooting airliners is not the same as a F18 pulling G's, and then have to crop 90% of the picture to fill the frame.
Do you have pics of fighters online?

If you have to crop 90% of the photo away in order to get a decent shot... you are sure you don't have a 40mm lens fitted instead?

I have used the 400mm f/5.6L for a long time and I have owned 2 copies of this lens, all of them were very sharp, even wide open at f/5.6.
(why 2? because I kept switching back between the 300mm f/4L IS and the 400mm f/5.6L, not being able to make up my mind which one worked best for me!)

I only have some lowres thumbs online but believe me all of these images are sharp at 100%.
(I do not have any 100% full-resolution photos online so you just have to take my word for it.)

These were all taken at the 75 years RNZAF Air Show at Ohakea, March 2012. I have since sold my 400mm f/5.6L as I got a great offer for it and I wasn't using it very much - I am waiting for a new (and this time sharp) 100-400L

[brno]

I have the same combo, 50D + 400 5.6. Its a very good airshow lens for the fighter jets, for the formation displays;
It's mostly too much. I use the 400 in company with a 70-200. With this setup you can manage the most situations.

Pro's;
-very, very fast AF
-very good IQ
-light and handholdable
-better stability than the 100-400 handheld
-price

Negative;
-no IS
-no zoom

For skyhigh it`s also an nice lens;

http://forum.scramble.nl/viewtopic.php? ... 16#p640216




Good luck!

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[brno]

Maybe a little bit late;

al the pictures in the Volkel 2013 set are made with the 50D+400 5.6.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/54383878@N ... 220090866/

[sebah]

also this pictures are made with 50d + 400mm
http://www.flickr.com/photos/shinca/set ... 150494551/