Arrival of Canon 500mm f/4L EF IS II USM Lens

[AZGeorge]

With Canon being totally noncommittal on a 500mm f/4L EF IS II USM availability date, does anyone have any good rumors or speculation?

At this point -- money at the ready and lens fever high -- even the most outlandish rumors would be welcome.

[macroshooter1970]

Not me, happy with the first model. Saving up for the 800mm.

[P51Mstg]

800 is much better than first 500, have both. Also have 400 2.8

Plan is to sell 400 2.8 and 500 and keep 800 and get a new 400 2.8 II....

Once you shoot the 400 2.8 you will not go back to the 500......

800 is super, and sized near current 500mm. Really love it..

Mark H

[nuffi]

What do you use the 800 for?

[bigcountry]

800 is awesome, currently have a 500 f/4 is and 800. have a 600 ii on preorder, but will probably just go w/ the 800 due to the 1dx lack of f/8 AF.

[AZGeorge]

Thanks for the 800mm suggestions. At very least they are giving me a research job while waiting for the 500mm II.

Bigcountry, could you say more about your uses of the 500 and 800? Do you find yourself using one more than the other? Which lens has produced more of your best work?

[bps]

I can hardly wait for this one to finally hit the market...

Bryan

[bigcountry]

both lenses can produce "amazing work" but the 800 is the one i use the most and if i had to pick one, that is what i'd get.

the price has gone up almost $4000 in the last year, so that kinda sucks.

they weight almost the same and i would almost bet that you'll have a 1.4x attached to the 500 all the time....

[nuffi]

Originally Posted by bigcountry

both lenses can produce "amazing work" but the 800 is the one i use the most and if i had to pick one, that is what i'd get.

the price has gone up almost $4000 in the last year, so that kinda sucks.

they weight almost the same and i would almost bet that you'll have a 1.4x attached to the 500 all the time....

Do you shoot birds, or field sports, or basketball or motor sports or theatre or rock'n'roll or landscapes or ...?


What do you use these lenses for? And why do you prefer the 800 over the 500?

[j-dogg]

I do not own the 800, but I have rented it out for the rocket launches here. What a lens.

If you have never shot the 800, even on a sturdy tripod there's a lot of camera shake.....until you turn on the IS and suddenly the world stands still. A lot of haze though on the beaches here, and I'm FF so I rarely rent it. But it is tack sharp, what is astonishing is I could barely tell the difference between the 800 and my 70-200 F4L IS at 100% crop.

[bps]

I can't believe the 800 is almost $14K now...

Bryan

[bigcountry]

i've shot everything from polar bears to birds.

and i quite frequently hand hold it:

[dolina]

great looking bird BC.

I expect the 500 IS II to ship before August 2012. I do not expect much stock to be available at retail as any lens produced have been allocated to photo agencies and other corporate customers.

As for whether the 200, 300, 400, 500, 600 or 800 are better really depends on these factors

- affordability
- lens weight
- angle of view

Affordability is very much explanatory.

Lens weight makes the difference between being to go a mile or two more or not. If you're fit like BC you could handhold a 800 for long periods of time. This is not to say that the 800 is heavy as the version 1 400 and 600 were heavier by two pounds. Two pounds may not sound like much but you'll feel it after a few hours carrying it around.

Angle of view is very much self explanatory.

With what is available today this is how I'd rank em by lens weight/useability.

- 400 IS II + 2.0x
- 800 IS
- 500 IS v1 + 1.4x
- 300 IS II + 2.0x
- 300 IS v1 + 2.0x
- 200 IS + 2.0x
- 400/5.6

[AZGeorge]

I predict the 800mm will soon be unavailable because I'm almost convinced to make the investment.

[dolina]

Originally Posted by AZGeorge

I predict the 800mm will soon be unavailable because I'm almost convinced to make the investment.

I think you will be right. Canon old probably divert resources to make the version 2 super teles tel they fullful the initial orders