Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

[Nathaniel]

Can our well informed members tell me the pros and cons of both these lenses? I know that the 100-400mm has received some negative comments on account of it's push/pull zooming action. Will both these lenses accept Tc's and give full auto with it?

Many thanks

Nathaniel

[colintf]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

400f2.8 or 5.6?

full autofocus will be down to the camera body. Only soem will AF at beyond f5.6

[Nathaniel]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

400mm 5.6 on a 60D & possibly on a 6D.

[colin C]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

I have had very positive experiences with the 100 - 400mm and have exhibited exhibition prints at A2 and A3 size. I never could see a problem with the push-pull action, but I was about when all the first zooms were push-pull. In fact, I still have an 80 -200mm Canon FD mount push-pull zoom in the cupboard that fits my canon AE1. I presume that most who have made negative comments have tried it and not being used to that action, commented against it.

Having said all of that, the Canon 400mm f5.6 prime is better. One of Canon's little gems for quality.

Neither lens will give you full autofocus with a TC unless you use it on a 1 series body, although I understand there are firmware upgrades pending for some bodies to make them usable with the 1.4x

[Nathaniel]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Would you swop the 300mm f4L which I have against the 100-400mm or even the 400mm?

Nat

[MadCat]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Hi, depending on which way you decide to go, I have a 100-400mm L I'm selling (genuine reason) - it will appear on the classifieds section in the next couple of days however you're welcome to PM me beforehand if you're interested.

[colintf]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Would you swop the 300mm f4L which I have against the 100-400mm or even the 400mm?

Nat

I could be interested in your 300f4

Cheers
Colin

[Nathaniel]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

The moment of madness has passed. I am sure it is the better weather that is confusing me. From all accounts I am told that the 300mm f4L is a gem of a lens, and I have taken some very good pictures with it. Also I am already shooting at 420mm with my 1.4TC (f5.6) without any difficulty.

[marcosphoto]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Don't know if you're still looking or not. I can't speak for the 400mm, nor do I really need such a lens as I'm pretty mobile. I own the 100-400 and I have to say that the IQ is incredible! I was a non-believer until I popped one onto my 5D3 and I have to say absolutely no regrets. Yes, the push pull I find very annoying - especially since the barrel is so large it's hard to get smooth motion. Also because the tension ring is a waste of time, hard to get perfect. The IS may not be state of the art but works well and for a lens so large the focus also works very well. The lack of weather sealing has not affected me much to my knowledge anyway. Otherwise, for the price that I paid used, this is one awesome lens that you are not likely to regret.

[rajjayaraj]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

I second to Marcoshoto, i use (100mm-400mm) it on my 5D3 and its fantastic and no regret.
Raj

[Nathaniel]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Thanks guys for all your comments, which is much appreciated. I raised this issue as I wanted to shoot at around 500mm without the expense of buying a 500mm lens and without increasing the weight of the lens. So I thought perhaps the 100-400mm lens would fit the bill with a 1.4 extender. However, since I raised this thread I had a play with the 100-400mm lens and noted that the images are not very sharp beyond say 350mm. It did take my 1.4 Tc but it was hunting after f7.1 or so and I couldn't take any BIF shots- the bird was long gone before the lens focussed on the bird. I also noted that with the push/pull action, the lens was drawing some dust- perhaps the main disadvantage and this is something I would not tolerate at all. So I have given up the idea of the 100-400mm lens and will stick with my tried and tested 300mm f4L IS USM lens plus 1.4TC and will crop the image to make it look bigger.

[David Morison]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Don't forget that the 400 f5.6 is non-IS. However I use it all the time on birds mainly with no issues as a high shutter speed is pretty well obligatory in this situation. Incidentally I use this lens with a 1.4x on an Olympus E-M5 which gives a greater reach and much higher IQ than I get with my 7D - no good for BIF of course as MF is the only option but I quite like doing things this way using the superb magnified EVF. And of course the E-M5 has in body IS. Using the E-M5 shows just what a superb lens this is!

David

[Neilly]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

Hi Nathaniel,

I have all the kit you're interested in (okay the 300mil is an f2.8, but you know what I mean ) Several thoughts come to mind - I wouldn't use the x1.4 TC on the 100-400mm lens - for all the usual negative reasons, given above. Admittedly, my x1.4 TC is a MkII and if the MkIII is anything like the MkIII x2TC then you may be okay. If I wanted to shoot 500mil then I would go for the prime lens option, you'll get far better quality pictures.

I know people seem to love to knock the 100-400mm lens, but to be 100% honest I have yet to come across a better big zoom lens. Mines 4 years old and has got to have taken well over 100,000 frames (who knows how many times the lens has actually moved up and down) and still takes good quality pictures. Like everything in this infuriating hobby nothing is ever cut and dried - horses for courses - as they say

TTFN,
Neil

[DGriffin980]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

I have never been satisfied with 100-400mm. But, I do have a couple of co-workers that live and die by that lens. Maybe I just had a "bad" one?
-D

[Hereford_EOS]

Re: Canon 400mm vs Canon 100-400mm lens

The moment of madness has passed. I am sure it is the better weather that is confusing me.

Thank goodness for that Nat.