Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?

I need your help here guys (hint: Nate). Please, only those with personal experience; don't turn it into a general discussion or anything like that - don't reply unless you are 100% sure about what you say (ok ok, 97% is fine too [:P]).


So this is my question: I found a local guy who sells this lens and I took a few shots with it - all handheld with my 50D.


Below are 100% crops from the center of the frame. I only shoot RAW. AF was set on Servo. Frame rate was set to continuous high (read: 6.3 fps) if that matters.


Are those considered sharp or not?





1. 1/800, f5.6, ISO400, EC: 0, standard pic style in DPP (sharpen: 3, all the rest: 0)


http://lh5.ggpht.com/_3nu5cxOgw5k/Sx..._2976_crop.JPG





2. 1/6400, f6.3, ISO1600, EC: 1 1/3, standard pic style in DPP (sharpen: 3, all the rest: 0)


[yeah I should have used ISO 400 or even 100, but I simply forgot]


http://lh3.ggpht.com/_3nu5cxOgw5k/Sx..._3004_crop.JPG

Remember:


1. I've never shot with such a long lens (well only once but inside the shop so it doesn't count)


2. All shot handheld


3. It's hard to measure but I don't think I have steady hands (but maybe I'm wrong, I really don't know...)

I think they're sharp, look at the edges and the feathers details on the 1st pegion,I can't see much of feather details on the 2nd image but I can see the individual thread of the cable.


If you have another chance testing this lens, I'd suggest you try to shoot it wide open @ ISO 400 or below, @ at least 1/1000 sec in good light.


Good luck[:)]

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen

I think they're sharp, look at the edges and the feathers details on the 1st pegion
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That's what I thought too.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen

I can't see much
of feather details on the 2nd image

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Again the same as what I thought (and it wasn't that far away from me)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen

but I can see the individual thread
of the cable.

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Good point, I didn't think of that.


Since I've never shot with such a long lens, I wanted to get really high shutter speeds so I raised ISO without thinking twice even though there was a very good light - it was 8:00AM.


The guy who sells the lens seem like a very nice person and he lives 5 mins. by car from my house so I might get another chance to test it.

Now you don't have to drool over my 600mm.[:)]


John.

I still do Fast Glass.


I didn't say I bought the lens, just checked it out. At the current price he is asking - I won't buy it, too high for me. If he agrees to go lower on the price then I'll consider buying it.

Nate: usually, how close you are to the birds?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Oren

Nate: usually, how close you are to the birds?
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Nate,I'm your big fan of your bird pictures too, and I am also interesting in this question! would you share some more tips that you think we can get better bird picture when you answer this question?


BTW, can you explain a little bit more about your comments of this lens, why you think this lens is sharp based on these two pictures, I mean will this lens take sharp pictures like your bird pictures if handle it properly? thanks!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JJphoto

, I mean will this lens take sharp pictures like your bird pictures if handle it properly? thanks!
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I believe some of his shots were with this lens (check out the earlier posts in the nature photography thread) and they look pretty dang sharp check here





excuse me for answering for you nate ;) (and correct me if I'm wrong haha)





~Jordan

You are not wrong. Nate recently got his 500mm. Before that, 99% if not all of his pictures were taken with his 400mm f/5.6.


Anyhow, after giving it more thought, I think I won't have much time to use this lens (I barely have time to shoot at all). So I decided not to buy it.


Thanks Nate for the help. And thanks to all the other repliers as well [:)]


I'm still curious Nate as to how far away or close you are when you shoot most of your bird pictures.


Thanks again!