Tele-Zoom for Field Hockey

[GarethP]

OK - I've sort of informally thrown this out before, buried in other threads but now the time has come and I need to make a decision...

I've narrowed it down to 2 options

EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM Lens - £404.99 - £40 cashback (£364.99)

or

EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM - £341.99 - £40 cashback (£301.99)

both from Jessops (yeah I know - shocking eh! Jessops competitive! and I can pick either up tomorrow)

I'm trying to weigh up extra reach with the 300mm vs more light with the L. I've heard exceptional things about the L lens but also that the 70-300mm f4-5.6 IS USM is a 'hidden' L lens? and that it's just about as sharp?

IS would be handy sometimes I guess, but not essential as most of my hockey shots are at faster than 1/400s or so...

Advice/options anyone? should I be looking at anything else too? (just to confuse me a bit more!!)

Thanks in advance

[cwphoto]

No brainer for me: 70-200/4 all the way.

[GaryS]

CW is right. The 70-300 is a great lens, but I think its the AF speed for sports that is the big problem for you.

Its SLOW!!!! Actually, its even slower than that.

And when shooting field hockey, you will need fast shutter speeds anyway, so that IS won't help much.

70-200L FTW.

[TheWengler]

You could make up the reach with a 1.4x TC. I'm not sure how much that'll effect focusing speed though.

[GaryS]

I meant to comment on the reach issue too... I've found that for field sports, I don't shoot the long end of my 70-300 anyway. As long as I can be near the edge of the field, I'm generally in the 100-180 range.

[GarethP]

Thanks everyone - off to trial the 70-200/4...