The 100-400mm IS L - Owners Only Poll!

Ok, we all know the problems with Polls. Everyone is an expert and especially the chumps who have never seen, held, sniffed or actually owned what is under discussion

So this Poll is for the exclusive use of past or current owners of the controversial Canon 100-400mm IS USM L. Everyone else kindly butt out of voting. Pick as many as apply. We want to find out the truth about this lens. Is it the eighth wonder of the modern world as some profess or is it an expensive, inconsistent, so-so quality lens with issues? Or, maybe those with image quality issues are just poor photographers who need to learn the basics of long lens shooting? That's what some think anyway. Is it true? Vote and let's see!

Remember, DO NOT vote if you have not owned this lens. It won't be funny or big I know that some dimwits with impulse control issues will not be able to resist clickin', yes I am lookin' at you, and so I have created a 'special' clicky button just for you - simply go to any other Poll here at POTN and find it. Then click away there Hopefully enough actual owners/users will contribute to produce a useful result.

Poll closes on 2nd June so vote now or you'll lose your chance!

I think you should add one more poll, sometimes too slow and need faster, as the only down fall of this lens for me is the fact f5.6 is often not fast enough

I wouldn't consider that a fault of the lens, after all it is a 5.6 at 400mm out the box. That is more a fault of the lens choice for the circumstances it is used in Hard to hold its slowness against it.

I think the resolution box says it.... ive never thought about it like that but thats the general feel i get... just doesnt resolve as sharply as id like... i still love it tthough... jjust could be better

I think you need to add slow AF to the list as it can have trouble keeping up objects moving towards or away from the camera.

Super-Nicko wrote in post #5580147
... just doesnt resolve as sharply as id like

Yeah, that was my main gripe. Happy birthday too man

icker wrote in post #5580273
I think you need to add slow AF to the list as it can have trouble keeping up objects moving towards or away from the camera.

I haven't seen complaints about slow AF so didn't think to add it. Definately slower than my 400mm but then so are most lenses I do wonder tho' if that is a body issue rather than lens? Be interested to see if there are other comments about AF. I did find the IS a tad slow to settle, but that isn't a problem, just a thing with IS.

It all depends on what you are used to, I guess. It isn't "slow" but it is one of the slower of my lenses in terms of AF speed.

Overall it isn't a bad lens, it is just that I am hyper-critical and it isn't as good as I'd like it to be. Unfortunately there isn't a better alternative around in the 400mm zoom range for the Canon mount. My feelings about it could probably be summed up as "best of a bad lot".

I pretty sure I am not alone in that feeling as evidenced by all the hyped up expectations over the two new Sigma tele-zooms. People really want a good 400mm zoom. From what I have seen of the new Sigmas so far, they aren't going to meet people's expectations/

Cadwell wrote in post #5580308
People really want a good 400mm zoom.

Well I know that you're not that impressed Glenn (which is fine - you speak as you find), but I'd say that in the 100-400mm, people already have a (very) good 400mm zoom.

Keith R wrote in post #5580341
... I'd say that in the 100-400mm, people already have a (very) good 400mm zoom.

Not all people ... but we will hopefully see the extent of any gripes/issues as days go by. I also speak as I find and I found both my copies sub-par for the price paid and the reputation. I do agree with Glen that the hysteria over the announced Sigma OS lenses does signify something and that something is for a lens that upgrades the IQ and IS/OS performance of the 100-400mm. If Canon made one then I'd likely buy it. Rather a single high IQ/function zoom lens than my current 400mm prime and 70-200mm combo and two bodies. For me, that is the only way I have achieved the IQ I want, but it sure is a pain in the ass carrying it around

I'll throw in $0.02 from the perspective of 70 odd copies:
Photographer thoughts first: I think its good at what it does - its not a prime. Its not a sharp as a 3004f IS or 400 f5.6. But its very good, and it zooms better than either of them.

1) I'm surprised but copy to copy variation on the 100-400 for us isn't worse than any other zoom. From comments online I'd expected it to be.
2) There's 4,000 ball bearings under the "tighten-loosen" ring. If you force zoom it on tight, you strip them and it never zooms smoothly again. But other than that it doesn't require repairs any more frequently than any other lens. IS systems sometimes fail on every lens that has it, again no more frequent with the 100-400
3) It does get dust, but no more so than 17-55 IS.

Roger Cicala wrote in post #5580389
I'll throw in $0.02 from the perspective of 70 odd copies ...

Thanks Roger, that's a very useful perspective.

The only problem I find is the the tension ring locks up when I want to zoom fast...no issues with the IQ.

Roy

Regarding the friction ring: personally, I don't think it is there so much to adjust friction to suit your needs, because it is impossible to select any setting that'll work in all circumstances. It is there just to lock the lens, just that there wasn't another place available on the lens to do this. I think the fact that on newer models it has become only a 1/4 turn to lock kinda confirms this, as does Roger Cicala's statement about stripping the bearings.

The whole idea of a push-pull zoom, and especially of one in this particular range, is to provide ease and speed of use when handholding a long zoomlens. And this is where IS comes into it as well: ease and speed of use. I think anybody who owns this lens owes it to him- or herself to try the following at least a couple of times:
- mount 100-400 on camera
- make sure IS is set to ON
- set the 100-400 friction ring to completely loose
- hold the lens by the focusing ring, and the camera with your other hand
- zoom by moving the focusing ring, up or down the lens barrel
- AF by pressing the shutter- or *-button (whatever you selected)
- adjust focus manually if necessary by a little flick of the wrist to the left or right (in dark circumstances or if AF point(s) chose the wrong point of focus)
- shoot

The advantages of this procedure are that
- you can do 1-hand zooming and focusing, without letting go of the lens
- the lens is always in perfect balance on the camera, because support is exactly there where it si needed
- balance feels great to the photographer too, weight is ditributed very evenly
- you will likely get another stop extra with IS engaged, if not another half or whole stop more (I shoot routinely at 1/45 at 400 F/5.6 this way, IS on, but only 1/640s - 1/800s with IS off!) due to the naturally increased balance
- it is very fast and easy

There is 1 disadvantage: you have to keep your hand on the focus ring all the time, because if you let go and the lens points down a little (or more) the zoom ring goes down right to the end with a big clunk .

I think you need to tighten the friction ring only when unmounting the lens or when using it on a tripod, where you switch IS off anyway.

Regarding balance: I have not come across any long telezoom yet, which provides such good balance as the 100-400 does. Two rings, one for zooming and one for focusing always make your supporting hand move to a position where the lens is not supported well at all, and the only exception in this regard, as far as I am aware, is this lens.

Kind regards, Wim

I have been happy with mine
Its not my sharpest lens (primes are better).
Its not my fastest lens.
But it is my longest and strongest zoom lens and gives me sharp enough output when wide open (aperture) and/or full zoom (400mm).
This is still true after years of use on 3 different DSLR bodies (to my eyes)

Only had this lens for little over a month but I think I've seen enough of it's quality to comment here.

My copy works excellent, I've seen no issues like chromatic aberration or poor image quality. Sure, this lens @ 100mm is not as sharp as my 100mm macro, but that's like comparing apples and oranges. I personally love the push/pull function and the tension ring works flawlessly (having used push/pull lenses before without a tension ring I can really appreciate it for what it is).
It is a lens that requires good light, but I've been out before the sun is up and still been able to capture good photographs and this lens really is something special. The dust argument must be an urban legend, I see no reason how this would be true and I've not had any problems with durst during my (short) period of owning this lens. The AF speed is rather fast, not top notch but it can keep up with every single bird in flight I've tried to capture (it really helps to set it to 6.5m-infinity if that's your range).

If you want versatility and great quality for the price this is brilliant lens. It's compact and light enough to be hand held for an entire day without much problem.