canon 100mm-400mm or canon 400mm f5.6

I currently use the canon 100mm-400mm but i find myself using it mostly at the 400mm end, would i see a good deal of improvment with the 400mm f5.6 prime.

Thanks all

Not really, imho. lol. You'd get faster auto focus, but that's about it. Oh, and nicer size. Stick with the zoom unless you really have a specific need for the super fast AF (course on the 400 5.6 it comes with its own problems like annoyingly huge minimum focus distance).

Depends on what you're after and what your copy of the 100-400 is like.

The two lenses are not really the same. The zoom offers better range, the tele is sharper at all apertures. The tele is lighter and easier to carry, the zoom is a PITA unless you like push pull glass.

PITA?.....that seems to be the general advice, not worth adding the prime to my lenes. thanks everyone.

I'd never give up the flexibility of the 100-400 for the prime. I never found the AF on the prime to be enough to call it an added benefit. I do agree there are times when the push/pull has it's draw backs but it's hard to complain about that much glass for the $$$.

Dont get me wrong, i love the 100-400, had it about two years now and wouldn't swap it, even like the push/pull....i was thinking about adding the 400mm prime if there was enough benifit.

I was faced with the decision of which to buy a few years ago- I shoot mostly sports, and did not (do not now either) have the budget for a 2.8. I ended up with the 400 prime, and have never regretted it. This page http://www.luminous-landscape.com …enses/forgotten​-400.shtml was a major factor in my decision.

Its hard to argue the versatility of a zoom. For my liking, the image quality takes preference.

I would not consider that a very good comparison considering it was written 9 years ago and the 100-400 has improved considerably since then. There are date codes to note if you are buying used. The IQ on the 100-400 is virtually identical to the prime.

theduck wrote in post #12692636
Dont get me wrong, i love the 100-400, had it about two years now and wouldn't swap it, even like the push/pull....i was thinking about adding the 400mm prime if there was enough benifit.

I bought the 400mm prime for 2 reasons, 1 as already stated speed, check this site out with comparisons
as to the image size between the zoom and the prime.
http://www.ophrysphoto​graphy.co.uk/index.htm
I will now duck the handgrenades

I tried a 100-400 yesterday, I guess I could get used to that push/pull thing but it would take some time.

Docsknotinn wrote in post #12692760
I would not consider that a very good comparison considering it was written 9 years ago and the 100-400 has improved considerably since then. There are date codes to note if you are buying used. The IQ on the 100-400 is virtually identical to the prime.

It does appear that older 100-400 were much softer than the newer, but it's a much more complex design overall and probably much more likely to have soft copies.

As for IQ being the same, well I think the bokeh is quite a bit better from the prime in harsh situations but that's to be expected. It's pure speculation on my behalf but the prime probably also has less light transmission loss.

The reality is though that it's never going to zoom and doesn't have IS. So for those that truly need the zoom then the prime simply isn't a viable alternative.

I have the 400 prime and I love it, it is so easy to use and get great pictures.

I do have the 70 to 300 as well, and I though that was great when I got it, but I'm now obsessed with the prime.

For the slight advantage in image quality the prime has over the zoom, I don't think its necessary to purchase the prime if you already own the zoom and plan on keeping it. Phreeky makes a good point when he says... "Depends on what you're after and what your copy of the 100-400 is like". There seems to be a variance in the quality of the zoom from copy to copy. If you have a good copy, I don't think you need the prime. Personally, I own the prime and love it. With a bit of creativity, its not difficult to hand hold despite not having IS.

Search your topic, this thread comes up at least once every two weeks.

I have both, the IQ is the same. If you need IS, and you will eventually, the zoom is the way to go.