Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Thread: Advice for 100-400

  1. #1

    Advice for 100-400



    Hello to all, and Happy new Year !


    For a 5D mk II and a 50D, i'd like to buy a zoom for outside sport (greyhound races), landscape, air meetings, and think of the 100-400 ... (don't want a prime, too expensive and not general purpose enough)


    Some say that the 70-200 2.8 is best but it's a bit short for me.


    But I have read "horrors"[:S] about 100-400 sharpness (so,so) and that fact that one must be a lucky guy to have a good copy (I want to buy it new)


    What is your advice ?

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    St. Louis, Missouri
    Posts
    105

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    I've been very happy with my copy of the 100-400mm (that I bought in February, 2007). It's been around the world with me, dropped (hard enough to crack the casing of the 30D to which it was attached, yet survived unscathed) and I love the range. I've never had any major issue with sharpness, even using extenders that do degrade it somewhat.


    I guess I have a good copy. I wouldn't give it up for anything.

  3. #3

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    Thanks musickna,


    A friend of mine told me that sharpness is great on ... a good copy.


    That lead me to that problem : are good copy so rare for this lens or is it for older production numbers ? (knowing that, for this price, getting a bad copy is really a problem)

  4. #4
    Junior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    6

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    Nothing to worry about. The 100-400 is quick to frame and focus on the fly. 70-200 will not get you there. Here is a 40D crop.


    [img]/cfs-file.ashx/__key/CommunityServer.Components.UserFiles/00.00.00.24.82/IMG_5F00_6998.jpg[/img]



  5. #5
    Senior Member Bill W's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Haverhill, MA
    Posts
    662

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    Tabazan...thanks for the well wish and HNY to you also.


    I purchased mine new a couple of years ago and I'm pretty happy w/it....I think you'll find the older (5 yrs ?) versions were the ones that had issues.


    It's on my 40D 80% of the time for auto racing, landscapes to wildlife w/my focus on birding. If the photo is soft, it's usually my fault and not the lens'. There is a learning curve for using this lens....at least for me there was, I mean, there is.


    The only negative point I can blame on the lens is bokeh....unless I'm completely missing something w/this lens, the lens' bokeh isn't very good.


    Some examples....




















    I would recommend this lens to fulfill your needs.


    Regards


    Bill









  6. #6
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Posts
    325

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    I've rented the 100-400 and was satisfied with its sharpness. I used 400mm 95% of the time and found that f/5.6 was too slow. for me at least I would havepreferreda prime but there is a huge hole in canon's lineup in the $2400 range.

  7. #7
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Melbourne, FL
    Posts
    1,246

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    I love my 100-400. It is very sharp. Not as sharp as a prime but for the versatility it offers it is hard to complain. I have a friend, who is a pro, who uses this lens for portraits.


    I read in a thread a day or so ago by Daniel Browning that 100-400 produced after 2003 do not experience the soft center that models before then experienced.

  8. #8
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Vancouver, Washington, USA
    Posts
    1,956

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    Quote Originally Posted by Tabazan


    But I have read "horrors"[img]/emoticons/emotion-7.gif[/img] about 100-400 sharpness (so,so) and that fact that one must be a lucky guy to have a good copy (I want to buy it new)


    I don't think that's true. There may have been more bad copies five years ago, but recently most people (including me) got really sharp ones.

  9. #9

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    No issues with my 100-400 L.


    Bought it about a year and 1/2 ago.





    Heres one taken with the 5DMKII .... About 120 yards away ...






  10. #10

    Re: Advice for 100-400



    Well, thanks to all,


    Seeing all these pics, seems that this lens is very good after all.



Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •