Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM

I went to the park this morning for an hour or so and located the hoodie. Found a nice tree on the bank and set up the tripod. It was a great way to start the day. Hope you enjoy.
Randall

sanjeedbd wrote in post #9530183
I think EF 400mm f/5.6L is probably not a lens to be used with Extenders. The f/2.8L lenses are better suited for this purpose. May I request users' comments please?

Yeah, I certainly welcome the feedback as well. Not sure that it is "the best" option for that, just that I have seen some here do small bird photography at realtively close range using extenders to get inside the long minimum focal length of this lens. Then again, there are few "bests" around, and I have the 400 5.6, and don't have the 2.8. But as you said, feedback from those with experience welcome.

Someone did provide me with the following link with the details I requested. Thanks RandyS!

http://www.bobatkins.c​om …graphy/eosfaq/c​loseup.htm

Great hoodie Randall!!!I really like the first one. The attentive look and curved wake behind the bird work great together.

Great shots of the Hoodie!

sanjeedbd wrote in post #9530183
I think EF 400mm f/5.6L is probably not a lens to be used with Extenders. The f/2.8L lenses are better suited for this purpose. May I request users' comments please?

Extenders or tele converters?

Thanks guys here is one of the female

Personally I see no issues with it as long as you can autofocus with it connected. I use the 1.4 significantly on the 400 5.6 and get beautiful shots with it. As a matter of fact, until I purchased the 500L, the 1.4 was always connected to the 400. I also use the Kenko extension tubes on the 400 when photographing birds in the backyard where I have my perches set up. I even use the 1.4 and Kenko extension tubes together for really close up shots. I used the Kenko 20mm extension tubes this past weekend on the 400 5.6 to photograph birds in the snow.

And nice shot of the Merganser. How did you get so close?

sanjeedbd wrote in post #9530183
I think EF 400mm f/5.6L is probably not a lens to be used with Extenders. The f/2.8L lenses are better suited for this purpose. May I request users' comments please?

Thanks, I had my camo gear on and layed on the bank for about an hour untill they came by. Its about a 50% crop. Looking at the image at work I can see the background need some smoothing out.

The 50D megapixels at work. The feather details are still there at a 50% crop

Randall n LV wrote in post #9532668
... Its about a 50% crop...

Methodical wrote in post #9532585
Personally I see no issues with it as long as you can autofocus with it connected. I use the 1.4 significantly on the 400 5.6 and get beautiful shots with it. As a matter of fact, until I purchased the 500L, the 1.4 was always connected to the 400. I also use the Kenko extension tubes on the 400 when photographing birds in the backyard where I have my perches set up. I even use the 1.4 and Kenko extension tubes together for really close up shots. I used the Kenko 20mm extension tubes this past weekend on the 400 5.6 to photograph birds in the snow.

And nice shot of the Merganser. How did you get so close?

Ditto !
I've used my 50D in live-view mode with a 1.4X teleconverter on my 400 mm, with great results (on a tripod, of course). With 5X zoom on live-view, and contrast AF ..... I can get the birds eye in perfect focus. It might be considered 'cheating', but with 60 year old trifocal wearing eyes, I'll take all the help I can get !

hammer418 wrote in post #9532803
Ditto !
I've used my 50D in live-view mode with a 1.4X teleconverter on my 400 mm, with great results (on a tripod, of course). With 5X zoom on live-view, and contrast AF ..... I can get the birds eye in perfect focus. It might be considered 'cheating', but with 60 year old trifocal wearing eyes, I'll take all the help I can get !

umfortunatly I have had poor luck with the 1.4 tele. Who knows it may be that my lens and TC just don't get along. I have found that the TC works great on my 70-200.

Do most of you use a tripod/monopod while shooting these pictures or are they all handheld?

70 % of the time I am hand holding. 20% monopod, 10 tripod. It really depends of how far and the terrain I am hiking

What kind of tele is it?

Randall n LV wrote in post #9533441
umfortunatly I have had pure luck with the 1.4 tele. Who knows it may be that my lens and TC just don't get along. I have found that the TC works great on my 70-200.

I do a mixture of handheld (BIF) and tripod. When I 1st got into this back in 10/08, I did not want to deal with a tripod; I handheld the 300 f4 but now I pretty much do all my work with a tripod - 500L (handheld sometimes too). I now am back to handheld shots with the 400 as it's now my side arm sitting on the 50D. I've gotten so efficient carrying and setting the tripod for a shot that it's no longer a burden for me.

Stiff wrote in post #9533856
Do most of you use a tripod/monopod while shooting these pictures or are they all handheld?

It seems some users are comfortable with 1.4x Extender. I'm talking about Canon 1.4x Extender for use with the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM. I use EOS 450D body with the 400 with satisfaction. However, I suspect autofocus will be lost when the 400 is used with extender with f number relegated to 8. Nevertheless it might yield good results for stationary birds shot from long distance.

However, my 12.2 MP resolution will be reduced to 8.7 MP due to use of the extender still, the image should be quite useable. Am I right?

Tony, are u available for comments?