Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Love it or hate it?

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #2071612
A quick search for the lens revealed 17 pages of (x 35 = 595) threads with 100-400mm in the title!

I don't know how you use your search but putting in '100-400' in the search box and hitting go sure as heck didn't get me 17 pages of that in the thread titles!

Charles4400 wrote in post #2071844
Nice...how wonderful...from a mod at that!??

Geeeesh did a search for '100-400' and didn't see many threads with this lens in the title! Sorry don't make it a point to read every thread in this forum....how ignorant I must be!?

But great shots all, I can't wait to order this baby!

CDSs comments were light hearted hence the smilie at the end of the sentence.

I use my 100-400 and awful lot and think its great !! wish it was constant F4 not push pull and was sharper at the long end , but even so its a real winner

Great lens, highly recommended

I had my IS unit replaced due to it being faulty, it came back and shot out of focus. It's currently with canon getting fixed.

When it's back I'm probably selling mine and getting a 300 f2.8 and a 1.4 TC instead. Sod the cost !!!!!! LOL

I hate the pull/push system, much prefer the twist of the 70-200

Carl.

Mines very rarely off my camera. I'ts quality I much prefer the push/pull set up.

had mine almost 2yrs still love it. doesnt cover everything but does a lot for the money.


john20d,gitzo and stuff

Mine is sharp through out. I do like the push/pull except for the clunk sound you get when you hit the end of the zoom too hard.

Dave

I traded my 400 f/5.6 for a 100-400 and I love it !

CoolToolGuy wrote in post #2071774
This lens gets a lot of good press, and I cannot argue with the images posted here - BUT - I rented one, and I couldn't get it back to the store soon enough. It was soft at the long end, and didn't impress me much at all. Add to that, it wasn't as long as I wanted (400mm), and you lose AF with a teleconverter, and it just couldn't find its way into my lens inventory. I don't put much faith in the "dust sucker" claim, but I just don't like the push-pull action, either.

So it seems there are some that "swear by" this lens and some that "swear at" it. I fit among the latter. I hope and pray that Canon soon comes out with an upgrade that is longer, faster, or both.

My 2 cents.

Have Fun,

It seems that you expect an aweful lot from your lenses. Far be it from me to complain about a 400mm L with IS that you don't need a truck to haul around NOT being able to use a TC and keep AF. Isn't the 400mm prime like 3-4 times the price?

just got back from an all day shooting (5am - 5pm) and this lens rocked the house again. i have hawks, herons, caterpillars, a snake, 2 flowers, a plane and 5 landscapes all taken with the same amazing lens

braduardo wrote in post #2072431
It seems that you expect an aweful lot from your lenses. Far be it from me to complain about a 400mm L with IS that you don't need a truck to haul around NOT being able to use a TC and keep AF. Isn't the 400mm prime like 3-4 times the price?

I expect them to be sharp at the focal lengths I use them for - the one I rented was not. And since I lose AF with a teleconverter, I might as well use an FD lens - the FD 85-300 almost replicates the 100- 400 (107-378 with the 1.26x of the FD-EOS converter), and I typically have it on a monopod so IS is not required.

The EF 400 f5.6L is actually less money than the 100-400, and it is a very portable lens. Since I used the 100-400 mostly at 400mm, the prime is a much better choice for my use. In fact, I bought a refurb EF 35-350 L from B&H, and that really makes a better choice for me as a walkaround lens for motorsports than the 100-400, despite no IS. It also put the FD 85-300, a fine lens in its own rite, back into my bag.

I have my suspicions that I rented a bad copy. But I hear the - soft at 400mm - from several folks here. Someone above even mentioned - I wish it were f4, non-push/pull, and sharp at the long end - Gee, all this from an L lens?

As I said, I'll wait for an upgrade. In the meantime, I think I have the 100-400 covered.

Have Fun,

Charles4400 wrote in post #2068428
Havent seen much talk about this lens on the forums and I was thinking about getting it...why doesn't it seem to be a popular lens?

What do you all think?
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM.... Love it or hate it?

Funny, I always thought it was one of THE most popular lenses around...Heck, it is even on my wish list...

CoolToolGuy wrote in post #2072586
I wish it were f4, non-push/pull, and sharp at the long end - Gee, all this from an L lens?

are you serious? the lens you are talking about will be a beast that will cost $4k+ (look at the nikon 200-400 F4 VR..). i like my light weight, push pull, normal price L lens as is

blonde wrote in post #2072617
are you serious? the lens you are talking about will be a beast that will cost $4k+ (look at the nikon 200-400 F4 VR..). i like my light weight, push pull, normal price L lens as is

Not to mention the fact that the glass on the end would have to be twice the size... meaning HEAVY...

CoolToolGuy wrote in post #2072586
Someone above even mentioned - I wish it were f4, non-push/pull, and sharp at the long end - Gee, all this from an L lens?

I actually said SHARPER at the long end which is quite different to the way you misquoted it.

My wishing it were a constant F4 in no way detracts from it being of L quality and neither for that matter does it being of push pull design rather than twist zoom. I'm sorry you have had a negative experience of this lens but please dont take what i said out of context, it was at the time of purchase and stil would be the lens of choice for me for my needs and yes I considered getting a 300 2.8 L is with converter but shooting at 100-299mm with that lens would prove rather difficult