billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

I'm considering selling my 24-105 "L" and the 100-400 "L" and springing for 28-300 "L"... what are your thoughts on the 28-300? I'm willing to give up 4mm on the short end, and 100mm on the long end in exchange for using ONE lens to cover the events that I shoot. Shooting with Canon 5D3...

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

You will be giving up a tiny bit of image quality, and $2000. Better off getting a second body and using your current lenses. This way you've got it covered and you have a backup, just in case.

billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

thanks... but I'm trying to get to one body and one lens... and a few extra bucks in the pocket... :-)

jeryh Loc: Oxfordshire UK

No such thing as a one lens for everything; you will lose somewhere along the line, and pay for the privilege !

Dds82

What is the f stop range on the 28-300? Maybe provide all the f info of all three lenses. Are you giving up some light sensitivity......

dkguill Loc: Elkhart, IN

On the surface, your logic would make sense. I own both the 24-105L and the 28-300L. I would not get rid of the 24-105 because it is 1. a good crisp lens...2. light and easy to carry around compared to the 28-300. The latter is pretty HEAVY, and there are many times when I know that my subject will not lend itself to the range beyond 100mm. I use my 24-105 in my studio for product photography and for portraits. It's much easier to hand-hold than the 28-300 due to weight. In short, the 24-105 is a flexible lens that can be used in many situations. At the same time, the 28-300 is a very good, crisp lens with a wide range in terms of reach. It has been improved over the one I own if you are buying a new version II. Keep the 24-105 and invest in the 28-300 when you can afford it...MHO.

I should add that both lenses work well with my current cameras. I use them on the 5D MkIV, the 5Ds, and the 7D MkII. Yes, I have a couple of prime lenses, but these two are the work horses I rely on the most. For really long reach I go to the Tamron 150-600mm which I have learned to like a lot. I have noticed that the Tamron is limited in terms of having too much reach in many situations and, at those times, the 28-300 is the perfect solution.

beerhunter13 Loc: Southern Ontario, Canada

I own a copy of this lens. I also own 15 other lenses ranging from a 8 to 15mm f/4L to a Sigma 120 to 300mm f/2.8 along with 4 DSLR bodies. All of my lenses are Zeiss, Sigma or Canon L series. The 28 to 300mm is my go-to lens for everything but wildlife but a have mounted it on my 7D mk II for very dense woods where the above Sigma (plus a 2x TC) is too much.

It lives on my 5DmkII. I have travelled through many countries where over 95% of my photos were shot with this lens. I have also photographed with this lens in pouring rain and temperatures from +38 to -25 degrees and it never failed. It is not my sharpest lens but it is much more than adequate. This is almost the one lens for everything. The speed varies from f/3.5 to f/5.6, for most of the zoom range it is slower than f/4.5. Not particularly fast but given the high ISO capabilities of modern DSLR's it is not an issue.

The downsides of this lens are: it's price, the push-pull zoom and, for some, it's weight. That been said, it is the most useful lens in my collection and I would be hard pressed to do without it.

I have observed that almost all of the people that say a 10x zoom will have issues have not used this lens. Everytime friends try it, including the pros, they become converts.

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

I have the Canon 28-300mm “L” lens and I have lived with it for 4+ years. This lens weighs 3.7lbs., which is a tad heavy, however, with a OP/Tech utility strap sling I can carry the lens mounted on a Canon 5DIV (2.0lbs.) all day long. Couple this lens with a Canon 500D close-up lens ($149.00) and you can also get really close (+2) for flowers, etc. at 300mm. When I limit myself to one lens, this is the lens I take with me. Also, use a Xume (pronounced “Zoom”) filter adapter. Watch the video at - https://www.manfrotto.us/collections/lighting/lens-filter-suite. No, I don’t sell this stuff, but I do use these items and they do make life a LOT EASIER!

Jimmy T Loc: Virginia

Haydon

I owned the 28-300 several years ago and I had to sell it off in short order because I wasn't able to accept the loss in IQ and heavy weight thinking that there was a great one-lens-does-it-all. Both the long end and short end are soft on a FF. If I want a longer lens other than a 24-70 that is still compact, I prefer the 70-300L regardless of it being a variable aperture.

Everyone's needs are different and some are willing to make sacrifices but I found myself sticking to more than one lens if I couldn't figure out the subject matter prior to the shoot. There isn't such a thing as a "free lunch".

stuparr935 Loc: Dallas, Texas area

I use my Nikon 28-300 on my D810 body while traveling international and sell better shots from this trsvel. I seldom want for another lens. Never is one lens cover all, but when traveling this is a good way to simplify gear on the road... Just a thought!

DELTA777

If you like to carry a big heavy lens around I tried the lens out I said to heavy so I went for the Tamron 16 - 300 much happier don't need that big thing sticking out if you look at Nikons 28 - 300 that's a nice size why can't Canon do the same.

billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

righto... but my question is about your actual experience with the 28-300mm lens (if any).

billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

......................
thanks for the input... I shoot horse/rider outside arenas, so the 28mm end will work on group shots, and the 300mm end (minus a tad) will reach all of the turns etc within the arena... I currently put the 100-400 on a monopod, so the "heavy" isn't much of a problem.

billgdyoung Loc: Big Bear City, CA

many thanks for your comments...I appreciate your "hands-on" experience...1) price: by trading my 100-400 for the 28-300, I can minimize the cost delta, 2) the push-pull: not an issue for me having used the 100-400 for several years, and 3) weight: I will put the 28-300 on the monopod.