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
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
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...)
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
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[:)]
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen
I think they're sharp, look at the edges and the feathers details on the 1st pegion
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
That's what I thought too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen
I can't see much
of feather details on the 2nd image
Again the same as what I thought (and it wasn't that far away from me)
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sinh Nhut Nguyen
but I can see the individual thread
of the cable.
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.
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Now you don't have to drool over my 600mm.[:)]
John.
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
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.
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Nate: usually, how close you are to the birds?
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oren
Nate: usually, how close you are to the birds?
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
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!
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Quote:
Originally Posted by JJphoto
, I mean will this lens take sharp pictures like your bird pictures if handle it properly? thanks!
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
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
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
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!
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Jordan: I guess I didn't express clearly in my poor English. when I say "the lens" I mean the lens Oren was considering to buy, because Oren's two test shots don't seem very sharp to me, and I know nate's very nice bird pictures were mostly shot with his 400mm/5.6 before he got his 500mm/4.0, I enjoyed all his post, that's why I said I'm his big fan.
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
oh ok I, don't think it was you're english (which is very good), but more me assuming I read things that I didn't haha
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Well I agree with part of what you said JJphoto and that's why I want to hear what Nate has to say about it. In the meanwhile what I can say to you is: don't forget that Nate's pictures are not 100% crops of course + he is much more experienced with this lens and birds photography than me + I *believe* that most of his pictures are ISO 400 or below as he suggested and not 800 or 1600 as the 100% crops above + his hands are probably more steady than mine as well [:P]
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oren
Well I agree with part of what you said JJphoto and that's why I want to hear what Nate has to say about it. In the meanwhile what I can say to you is: don't forget that Nate's pictures are not 100% crops of course + he is much more experienced with this lens and birds photography than me + I *believe* that most of his pictures are ISO 400 or below as he suggested and not 800 or 1600 as the 100% crops above + his hands are probably more steady than mine as well [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]
<div style="clear: both;"]</div>
way to sell yourself short oren [:P]
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
Quote:
Originally Posted by twistedphrame
way to sell yourself short oren [img]/emoticons/emotion-4.gif[/img]
I agree with that and thank you guys for the explanation.
Re: Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L - are these sharp?
For a 100% crop, the first picture is definitely sharp, at least some objects are. The roof edge/gutter, whatever that is, is very detailed. The contrast sucks in both, which will make things look less sharp, and the second picture is so backlit that there's not enough light to really give you much to judge.
I think pictures of things in direct sunlight (plenty of contrast, and higher shutter speed) would provide a better example.
