Got a new toy! (My first Prime lens!)

[defordphoto]

Shooting the ChampCars this weekend. I gave the 100-400L a sweet launch last year at this race, so I decided to give birth to a new toy to mark the anniversary:

The 400L f/5.6

It launches tomorrow morning and runs all day long. And yes, I'll post pics and there will be plenty of galleries for all!

Don't you just love the smell of a new lens when you open the box? That's up there with new car and electronics smells.

Yummy!

[Belmondo]

Hoo boy! That sounds like fun.

I have that particular lens and it's a good'un. I hope Canon decides to update it with IS one of these days. In that regard I slightly prefer the 300 f/4.0, but the 400mm is a better length, especially for the things you do and for the birders.

Have a ball!

Tom

[ohenry]

My 400 f/5.6L was delivered today. Unfortunately, it required a signature and I wasn't home. Now I have to wait until tomorrow to smell that new lens smell. &^$&*@#&!

[timmyquest]

RFM, i use to like you...but i'm slowly starting to hate you :twisted:

Congrats.

[cmM]

nice.
People will be getting out of your way tomorrow when they see you walking with that baby.

[defordphoto]

CmM: Actually it isn't that big. A little longer than the 100-400L, but lighter (No IS).

Tom: Wish they made a 400L f/4. I don't use IS that much anyway, so I don't think I'll miss it. The 70-200L IS f/2.8 IS will be by my side (also) the entire weekend. Mary will be shooting the trusty 100-400. And then we shoot the boats again on 7/10.

Timmy: Please don't hate me... ;)

ohenry: Weird. I did actually sign for this lens. This was the first time UPS had me sign for anything. Even the MKII was delivered unsigned.

[eric1]

Jim,
i got that lens a couple of months back, after alot of deliberating between
it and the 100-400. i've been real happy with it. can't wait to see your pics. maybe post some exif too.

thanks,
eric1

[Laziferous]

Don't you just love the smell of a new lens when you open the box? That's up there with new car and electronics smells.

Yummy!
Absolutely. A new lens, a new piece of computer hardware, a plc, the smell of the air the fan on my laptop blows out it's side... divine. My wife told me I was weird the first time I tried to get her to smell a new electronic device. Your comment proves, that I am not (in that regard anyway). It's a guy thing, she just doesn't understand.

Congrats on your new toy Jim. Make us proud. I know you will.

[defordphoto]

Jim,
i got that lens a couple of months back, after alot of deliberating between
it and the 100-400. i've been real happy with it. can't wait to see your pics. maybe post some exif too.

thanks,
eric1

Yeah...I'm looking forward to getting out to the track this morning. Gonna be a hot, Northwest weekend too! Yikes! Hottest weather of the year so far. Will be nice though to not have to worry about the weather.

[defordphoto]

Don't you just love the smell of a new lens when you open the box? That's up there with new car and electronics smells.

Yummy!
Absolutely. A new lens, a new piece of computer hardware, a plc, the smell of the air the fan on my laptop blows out it's side... divine. My wife told me I was weird the first time I tried to get her to smell a new electronic device. Your comment proves, that I am not (in that regard anyway). It's a guy thing, she just doesn't understand.

Congrats on your new toy Jim. Make us proud. I know you will.

LOL! My wife just shakes her head. Yeah, it's a guy-thing.

[Belmondo]

Smelling lenses?

This is a very expensive form of aroma therapy. Nonetheless, you have my curiosity piqued, so perhaps I will buy a lens purely for sniffing.

Does L glass smell any different than, say, the thrifty fifty?

The only (affordable) lens that really interests my a lot these days is the 70-300 DO zoom, but that's a lot of money just to stick under my nose. If I actually buy one and decide to use it, will that affect the smell? How long does the smell last?

This forum is great for getting valuable information related to photography.

[CoolToolGuy]

Tom: Wish they made a 400L f/4. I don't use IS that much anyway, so I don't think I'll miss it. The 70-200L IS f/2.8 IS will be by my side (also) the entire weekend. Mary will be shooting the trusty 100-400. And then we shoot the boats again on 7/10.


Well, actually, f4 is covered by the DO lens. Not likely they will create another lens to compete with themselves.

I have seen the EF 400mm f2.8L. What a monster! The front element had to be around 150mm in diameter. I was in the store to rent a 100-400 L, and I debated renting the monster as well just to try it out, but it was already committed for the weekend - bummer.

Good luck this weekend.

Have Fun,

[dn7elson]

The 400L f/5.6

That seems to be a favorite prime. Arthur Morris (Birds As Art) calls it his "toy" lens, but it is his lens of choice for flying bird photography.

This lens was in my next lens short list along with the 100-400L, but the 100-400L became the official finalist due to its added flexibility as well as the IS. But, since you've already got that lens.... :lol:

[ohenry]

Smelling lenses?

This is a very expensive form of aroma therapy. Nonetheless, you have my curiosity piqued, so perhaps I will buy a lens purely for sniffing.

Does L glass smell any different than, say, the thrifty fifty?

The only (affordable) lens that really interests my a lot these days is the 70-300 DO zoom, but that's a lot of money just to stick under my nose. If I actually buy one and decide to use it, will that affect the smell? How long does the smell last?

This forum is great for getting valuable information related to photography.

It's a frequent, but often misunderstood fetish. Probably best left to private entertainment and not done in the local 7-11

[drisley]

If you already have a 100-400mm L lens, why would you also get a 400mm prime? Am I missing something? :?

[chris.bailey]

Don't you just love the smell of a new lens when you open the box? That's up there with new car and electronics smells.

Yummy!
Absolutely. A new lens, a new piece of computer hardware, a plc, the smell of the air the fan on my laptop blows out it's side... divine. My wife told me I was weird the first time I tried to get her to smell a new electronic device. Your comment proves, that I am not (in that regard anyway). It's a guy thing, she just doesn't understand.

Congrats on your new toy Jim. Make us proud. I know you will.

I know what you mean Chris, I have a theory that Canon spray the inside of their boxes with Canonsmell just before they seal them, and that it is a mixture of pheromones designed to lift you a little higher as you open the box.

[JZaun]

RFMSports

Congrads on the new smell :D

But I ask along with drisley ,, Why :? You got a 100-400 f5.6 IS. Teach me something.... what is the advantage of the 400 f5.6 prime,, its longer and almost as heavy :?

Don't make it look too good though :D I can't afford another lens right now :shock:

JZ

[timmyquest]

I'm gonna be getting the 70-200 f/2.8 next week, i could have ebayed one for $200 less...but i wanted to open the box. I have yet to buy a brand new lens :-P

[Belmondo]

RFMSports

Congrads on the new smell :D

But I ask along with drisley ,, Why :? You got a 100-400 f5.6 IS. Teach me something.... what is the advantage of the 400 f5.6 prime,, its longer and almost as heavy :?

Don't make it look too good though :D I can't afford another lens right now :shock:

JZ

From my own experience and based on some crude experiments I conducted a few months ago, the 400 prime is sharper and gives better contrast than the zoom at 400mm, especially at f/5.6. It is longer, but it weighs a bit less.

[where1]

I can see you now Jim, out there on the track thinking...

Too close
Darn, the zoom's locked
Oh yeah. :oops: :)

Enjoy your new lens.

[CyberDyneSystems]

If you already have a 100-400mm L lens, why would you also get a 400mm prime? Am I missing something? :?


Primes are better :)

Don't knock it till you've tried it :)

[Belmondo]

Primes are better :)

No overly general statements here! :lol:

[CoolToolGuy]

If you already have a 100-400mm L lens, why would you also get a 400mm prime? Am I missing something? :?


Primes are better :)

Don't knock it till you've tried it :)

Hear here!

Try one, you may find yourself in the prime of your life. :wink:

Have Fun,

[J. Cobble]

Congrats. I hope you love it! Have a blast at the races.

[drisley]

I've always heard so many stories that the 100-400L was so spectacular optically. I didnt think that the 400mm prime could be THAT much better.

[eric1]

i tried them both out, and felt the 400 prime was
the sharper lens. it's also cheaper.

eric1

[NILOLIGIST]

All I will say, is WOOOHOOO!! I can't wait to see the shots. Hurry!! Posts.

NiL,

[BigRed450]

Congrates Jim..... You'll surely have fun with that baby.
We'll be waiting to see some results from the races....

[drisley]

i tried them both out, and felt the 400 prime was
the sharper lens. it's also cheaper.

eric1

But it is probably VERY close right?

Just wondering why one would buy both lenses...

[eric1]

i tried them both out, and felt the 400 prime was
the sharper lens. it's also cheaper.

eric1

But it is probably VERY close right?

Just wondering why one would buy both lenses...

yes it's close, but nowhere near indicernable. the best in flight bird pics i've seen were taken with this lens.

eric1

[defordphoto]

Well, we just got back from the track. Man it was hot. Whew!! Anyway, the reason(s) I bought it are:

Faster AF
Sharper (believe it or not)
My wife shoots too

Both the 100-400L and the 400L were in simultaneous use today. I was swapping out the 400 and the 70-200 and it's given me a great variety of photos (that I still have to look at).

More later...Need food.

[Belmondo]

Just wondering why one would buy both lenses...

Because they're there!!

(and because we can)

[CyberDyneSystems]

:lol: :lol: :lol: