Dust and the venerable 100-400

As I lust after the 100-400, something about the 100-400 discussions that I've read bothers me. Any number of times, I've read that the lens is a dust magnet. Yet, the lens seems to be very popular, I suspect, because of its range and image quality.

Is the dust problem just the dotty old aunt whom everyone smiles at and ignores? Is it not really a problem? Doesn't it affect pictures to the extent that the dust has to be erased, manually or otherwise, from the image? Can the dust be removed from the lens w/out sending it to Canon (and with some hope of using the lens after the operation)? Does anyone have a solution other than to use the lens only in a microchip factory clean room?

Thanks.
Mike

I wouldn't worry about the dust talk.

Dust magnet is a myth as far as I can tell -- no problems here after several months of use on the beaches, parks and swamps of North Carolina.

I'm sure the dust issue is there (albeit not in the magnitude that most people believe it to be), just like it is with the 17-55. However other than bugging the owner, it really doesn't affect the image in any way. Sigma has shown that you can do a 100-400 type of design without a push-pull mechanism by releasing their new 120-400 OS lens (http://www.dpreview.co​m …1/08013103sigma​120400.asp).

To my knowledge, I don't think there is an easy way of cleaning the dust out of the lens, unless you are brave enought to take it apart by your self.

Well, I have put a lot of time in with the 100-400L on my camera, I have never noticed it pumping dust. In fact, my 20D has never yet had the sensor cleaned in 80,000 shots, at least 50,000 of those have been with the 100-400L on. Sure, it has a few dust bunnies but they are few enough to not be a problem in post processing, a few seconds at most. I think if the 100-400L was the 'dust pump' people claim, the sensor would have had to be cleaned long ago.

There is no dust visible inside the lens either.

I suspect that the myth started because a few people got dusty sensors (possibly simply by changing lenses in a poor environment) then, because you can feel air coming out of the back of the 100-400L, when you pull it back sharply, they blamed the lens. This then gets repeated as a 'known problem' with the 100-400L in the forums, often by people who have heard the myth but never actually used the lens.

I live in the desert. I shoot pictures in the desert. I shoot alot with the 100-400 in the desert. I don't have anymore dust with this lens than the other nine lens I shoot with.

Thanks, folks. Now, when bank account gets onto the positive side . . . .

Never had a dust problem. Had it in the mountains, at the beach, camping, you get the idea. And personally, I prefer push-pull zoom.

I've been shooting with the 100-400 for the better part of 2 years - never noticed an issue with dust. I think lots people just think the push-pull design makes the lens more susceptible to dust without really using it.

Mcooper450 wrote in post #4937345
Doesn't it affect pictures to the extent that the dust has to be erased, manually or otherwise, from the image?

If there did happen to be a spec or two of dust in a 100-400 it wouldn't degrade the image unless it was like the back of my TV

Can the dust be removed from the lens w/out sending it to Canon (and with some hope of using the lens after the operation)?

NO

Does anyone have a solution other than to use the lens only in a microchip factory clean room?

Yes, don't worry about dust with the 100-400 more than any other lens. I miss the one I sold and will buy a new one sooner than later
Mike

Buy it and enjoy it

Hi

I have a 100-400. Compared to other lenses it does seem to put a bit more dust into the camera (I certainly got more noticeable dust when I started to use the 100-400). However to be honest you are going to get dust in there with pretty much any lens so if you need to clean the sensor a bit more often then it is no great hassle.

All the best

Keith

All long teles function the same way, just that the 100-400 zooms over the barrel and not inside it. I shot alot on beaches in Galapagos and can't say dust was any more of a problem than with other lenses.

File the dust issue under "urban legend." The 100-400mm is neither a "dust pump" nor "dust trombone."

Probably makes a viable alternative to a bicycle pump to spary water with though.

All the best

Keith

Kickstart wrote in post #4941668
Probably makes a viable alternative to a bicycle pump to spary water with though.

The Canon Super-Soaker!