350D body and 100-400mm L IS lens

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

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Originally Posted by mrshabbs

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

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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"! :-)

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

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. :D

Liz

Quote:

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Originally Posted by 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

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrshabbs

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.

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If they're using the body to support that lens, they've got it backward :thumbsup:
The way to do it is by holding the lens at the balance point and not trying to hold the lens up with the body.
I wonder if they put the body on a triopd and attached the lens, without thinking why the lens has a tripod ring?

It's quite a good lens, at its best stopped down a bit and not wide open. How late in the day are you planning on shooting?

i have the 400mm L glass, and it is a beast. I have no experiences of even a small flex in the body, and this lens is rather heavy. the 100-400mm should be comparable. I'd say go with it. Sounds like a great lens.

If you can afford BOTH the 100-400 AND the 30D, go for it!

If you can only buy one, buy the best glass you can afford.

As others have stated, with this lens it is the lens that is holding the camera - not the other way around. Don't worry about the mount.

While I wouldn't worry about the mount, seems people are overlooking something :wink:

Can somebody tell me how they carry the camera around their neck with a strap on the lens :D While that can be done, I do believe it's the body holding the lens in such a situation.

I carry mine one-handed (holding the "white" part) while moving around. Paul, you know by now that I practically never have nothing between the lens and the body :p I would never trust all those mechanical interfaces. Not so much because I think that the mount would fail (break), but because I worry that the locks would get knocked undone.

About 95% of the time, I leave the tripod ring at home so I can carry and use it better.

Even mounted on my 24-70mm lens, I rarely use my neckstrap. It serves me better as a safety arm strap.


Although I've never had to climb trees with it like you, yet.

Depending on what lens I have on my camera, I always try to support the lens. If I have a heavy leans on, and have the strap over my shoulder, one hand is still supporting the lens. If I have a light weight kit lens on, I don't worry about it, but anything with a little weight to it, I keep the lens supported. I'm sure the camera would be fine without it, but I feel better knowing that it has some extra support.

I carry any lens I am using via a camera strap half the time. I can't hold binos and a camera at the same time :wink:

I have seen plenty of people with 4-12 pound lenses handing from the body for atleast short distances( Dreb/ 400 DO IS, 10D/400F2.8 IS, rebel 2000/300f2.8..)

Many a nature guy carries a 2nd camera around his neck for flight shots or wider views while toting the big gun on a tripod.

Either way you look at it.... the lens won't hurt your camera's lens mount unless you seriously jar the lens(drop it, smash it on a tree while running.....)