Can you tell which lens did this?

[ebiggs1]

Look at these photos shot in my studio off a tripod with reasonable care.  Which do you think it best?

Now look at this pic taken at the 300mm, hand held, can you guess which lens was used.  The same 300mm FL and the same approx. crop. The same LR settings.  Not scientific lab care but reasonable care in each shot.

[RobertTheFat]

1)  The first one, assuming that the not-quite-blown highlights can be toned down a bit (as they almost certainly could be in DPP 4).

2)  The Sigma. I think I recognize the noise pattern in the background. But I won't blame the lens for the misplaced (IMO) focal point.

[ebiggs1]

One thing it shows is there is some lens breathing error with the Sigma (this was the first version of that lens BTW).  The 300mm mark on the 100-400mm (second version) is arbitrary. It does hold its own vs a prime.  Very impressive in anybodies book.

The last photo is hand held and it is the lower right hand corner of the frame.  

[ebiggs1]

My personal pick for IQ is the ef 300mm f4L.  

[wq9nsc]

I think I would like the second one best IF stepped down to 5.6.  To me the blurred hair curl at the center front of the second detracts a little but it is minor and that is just one person's opinion. I expect that would disappear at F5.6.

They all are impressive and the Sigma example is no slouch.

My favorite lens is the 70-200 F2.8 USM I bought at the same time I picked up my 1DM2 body around 2005.  It is beautifully sharp and the only negative is it made the 24-70 F2.8 I bought at the same time a little less desirable.  The 24-70 isn't a bad lens but it pales in sharpness compared to the 2.8.