Canon EF 400 DO f4 IS iI Field Review

[Grant Atkinson]

Recently completed a 'real-world' review of the lightweight Canon EF 400 DO f4 IS ii which I bought for our own use as wildlife photographers (my wife and I). I know that a couple of forum members on here really enjoy the new 400 DO like Jack Douglas and Alan.
We have been using the 400 DO IS ii for almost two years now and we spend a lot of days in the field, so have given our lens a good workout and we are confident that we understand its capabilities quite well.
If it might be something of interest here is the link:
https://www.grantatkinson.com/blog/canon-ef-400-f4-do-is-ii-usm-field-review
I am on trip right now so any responses to questions might be a little delayed from my side, as i typically have limited free time and limited internet access whilst shooting.
Cheers
Grant

 

[tron]

Nice review Grant. I do have the 400 DO II and I enjoy using it handheld either with 7D2 or with 5DsR. Also, I have used the 7D2, 400 DO II and 1.4XIII with very good results but I found out that some times I had to take a few shots to find the best. The handholding capabilities are superb (even walking with it a couple of hours) compared to my 500mm 4 IS II since it is not only lighter but shorter and this helps a lot. It also fits nicely (with camera and even a 1.4XIII attached) to a reasonably sized bag.

 

[Maximilian]

Thanks, Grant, for sharing your experience with this lens.

Seems like if I'll ever get one of the big whites, this will be very high on my wish list

 

[AlanF]

Grant, I always enjoy your reviews - to the point, no wasted words and all based on real experience. Your findings on the 5D and 7D series with the 400 DO II, 100-400 II and 300/2.8 II match entirely my own. The 400 DO II is simply my go to lens, double-holstered from both shoulders for hiking. Even Ari Hazeghi agrees the 5DIV with the bare lens has very fast AF - I was able to capture puffins in flight rocketing across the frame.

 

[Click]

Hi Grant,

Excellent review.

Cheers

 

[BeenThere]

Nice review! I agree with your comments abut the 400 DO II lens. I use mine almost exclusively handheld for BIF shots with overall good results. I previously relied on the old 400 f/5.6 lens which was no slouch, but easily bested by the 400 DO for sharpness and AF performance.

 

[drjlo]

Those 400 + 1.4 tc shots look very nice and useable

 

[Grant Atkinson]

Nice review Grant. I do have the 400 DO II and I enjoy using it handheld either with 7D2 or with 5DsR. Also, I have used the 7D2, 400 DO II and 1.4XIII with very good results but I found out that some times I had to take a few shots to find the best. The handholding capabilities are superb (even walking with it a couple of hours) compared to my 500mm 4 IS II since it is not only lighter but shorter and this helps a lot. It also fits nicely (with camera and even a 1.4XIII attached) to a reasonably sized bag.

Those are my findings almost exactly as I also have an EF 500L f4 IS ii which is our other main telephoto lens, and your way of describing the need to take a few to find the best when using the 1.4x extender is a good way of describing the performance, with extender..

 

[Talys]

Thank you for sharing your experience with the lens! Very beautiful photographs, as well.

 

[Grant Atkinson]

Grant, I always enjoy your reviews - to the point, no wasted words and all based on real experience. Your findings on the 5D and 7D series with the 400 DO II, 100-400 II and 300/2.8 II match entirely my own. The 400 DO II is simply my go to lens, double-holstered from both shoulders for hiking. Even Ari Hazeghi agrees the 5DIV with the bare lens has very fast AF - I was able to capture puffins in flight rocketing across the frame.

Thanks Alan, it is a fantastic lens for birds in flight, provided that one can get close enough!

 

[Grant Atkinson]

Thanks for the comments and feedback, Talys, Click, drjlo and BeenThere, also Maximilian. Seems that the new 400 DO f4 IS ii is enjoying a better reputation online than its predecessors, and its well deserved. We are hoping that Canon keep producing more fixed telephoto DO lenses as the more compact form and lighter weight are very important for my wife and I who travel a lot by air