Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

[fotoray]

After the busy holidays I finally got time to shoot with my new 100-400 II. Went to nearby LA Zoo with my 7D + 100-400 II attached to my monopod. This is the biggest and heaviest combo I've ever used and I found I needed to work more slowly than usual.

My initial results were encouraging. My lack of photography technique with the new lens was the biggest shortcoming, certainly not the new 100-400 II lens. My impression is that it is the sharpest lens I now have, which is encouraging given the cost.

I've attached two shots taken at the LA Zoo, one of a Sumatran tiger and the other of a Western Lowland Gorilla.

Details for tiger (uncropped) -> 400mm (equivalent 640mm w/7D crop) at f/8, 1/80 sec, at ISO 800

Details for Gorilla (cropped) -> 400mm (equivalent 640mm w/7D crop) at f/8, 1/640 sec, at ISO 800

I chose ISO 800 with f/8 aperture for both shots to reduce the shutter speeds to hand-holdable levels, believing I'd get sharper pictures using such a big/heavy lens (for me) for the first time.

Overall I was satisfied enough to share with this audience. Your comments are welcome.

 

[canon1dxman]

Just come back from 2 weeks in The Kruger (and private reserves nearby) 7D/II plus 100-400/II, impressive. 2000 plus shots in the bag. I used the Mark 1 version from 2005 until 2012. This is a step up, no doubt. Works well with the 1.4X/III too.

I had intended to take a 500/4 but the weight and size wouldn't work with the small aircraft so I stuck to this. No complaints.

https://flic.kr/p/qE1wYt https://www.flickr.com/people/90892306@N05/
https://flic.kr/p/qpuuifhttps://www.flickr.com/people/90892306@N05/
https://flic.kr/p/qDM5vqhttps://www.flickr.com/people/90892306@N05/
https://flic.kr/p/pHfXjxhttps://www.flickr.com/people/90892306@N05/
https://flic.kr/p/qDLRSuhttps://www.flickr.com/people/90892306@N05/

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

Took my first shots with my review copy today and I have to say I am very impressed. Even with an extender (I have to use the Kenko instead of my Canon extender on the 6D) the sharpness wide open is very good. This is 560mm f/8. I have a feeling I may be considering consolidating my 70-300L and Tamron 150-600 into this lens...

 

[candc]

A lady had one of these down below a dam where there were a few of us taking eagle photos. with the extender you only have the center point using the 7dii. She thought something was wrong with it but i explained that only the center point works with an f/8 lens. With the tamron you have more usable AF points. That is something to consider.

 

[AlanF]

A lady had one of these down below a dam where there were a few of us taking eagle photos. with the extender you only have the center point using the 7dii. She thought something was wrong with it but i explained that only the center point works with an f/8 lens. With the tamron you have more usable AF points. That is something to consider.

I have spent a lot of time comparing the 100-400 II with and without the 1.4xTC on the 5DIII and 7DII. For my gear, the 5D + 1.4 xTC + 100-400 @ 400mm is hardly distinguishable from the bare 100-400 on the 7DII in terms of resolution and noise. Further, adding the TC to the 100-400 on the 7DII is a waste of time as the degradation of image and increase in noise nullifies any increase in resolution. For my bird photography, the 7DII plus 100-400 is far better than the Tamron 150-600 at f/6.3 600mm on the 5D and slightly better than the Tamron at f/8. I didn't like the Tamron at 600mm on the 7DII or 70D.

So, I recommend using the 100-400mm II at 400mm on the 7DII or 400 or 560 on the 5DIII.

Unfortunately, I have lost my 7DII and 100-400 - my wife has appropriated them. We now both take bird photos. She uses the 7DII while I have to lug around the 5DIII + 300 mm f/2.8 II + 2xTC. Frankly, t don't get much extra for the additional weight and cost.

 

[candyman]

..........Unfortunately, I have lost my 7DII and 100-400 - my wife has appropriated them. We now both take bird photos. She uses the 7DII while I have to lug around the 5DIII + 300 mm f/2.8 II + 2xTC. Frankly, t don't get much extra for the additional weight and cost.

But that's nice to share this wonderful passion together.....no?

 

[AlanF]

..........Unfortunately, I have lost my 7DII and 100-400 - my wife has appropriated them. We now both take bird photos. She uses the 7DII while I have to lug around the 5DIII + 300 mm f/2.8 II + 2xTC. Frankly, t don't get much extra for the additional weight and cost.

But that's nice to share this wonderful passion together.....no?

Absolutely yes. I think she needs a 400mm DO II for her next birthday.

 

[candyman]

..........Unfortunately, I have lost my 7DII and 100-400 - my wife has appropriated them. We now both take bird photos. She uses the 7DII while I have to lug around the 5DIII + 300 mm f/2.8 II + 2xTC. Frankly, t don't get much extra for the additional weight and cost.

But that's nice to share this wonderful passion together.....no?

Absolutely yes. I think she needs a 400mm DO II for her next birthday.

I see...
http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=24590.msg483345#msg483345

;D ;D ;D

 

[miah]

Further, adding the TC to the 100-400 on the 7DII is a waste of time as the degradation of image and increase in noise nullifies any increase in resolution.

Thanks for your analysis, AlanF. Question: I find the 7D2 + 400 f/5.6 prime + 1.4x TC III to yield quite acceptable image quality. Have you experimented with this combo? I ask because I'm considering the 100-400 II and may trade my 400 prime as part of the deal. I could use my 5D3 + 100-400 + 1.4x, as you do, but would hate to lose the use of my 7D2 (higher FPS, better AF, etc.) when employing the TC. I'm shooting wildlife, including birds.

 

[mycanonphotos]

Up close and personal via my flicker account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonwittenphotography/

 

[AlanF]

Further, adding the TC to the 100-400 on the 7DII is a waste of time as the degradation of image and increase in noise nullifies any increase in resolution.

Thanks for your analysis, AlanF. Question: I find the 7D2 + 400 f/5.6 prime + 1.4x TC III to yield quite acceptable image quality. Have you experimented with this combo? I ask because I'm considering the 100-400 II and may trade my 400 prime as part of the deal. I could use my 5D3 + 100-400 + 1.4x, as you do, but would hate to lose the use of my 7D2 (higher FPS, better AF, etc.) when employing the TC. I'm shooting wildlife, including birds.

Sorry, I missed your post. I recant somewhat. The 7DII + 100-400mm II + 1.4x TC III does work very well, and I have posted some birds in flight etc in another Topic. Even the 7DII + 100-400mm II + 2x TC III works very well in liveview, and every increase of 1.4x in TC does give increased resolution. However, for much of the time, I prefer to use the bare lens for the extra stop of light and the wider field of view etc.

 

[Hjalmarg1]

..........Unfortunately, I have lost my 7DII and 100-400 - my wife has appropriated them. We now both take bird photos. She uses the 7DII while I have to lug around the 5DIII + 300 mm f/2.8 II + 2xTC. Frankly, t don't get much extra for the additional weight and cost.

But that's nice to share this wonderful passion together.....no?

Absolutely yes. I think she needs a 400mm DO II for her next birthday.

Good that you both share the same passion. Enjoy

 

[AlanF]

Best apertures
Should we use f/5.6 or stop down on the 5DIII and 7D2 (or other FF and crops) at 400mm? Canon MTF charts have f/8 slightly sharper and contrastier but they don't help as they are theoretical and don't allow for diffraction effects. Photozone has tested only the 5DIII and f/5.6 is best. ePhotozine in contrast has f/8 much better on the 5DIII, with no data on the 7DII. Bryan, in his excellent review in TDP has done careful image comparisons on both FF and crop and finds nothing to choose between f/5.6 and f/8 apart from f/8 being better for vignetting. However, it's difficult to find small differences from his images, so I have a done a whole series for my own lens on iso12233 charts at further distances.

For my copy of the lens, on both the 7DII and 5DIII, the 100-400mm II at 400mm produces its sharpest and cleanest images at f/5.6. The 7DII + 100-400 II is virtually indistinguishable image-wise from the 5DIII + 100-400mm II + 1.4xTC III, albeit a little noisier.

 

[YuengLinger]

Further, adding the TC to the 100-400 on the 7DII is a waste of time as the degradation of image and increase in noise nullifies any increase in resolution.

Thanks for your analysis, AlanF. Question: I find the 7D2 + 400 f/5.6 prime + 1.4x TC III to yield quite acceptable image quality. Have you experimented with this combo? I ask because I'm considering the 100-400 II and may trade my 400 prime as part of the deal. I could use my 5D3 + 100-400 + 1.4x, as you do, but would hate to lose the use of my 7D2 (higher FPS, better AF, etc.) when employing the TC. I'm shooting wildlife, including birds.

Sorry, I missed your post. I recant somewhat. The 7DII + 100-400mm II + 1.4x TC III does work very well, and I have posted some birds in flight etc in another Topic. Even the 7DII + 100-400mm II + 2x TC III works very well in liveview, and every increase of 1.4x in TC does give increased resolution. However, for much of the time, I prefer to use the bare lens for the extra stop of light and the wider field of view etc.

Hi, AlanF, I'd be interested to know what changed your opinion about the 7DII + 1.4x, as you were pretty disappointed with it at first.

Thanks.

 

[AlanF]

I wasn't disappointed with it at first, it was just that the extra 1.4x on crop gives a fov equivalent to 900mm on FF, which is not the easiest to use hand held and you lose a stop of light as well as focal points other than the centre. You don't see the gain in resolution unless your subject has the fine detail that is just beyond the resolution of the bare lens. The 1.4xTC III is beautifully matched to the 100-400mm II, and any loss in IQ is more than compensated for by the gain in length. What hammered it home was that the 2xTC III gave great results, using liveview to focus.

But, in good light and where you can home in more easily, the 1.4xTC III does give excellent results. So, if I am in a hide or the likes and a bird is far off, or a raptor is hovering in the sky, I would put on a TC. But, otherwise for walking around, 1 think 400mm is optimal on the crop.

I don't like using tripods. I find that the 300mm/2.8 II + 2xTC III rather too long for the 7DII and prefer to use the 600 mm combo on the 5DIII for hand held work.

 

[mycanonphotos]

W the 5D3

 

[TWI by Dustin Abbott]

That is a great looking series! Nice job, mycanonphotos!

 

[Click]

W the 5D3

Great pictures. Well done Jason.

 

[mycanonphotos]

That is a great looking series! Nice job, mycanonphotos!

Thanks Dustin!, Enjoy your reviews...

 

[SPL]

Anyone have any idea when the 100-400 II will be in stock again at B&H or Adorama?