Looks like I am going to be getting the 100-400L II a lot sooner than I expected.

My wonderful mother received a rather large retirement check yesterday and asked me if I wanted anything special for my birthday/Christmas (they are four days apart) and I told her I was planning on getting the lens. I was expecting to get scoffed at, but she said she would give me the money because she knows nothing about cameras and wants to make sure I get the right thing.

Hopefully I won't have to wait too long for one of these guys, I imagine they're selling like hotcakes. They're supposed to start shipping on the 1st of December, right? Atleast I think that's what I read.

Merry Christmas!! That is great and very generous. But, now the question is, what are you going to get her? :-)

Btw, I've seen late December for ship dates. And that could slide. The 400DO II was listed as Nov, and I haven't heard of it shipping yet.

Great question. But I think she is considering this payback for a couple things. Growing up, my parents divorced and my father left, and we weren't financially stable with just my mother's income, at one point living in a homeless shelter for 14 months. My little brother and I didn't even have a Christmas for about 4 years. Also, a few years back, a pipe broke in our basement while I was in Afghanistan, and I sent her a $5k check to replace damaged items and repair damages.

All that said and done though, I am going to print up a few pictures for her on canvas so she can put them in the living room, she has a few favorites of mine that she has hinted towards, and I am going to get those done for her. I'd like to get a few good pictures of my brother and I together for her since we haven't done that since we were in middle school.

She's more appreciative of the little things more than anything you could put a monetary value on. She'd be more happy if I showed up and shoveled her stairs and walkway after a snowstorm than if I went and bought her anything.


As for those ship dates, so long as it is here when everything starts turning green, I will be happy. Are you going to get the 400DO or are you still torn, Brant?

Glad to hear everyone is doing better. She also sounds like she is the type of person that may get more out of giving you this lens than anything else.

Great to hear.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DavidWare

Are you going to get the 400DO or are you still torn, Brant?

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Still torn. I am currently evaluating the Sigma 150-600S.

Specifically regarding the 400 DO II, I would need to put in some effort to come up with the ~$7k at this point, if possible. But, before even considering that, I would like to see a few reviews at a minimum. All we have on the 400 DO II are MTF charts, which are impressive. But I would like to see Bryan's charts with the 1.4x TC and 2x TC and his thoughts on bokeh. But, I am certainly intrigued by the 400 DO II.

BTW, I am excited to hear what you think of the 100-400 II. The 100-400 I is a great lens and I expect the "II" to be better in all the critical ways: 4 Stop IS, better sharpness (especially into the corners), faster AF, complete weather sealing, etc.

This is going to be my first white lens so I am pretty excited. The only other L I have currently is the 24-105. I am sure I will have nothing but good things to say about it since my only other experience in that range came from a 55-250mm mounted on a T3i haha.

I will be preordering the lens from Adorama later today, pretty excited. I noticed B&H has December 12th listed as a ship date. I hope this is true and that Adorama has the same, if not a close ship date to that.

This is my first time preordering something other than tickets or a videogame, and in my experience with that, they won't let you preorder unless they have an adequate supply. Does anyone know if this is the case here? I am going to jump out on a limb and guess that since I still have the option to preorder, then they still have enough to ship out on whatever date they end up going with.

Sorry David, but I seem to remember that with the 5DmkII, people were waiting months to get their preordered cameras. But it depends on the item... I pre-ordered the 7D2 really late, and I got it the day it came out, so there *is* still hope.

I hope I get lucky like you did with the 7D2.

Officially preordered.
http://i.minus.com/isNyJdRvrL544.png

Also, I saw that B&H is starting shipping on the 12th, hopefully Adorama follows suit.

I swapped e-mails with Jacob Waldner @ Adorama last night....not tipping their hand on shipping dates yet. Would only give me a "sometime this month" answer. Hoping for sooner than later, too.

That is rather frustrating, I wonder why they havent come out with a date yet.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DavidWare

That is rather frustrating, I wonder why they havent come out with a date yet.

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Authorized dealers probably have to accept a lot of terms & conditions from vendors to be an authorized dealer. One of those terms is probably "don't announce ship dates until first customer shipment", and possibly "we'll tell you when to ship, and you can't announce ship dates until we tell you it's OK to ship".

I would guess that an "I don't know" response is easier to deal with than the customer backlash for setting false expectations. Imagine the B&H customer service center on the 13th, and 14th, if they do not start shipping product on the 12th.

That makes sense. Got an email today saying it was backordered, booooooooooo.

Oh Adorama, what a tease you are. Sent me an email saying my order was on the way, and I go and check and it's just all the little addons they bundled with it and not the lens itself.

Did you order those extras separately, or were they one of those Adorama bundles where you get the lens + UV + cleaning solution? Because, if it was one of their bundles, and they've shipped you all the extras it makes it more complicated to cancel if you find the lens elsewhere, while waiting for them to restock.

Once it ships, keep an eye out at smaller stores. Often companies will send *some* stock to each store, even if it's just one or two copies, with the majority of the stock going to the major retailers... When everyone else goes to the major retailers, just to see that they're sold out, you can sneak into a small shop and walk out with a shiny new lens.

Crutchfield shows it in stock. They are smaller for camera compared to B&H and others. Pictures are out of date, but description and pricing match. I believe they just added it to the site today. My understanding is they are authorized dealer. I have used them for years for electronics.

http://www.crutchfield.com/p_280E1H4...SM.html?tp=279

It was one of their bundles, yes. And I am okay with waiting because I like the way Adorama does business. They have never done me wrong before.

Looks like Adorama has started shipments! Hopefully yours is on its way to you, David.:D

I got all the goodies from the bundle, but no lens yet, and all the money for it is still in my account. I haven't received any emails saying it's off backorder yet either.

Well, Adorama took my money, but no confirmation email just yet. I feel like a little kid at Christmas right now.

My lens will be here in the morning, I am so excited.

Yay! Glad to hear the wait wasn't too long.

I've been able to review a few RAW files from the 100-400L IS II. It has impressed me so far. I think you'll find it to be an incredibly sharp lens at 400mm.

I cannot wait to hear some of your opinions... but my real target is 100-400 old version! :D

That's good to hear, Sean. Looks like the big brown truck is busy today, usually they're in my neighborhood around 1030 or so, nothing yet. I keep peeking out my window every time I hear a truck or a door close, its driving me nuts haha.

Jamus, I was focused on the old 100-400 for a long time, but ultimately decided I was going to go for the 70-200 2.8 IS II with TCs, but then this lens was announced so I figured I would go with that, and save a little bit by not having to buy the TCs

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DavidWare

That's good to hear, Sean. Looks like the big brown truck is busy today, usually they're in my neighborhood around 1030 or so, nothing yet. I keep peeking out my window every time I hear a truck or a door close, its driving me nuts haha.

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I've done that before. ;-)

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DavidWare

Jamus, I was focused on the old 100-400 for a long time, but ultimately decided I was going to go for the 70-200 2.8 IS II with TCs, but then this lens was announced so I figured I would go with that, and save a little bit by not having to buy the TCs

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Okay, but there is a bit of $$$ (€€€ actually) involved in 70-200 2.8 IS II with TCs instead of a good used 100-400 L I ! :D

At last, Big Brown has arrived, pictures will be up shortly, although I don't believe I will be getting any first impressions just yet because it is pretty wet and gloomy out right now. I might take a quick walk to the woods though and see if I can find anything worth shooting.

Congrats David. Looking forward to your impressions and images.

Looks like 100-400 II IQ results are up....

vs 400 f/2.8 @ 5.6

560 f/8 vs Tamron 150-600 @ 600 f/8

200 f/5.6 vs 70-200 II @ 200 f/5.6


Impressive...only real comment is it has some vignetting going on. But otherwise very impressive.

The Tamron is crap at 600mm, but compare the two at 400mm.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=3&APIComp=0

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

The Tamron is crap at 600mm, but compare the two at 400mm.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=3&APIComp=0

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C'mon now Rick.

A guy named Imagemaster who frequents other forums seems to get quite good results from the Tamron at 600mm. It isn't a Canon supertele, but it doesn't cost over $10,000 either. It offers a level of quality at a cost point.

I don't want to go on a cost crusade or anything here, but $1,000 for average Joe photographer is near the upper cost limit for a lens. At its $1,069 price the Tamron offers people who previously couldn't afford the entry cost for wild life shots. In the hands of someone as skilled as Imagemaster the lens can deliver really good shots at 600mm.

The Canon 100-400 II appears to be a great lens. And at its asking price it should be. It should take the Tamron behind the wood shed.

Dave

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

The Tamron is crap at 600mm, but compare the two at 400mm.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=3&APIComp=0

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AF acquisition and accuracy is also something to consider between the two lenses. The Tamron produces good image quality at 400mm, but if it can't lock on to a target in time, then the EF 100-400mm L IS II may prove worthy of its price premium over the budget-friendly Tamron.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dave Throgmartin

C'mon now Rick.

A guy named Imagemaster who frequents other forums seems to get quite good results from the Tamron at 600mm. It isn't a Canon supertele, but it doesn't cost over $10,000 either. It offers a level of quality at a cost point.

I don't want to go on a cost crusade or anything here, but $1,000 for average Joe photographer is near the upper cost limit for a lens. At its $1,069 price the Tamron offers people who previously couldn't afford the entry cost for wild life shots. In the hands of someone as skilled as Imagemaster the lens can deliver really good shots at 600mm.

The Canon 100-400 II appears to be a great lens. And at its asking price it should be. It should take the Tamron behind the wood shed.

Dave

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What I was referring to is that at 400mm the Tamron looks very good.

Not so much at 600mm. Corners appear very soft. http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...mp=5&APIComp=2

The crap thought came in when you look at 400mm vs 600mm on the Tamron. To much fall off.

No doubt it is a fair valued lens and can take great pictures with the right skill level at 600mm. At 400mm it looks like it will have very decent IQ.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

AF acquisition and accuracy is also something to consider between the two lenses. The Tamron produces good image quality at 400mm, but if it can't lock on to a target in time, then the EF 100-400mm L IS II may prove worthy of its price premium over the budget-friendly Tamron.

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This is true. AF will rule supreme over IQ in many cases.

Looking at the charts I have decided the 100-400mm is not a lens I will want to own, at least yet anyway. I am selling my 300mm f/2.8L and will need something in that range.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

Looking at the charts I have decided the 100-400mm is not a lens I will want to own, at least yet anyway. I am selling my 300mm f/2.8L and will need something in that range.

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What kind of capabilities/features were you looking for in the replacement lens?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sean Setters

What kind of capabilities/features were you looking for in the replacement lens?

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Small, compact and the highest IQ.

Really the 100-400mm fits that bill.
But knowing myself I will end up with just two I am choosing from.
The 300mm f/2.8L II or the 400mm DO II.
It will probably end up being the 300mm.

I debated for to long between the 600mm and 500mm II, I just couldn't make the decision.

I finally made the decision and today I am waiting on the big brown truck to arrive. I went with the 500mm II because of the size and weight.
That said the 400mm DO may be to close to the 500mm for it to be a contender.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by HDNitehawk

Small, compact and the highest IQ.

Really the 100-400mm fits that bill.
But knowing myself I will end up with just two I am choosing from.
The 300mm f/2.8L II or the 400mm DO II.
It will probably end up being the 300mm.

I debated for to long between the 600mm and 500mm II, I just couldn't make the decision.

I finally made the decision and today I am waiting on the big brown truck to arrive. I went with the 500mm II because of the size and weight.
That said the 400mm DO may be to close to the 500mm for it to be a contender.

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I was hoping someone would get the 400 DO so I could see if it is a worthwhile lens or not. And I was kind of hoping it would be you because you are very thurough and particular in you assessments.

Go ahead... give it a try so I can live vicariously; and even better, find a problem so I can keep my wallet intact.[emoji2] [emoji2] [emoji12]