350D body and 100-400mm L IS lens

[mwfanelli]

Hello all

I currently own an EOS 350D body and am seriously contemplating purchasing the canon EF 100-400mm L IS USM lens. However I have read on another forum that there has been 2 reported instances where when the 350S body is paired with this lens, the plastic housing has flexed and cracked due to the weight of this lens. Is this possible.

If I am correct the EOS30D has a magnesium alloy housing as opposed the the 350D plastic housing. Does this mean that the EOS30D is better suited to carrying the heavy lens, or would the material of the housing have no affect on the cameras ability to carry a heavy lens?

This leads me onto my second question - does the EOS30D produce better images than the 350D (assuming same photographer shooting under same conditions, etc..)?

Many Thanks
Mr Shabbs

This is nonsense. The body is not going to flex and break using the 100-400 L lens. Polycarbonate is not "plastic" the way most people think about it. I used this lens on a film-based Rebel that was much flimsier than the digital versions with no problems. I'd want to see documented evidence of these two "breakages."

One clue, regardless of camera: use the tripod ring on the lens when attaching it to a tripod. The camera's weight is small compared to the lens and you want to get close to the center of gravity.

"Better images" is subjective. Give a supermarket disposable camera to David Muench and he'll still get better images than most of the people on this site with expensive gear. Unless you can point to specific things you actually truly need on the 30D, just use the 350D. Unless, of course, it has more to do with "want" rather than "need"! :-)

[mrshabbs]

Thanks for the reply - interesting.

I have since read that the mount (and not the housing) is the crucial factor and both the EOS30D and the EOS350D share the same 'metal' housing hence the weight of the 100-400mm canon lens should not be a deciding factor betweem the 2 cameras.

As for the last reply regarding better images from a EOS30D as opposed to the EOS350D , I think I will stick with my EOS350D unless anyone reading this forum can suggest a good enough reason to upgrade (seen as 99% of my shots will be wildlife based), i.e. pretty much static!

I appreciate your thoughts?

MrShabbs

[Liz]

My thoughts. I have the 350XT and am very happy with it. I use it with the 24-105 and 70-300, not quite as big as the 100-400, but no slouches.

I would suggest you keep it and use it with the 100-400 (nice!) lens. Then sometime in the future if you find that the 350XT needs to be upgraded, do it then. I wouldn't give up on it before you give it a "shot" excuse the pun.

Liz

Thanks for the reply - interesting.

I have since read that the mount (and not the housing) is the crucial factor and both the EOS30D and the EOS350D share the same 'metal' housing hence the weight of the 100-400mm canon lens should not be a deciding factor betweem the 2 cameras.

As for the last reply regarding better images from a EOS30D as opposed to the EOS350D , I think I will stick with my EOS350D unless anyone reading this forum can suggest a good enough reason to upgrade (seen as 99% of my shots will be wildlife based), i.e. pretty much static!

I appreciate your thoughts?

MrShabbs