EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Review WOW!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #17810984

dexy101 wrote in post #17810929
It better be rubbish thats all I'm saying. I don't think the fiancee would be too pleased with me buying one when I'm having for our wedding.

It will be the beginning of a long relationship...

Unless his fiancee decides to run off with it!

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #17810984
It will be the beginning of a long relationship...

I was afraid someone would say that.

primeone wrote in post #17811023
Unless his fiancee decides to run off with it!

More chance of me doing the running

For those not aware, I have a problem with my 100-400 II, the tripod foot keeps coming loose. After only extremely bad experience with Canon service I have decided to resolve myself. Well, pay a repairer to disassemble the rear of the lens to remove the collar ring. I thought sourcing a third party ring would be the best solution, once I have my lens sans ring I can measure and start looking. Todays development confirmed that will be the way forward. Canon came back with a price for the ring: $690. That's for the ring only, not the plate with the tripod thread or the 4 tiny screws or the foot. That's AU dollars so a neat $500 US.

Quote for them to replace it is $850, exactly 1/3rd the price I paid for the lens new.

Choderboy wrote in post #17811208
For those not aware, I have a problem with my 100-400 II, the tripod foot keeps coming loose. After only extremely bad experience with Canon service I have decided to resolve myself. Well, pay a repairer to disassemble the rear of the lens to remove the collar ring. I thought sourcing a third party ring would be the best solution, once I have my lens sans ring I can measure and start looking. Todays development confirmed that will be the way forward. Canon came back with a price for the ring: $690. That's for the ring only, not the plate with the tripod thread or the 4 tiny screws or the foot. That's AU dollars so a neat $500 US.

Quote for them to replace it is $850, exactly 1/3rd the price I paid for the lens new.

Seems pricy. Isn't it a warranty claim?

See above "After only extremely bad experience with Canon service"

Finally got my hands on the lens, happy to say it blew my mind. I love shooting 300 2.8 and such lens for action sports but this lens is just so sharp and has great AF that didnt miss a beat shooting. Now this is an RC car that one of the riders was having fun messing around with but still a great test overall to see how good the lens is.

Choderboy wrote in post #17811208
For those not aware, I have a problem with my 100-400 II, the tripod foot keeps coming loose. After only extremely bad experience with Canon service I have decided to resolve myself. Well, pay a repairer to disassemble the rear of the lens to remove the collar ring. I thought sourcing a third party ring would be the best solution, once I have my lens sans ring I can measure and start looking. Todays development confirmed that will be the way forward. Canon came back with a price for the ring: $690. That's for the ring only, not the plate with the tripod thread or the 4 tiny screws or the foot. That's AU dollars so a neat $500 US.

Quote for them to replace it is $850, exactly 1/3rd the price I paid for the lens new.

I have not had your problem with the screws but i would suggest you contact your retailer for a replacement lens. If they don't come to the party contact the ACCC.
Paying with your own money to fix the problem would be foolish in my opinion.

rawshorty wrote in post #17811251
I have not had your problem with the screws but i would suggest you contact your retailer for a replacement lens. If they don't come to the party contact the ACCC.
Paying with your own money to fix the problem would be foolish in my opinion.

Looks like I'm foolish then
I'm committed now and believe what I am doing is sensible.

dexy101 wrote in post #17810929
I really hope this lens is rubbish.

I have decided to hire one for a week over christmas and as its over christmas they wont take 7 day orders, they are giving me it for 7 days and adding on an extra 7 days free.
Ill be finished with it and heading away back to work before the hire is over but ill still manage a good 12 days with it.

It better be rubbish thats all I'm saying. I don't think the fiancee would be too pleased with me buying one when I'm having to pay for our wedding.

Derek, you're going to love it. The IS on it is the best I've seen. I really like it as a landscape lens!

Choderboy wrote in post #17811208
For those not aware, I have a problem with my 100-400 II, the tripod foot keeps coming loose. After only extremely bad experience with Canon service I have decided to resolve myself. Well, pay a repairer to disassemble the rear of the lens to remove the collar ring. I thought sourcing a third party ring would be the best solution, once I have my lens sans ring I can measure and start looking. Todays development confirmed that will be the way forward. Canon came back with a price for the ring: $690. That's for the ring only, not the plate with the tripod thread or the 4 tiny screws or the foot. That's AU dollars so a neat $500 US.

Quote for them to replace it is $850, exactly 1/3rd the price I paid for the lens new.

I haven't kept up to this one. Did you try a thread locker or other options?

I did not use thread locker for several reasons. After retightening screws multiple times the heads were showing wear. So I would only want to thread lock if I could use new screws and no 2mm screws I could find would fit (the heads on the Canon screws are very small)
Second, as the screws loosened after about 2 hours use it was clear it was not vibration, just force as a result of use. The fact they loosened so quickly I assume indicates threads are damaged and I think logically it would be the threads in the alloy ring, not the steeel screws. I think I have been lucky not to have lens and body drop during these repeated loosenings of the foot and I want a solution I can be confident won't fail. Thread locker would not have given me confidence and I think it would have just delayed the inevitable drop.

Choder, screw that. I replaced the foot on my 100-400ii with an RRS foot. Way cheaper than your Canon bill,
incorporated Swiss plate, and easier to carry by. I've done all my big lenses with RRS with no regrets. Only
wish the Tam 150-600 was addressed by RRS.

MedicineMan4040 wrote in post #17811854
Choder, screw that.

^^^ I assume no pun intended.

Choderboy wrote in post #17811845
I did not use thread locker for several reasons. After retightening screws multiple times the heads were showing wear. So I would only want to thread lock if I could use new screws and no 2mm screws I could find would fit (the heads on the Canon screws are very small)
Second, as the screws loosened after about 2 hours use it was clear it was not vibration, just force as a result of use. The fact they loosened so quickly I assume indicates threads are damaged and I think logically it would be the threads in the alloy ring, not the steeel screws. I think I have been lucky not to have lens and body drop during these repeated loosenings of the foot and I want a solution I can be confident won't fail. Thread locker would not have given me confidence and I think it would have just delayed the inevitable drop.

What a headache, and not your fault.

Still, I think I would have looked for other solutions, and first I would have looked at Canon again, in the US or Japan if necessary. That course should not have failed, but if it did, I think I would rather have epoxied the screws into place than remove the ring. And you could probably have drilled and retapped the screw holes and put in new screws.