canon 400L f5.6 how is it?

[camera eye]

considering this to be my next lens. I would like to know about the focus speed, sharpness, quality ect.
thanks

[pcho]

Check out these sites

http://www.birdsasart.com/faq_4f56or3is.html
also check http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/forgotten-400.shtml

[camera eye]

pcho wrote:
Check out these sites

http://www.birdsasart.com/faq_4f56or3is.html
also check http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/lenses/forgotten-400.shtml




now I really want this lens!!!!

thanks

[pcho]

Hi Camera eye,

Have a look further thread futher down comparing 400mm F5.6 and the 100-400 F4.5/56 IS. Make your own decision about it as there are pro and cons as to which lens to purchase. There is also the option of 300mm F4 plus 1.4x extender and that way you have IS as well.

Here is one on 300F4 L vs 100-400 F4.5/5.6 L IS:-
http://forums.dpreview.com/forums/read.asp?forum=1029&message=5613902

400mmF5.6 vs 100-400 F4.5/5.6 L IS:-
http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=13566

Happy decision making :)

[carls]

I bought the 400 5.6 about a week ago and have absolutely no regrets. The lens is incredibly sharp, image and build quality are excellent. I cannot comment on focussing speed as I've just recently converted to Canon from Contax manual focus and any auto- focussing is quick for me. I have used the lens for some bird pictures and the focussing was accurate and (for me) quick.
Carl.

[Fried]

I use the 300/f4IS with a Kenko 1.5x SHQ Teleconverter.
Results are nice, AF and IS work flawlessly.
Of course, 450/f5.6 is a good weather lens, especially compared to the 70-200/2.8IS I bought recently.
But the lightweight 300mm/f4 is excellent for following action, the 2.8 IS is a lot heavier and more expensive, it is better, but not >1000€.

[Hyperfish]

camera eye wrote:
considering this to be my next lens. I would like to know about the focus speed, sharpness, quality ect.
thanks


Absolutely eye-bleedingly crisp, light, great colors/contrast.

Some of the APBA Offshore Boat shots are shot using the 400mm f/5.6:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/hyperfish2/

[ssim]

I bought the 100-400L specifically for auto racing. I found it be a good lens. I like the zoom because the fixed focal of 400 is sometimes too much depending where on the track you are.

http://www.pbase.com/ssim/montreal_grand_prix

These were all shot with this lens and pretty much every image has been cropped in on.

[pcho]

hyperfish wrote:
camera eye wrote:
considering this to be my next lens. I would like to know about the focus speed, sharpness, quality ect.
thanks


Absolutely eye-bleedingly crisp, light, great colors/contrast.

Some of the APBA Offshore Boat shots are shot using the 400mm f/5.6:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/hyperfish2/



Absolutely great shots. I don't think it is just the lens as there are alot of skills invovled as well. Just received my 300mm F4 and 400mmF5.6 and I can't wait to try them out over the weekend. I also have a friends 100-400L on loan as well so I will try out all 3 lenses

[Hyperfish]

[/quote]

Absolutely great shots. I don't think it is just the lens as there are alot of skills invovled as well. Just received my 300mm F4 and 400mmF5.6 and I can't wait to try them out over the weekend. I also have a friends 100-400L on loan as well so I will try out all 3 lenses[/quote]

Thanks pcho!

Good luck, I KNOW you'll LOVE the 400mm!

[pcho]

Hi hyperfish,

I am very please with my 300 and 400 but more importantly I am stunned by the result of the 100-400mm that I order for my friend (he is on holidays and I got the use of it for 3 wks). Contrary to review and reports , the 100-400 is very sharp from 200 right through 400 and I mean very sharp. The eye lashes of my son were razor sharp when using the 100-400 lens. I am very very impressed with it. I will do more testing over the weekend.

[Hyperfish]

pcho wrote:
Hi hyperfish,

I am very please with my 300 and 400 but more importantly I am stunned by the result of the 100-400mm that I order for my friend (he is on holidays and I got the use of it for 3 wks). Contrary to review and reports , the 100-400 is very sharp from 200 right through 400 and I mean very sharp. The eye lashes of my son were razor sharp when using the 100-400 lens. I am very very impressed with it. I will do more testing over the weekend.


Sounds like you got a good one, pcho. I had 2 (or maybe it was 3) & was REALLy disappointed in image quality, but I already had long primes that set the benchmark.

If possible, try shoot something with fine detail at long focal lengths under difficult lighting conditions. (bird feathers) I have NO doubt the 400mm f/5.6 will lay waste to the 100-400mm, but you may only see the difference at large print sizes and/or 100% image size.
The body will also make a huge difference & the 1Ds will show it better than a 10D or even the 1D.

Shots like these viewed at 100% ***might*** show a difference in feather detail:

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/hyperfish/E57C6857.jpg-Web-Small.jpg

http://pages.sbcglobal.net/hyperfish/E57C1438.jpg-Web-Small.jpg

YMMV based on sample variations, etc...

[pcho]

Great shots again. Thats fantastic.

How I test most of my lenses.

I use my ST-E2 and bounce the flash off the ceiling close to subject and in this case my son. Then I focus on my sons eye at at 400mm and then view at 100% and I was shock to see that his eye lashes were pin sharp as with most of my other primes. I am very impress with it. Plus it has IS as well. I like the weight of the lens too.

I do have a problem keeping my 400mmF5.6 still. I seem to be swaying with this lens because it is so light. I don't have the same problem with the 300F4, 70-200IS or the 100-400. Do you have the same problem like I do?

[Hyperfish]

pcho wrote:
Great shots again. Thats fantastic.

How I test most of my lenses.

I use my ST-E2 and bounce the flash off the ceiling close to subject and in this case my son. Then I focus on my sons eye at at 400mm and then view at 100% and I was shock to see that his eye lashes were pin sharp as with most of my other primes. I am very impress with it. Plus it has IS as well. I like the weight of the lens too.

I do have a problem keeping my 400mmF5.6 still. I seem to be swaying with this lens because it is so light. I don't have the same problem with the 300F4, 70-200IS or the 100-400. Do you have the same problem like I do?


Thanks pcho-

Yes, depending on the body it's hung from. It's too light on the 1D/1Ds, OK on the 10D. ***Generally, *** I'll use for a flight lens or on a tripod in decent light, so the "shakes" aren't a concern. (on the tripod)

Flight shots or handheld panning need SS & practice because of the light weight.

BTW, again, YMMV, but I prefer doing lens comparisons on static objects in natural light, tripod mounted, MLU, fast shutter speeds to reduce any possiblity of inconsistent lighting, slow shutter speeds, motion blur or camera shakes influencing the outcome...

IS is only a bonus under specific conditions, so IMHO it's not fair to compare image quality under conditions where it will influence the outcome. IS is a bonus tool, handy if you shoot under conditions that need it, useless for high SS fast moving subjects. (like the APBA shots)

[pcho]

Hi hyperfish

I totallyagree what you are saying, but what impressed me even more the pictures I took were nhand held, 1/60sec with flash and my sons eye lashes were pin sharp. I hate to see it taken in bright light and on a tripod.

[pcho]

Just received my Lens this week, here are a samples of first pictures taken with my 400mm F5.6 lens

http://h00045adf0ca4.ne.client2.attbi.com/perrycho/Web-480x719_6786.jpg

http://h00045adf0ca4.ne.client2.attbi.com/perrycho/Web-480x720_6762.jpg

http://h00045adf0ca4.ne.client2.attbi.com/perrycho/Web-480x720_6780.jpg

http://h00045adf0ca4.ne.client2.attbi.com/perrycho/Web-480x720_6776.jpg

http://h00045adf0ca4.ne.client2.attbi.com/perrycho/Web-480x720_6774.jpg

[Hyperfish]

pcho-

STUNNING!!!