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

[Oren]

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)








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]

[Oren]

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...)

[Sinh Nhut Nguyen]

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[]

[Oren]

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.

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)

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.

[Fast Glass]

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


John.

[Oren]

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.