Canon 300mm/2.8 I IS issue

[geert99]

Hi all,

This airshow season I have been having trouble getting keepers with my Canon 300mm/2.8 I IS lens. I usually use it with the 1.4x extender (version III) on two bodies, the 7D mk2 or 5D mk3. Normally, this combo is sharp as a tack, but the keeper rate has been very low this year. In the meantime I have checked it a couple of times using the Reikan Focal program (as I have been doing for years) and it comes out fine. The MF correction value is fairly stable and in that respect it seems to be doing fine. During the last airshows I switched to my Canon 100-400mm mkII and then I have tack sharp images again.

Does anyone recognize this issue and if so, what would you recommend? I can have it serviced maybe, but that's not exactly around the corner for me, so that's something that has to be planned if it should be the best way to go. I have also experimented without using MF values in the camera, but that doesn't change it either. It really seems to have something to do with the lens itself. Last weekend I was at the Belgian airshow, and again a low keeper rate. The keepers I do have are razor sharp as they should be, but where I would normally get around 80-90% keepers, I'm now down to 50-60% or so.

One thing I did notice is that shooting static objects is giving me better results, as well as slow aircraft passes. Can it be that there is something wrong with the image stabilization?

Any help appreciated!

[bvdboomen]

what would you recommend?

If I had a lens in that league I would bring it to Canon for examination.

[geert99]

Me too, but unfortunately Canon took it out of it's service and won't check/repair it. I have called both the German and Dutch Canon CPS locations and both say the same. They can't get parts anymore.

[bvdboomen]

That's a bummer Geert. I hope you can find an alternative repair service.

[aerobert]

Geert,
I have the same lens and use it also sometimes with the 1.4 extender (version II for me).
My body is a EOS 7D mkII.
I do not have your problems, but I am curious if you also see worse performance with only the 300mm mounted on the camera, and no extender.

In addition I have these remarks:
I sometimes accidentally push the IS on/off switch or the IS 1/2 switch to the wrong position, which creates blur but then due to my vibrations not being adequately stabilized by the lens.
This summer it was often very hot with a lot of heatwaves. I noticed that many of my pictures at the RIAT for instance were no keepers for me due to heat haze at relatively close distances. This is of course only with taxi / take-off shots.

And as far as repair centers is concerned: did you contact Will van Maanen in Zoetermeer ?

[geert99]

Geert,
I have the same lens and use it also sometimes with the 1.4 extender (version II for me).
My body is a EOS 7D mkII.
I do not have your problems, but I am curious if you also see worse performance with only the 300mm mounted on the camera, and no extender.

In addition I have these remarks:
I sometimes accidentally push the IS on/off switch or the IS 1/2 switch to the wrong position, which creates blur but then due to my vibrations not being adequately stabilized by the lens.
This summer it was often very hot with a lot of heatwaves. I noticed that many of my pictures at the RIAT for instance were no keepers for me due to heat haze at relatively close distances. This is of course only with taxi / take-off shots.

And as far as repair centers is concerned: did you contact Will van Maanen in Zoetermeer ?

I haven't really tried it at airshows without the extender, simply because of the loss of mm's.

It's funny you should mention this....what is the wrong position?
I always have it set to ON and for airshow action it's on position 2 (Panning). Never had any issues before, but perhaps heat haze can play a part, but really in the shots in the air right? I will check out this Will van Maanen guys. Never heard of him to be honest. Does he have a workshop or something?

[aerobert]

For me the wrong position is IS=ON and MODE=1: then, during panning, the lens tries to correct the panning movement, creating even more internal "vibration".
The heat haze is the strongest close to the ground and becomes less of a problem when taking pictures of airplanes high in the air.
Yes, Wil has a workshop in Zoetermeer.