600mm f/4l IS for $5k - good price?

[FunPhotons]

Oh man, you guys aren't helping my bank account.

Seriously???? Aggggggggg, indecision ....

Ok, I'll help. No, don't buy it. Don't buy something you weren't in the market for just because it's a good deal. Good deals come and go all the time. $5k is a lot of money to me, I wouldn't spend it on something I don't really want. Recognize that you're asking for advise on a forum full of people that are obsessed with gear, and weigh accordingly.

As far as buying and reselling, make sure your friend is OK with that. I'd assume she's giving you the family friend discount, it'd be rude to turn around and sell it for cash.

Thanks, I appreciate that. Still don't know what to do.

 

[Click]

The Choice Is Yours

 

[rporterfield]

One piece of advice I have always heard was, if you have to ask, then you probably shouldn't do it.

That aside, you need to ask yourself two questions:
1. Is it a lens you want?
2. If yes to 1, can you comfortably afford it now at the asking price.

If the answer to either question is no, then pass on it. Otherwise, if the answer to both is yes, then go for it. It is a great lens at a great price.

 

[FunPhotons]

OK thanks guys.

I decided to get it, I can afford it, I would like it, and it seems like too good an opportunity to pass up.

I decided to view it basically as a rental or try before you buy. I'll use it to decide how much I like wildlife photography, if I do then I got a great lens for a great price. If not then I can always sell it.

 

[Loswr]

Yeah I have a tripod and monopod that can handle it (Gitzo + RRS).

By way of potentially spending more of your money, you may have a ballhead that can support the weight (my RRS BH-55 would do fine) but you don't want to use a ballhead with a long supertele. If you don't have one, you'll want to get yourself a gimbal head - a Wimberley II or RRS PG-02. The problem with a ballhead is that the weight is balanced above the pivot point, meaning a high potential for the lens to flop over, minimally slamming the lens into a tripod leg, possibly pulling the whole rig to the ground. With a gimbal, the weight is balanced below the pivot point (in effect) which means if you let the lens go, it just stays put.

There are side mount gimbals, that use your existing ballhead dropped 90° into the notch, the Wimberley Sidekick is the best known example. A robust ballhead can handle a supertele like that, but with the 600 I, I'd recommend going with a regular gimbal head, not a sidekick-type.

Oh, and if you don't have one you may want to consider a leveling base for your tripod. No need with a ballhead, but makes life easier when using a gimbal.

 

[FunPhotons]

Yeah I have a tripod and monopod that can handle it (Gitzo + RRS).

By way of potentially spending more of your money, you may have a ballhead that can support the weight (my RRS BH-55 would do fine) but you don't want to use a ballhead with a long supertele. If you don't have one, you'll want to get yourself a gimbal head - a Wimberley II or RRS PG-02. The problem with a ballhead is that the weight is balanced above the pivot point, meaning a high potential for the lens to flop over, minimally slamming the lens into a tripod leg, possibly pulling the whole rig to the ground. With a gimbal, the weight is balanced below the pivot point (in effect) which means if you let the lens go, it just stays put.

Thanks, good points. Yes I have the RRS BH-55 too, also their big monopod head.

I'm familiar with the issues you mention because another hobby of mine is astronomy (now there's an expensive hobby!) I have a small 'hiking' portable Cass with the following mount

https://www.astronomics.com/astro-tech-voyager-altazimuth-mount_p15058.aspx

It's got a different sized dovetail but maybe there's an adaptor out there. It's a great mount.

Or maybe I'll just buy the Wimberly or more likely the RRS.

Or maybe just the monopod, I'm used to hauling telescopes around so I'm kind of laughing at a 11 pound lens. No idea, we'll see.

Oh, and if you don't have one you may want to consider a leveling base for your tripod. No need with a ballhead, but makes life easier when using a gimbal.

Excellent tip

 

[Loswr]

One more item to consider might be a replacement lens foot. You could attach a lens plate to the Canon foot, but I prefer the integrated replacement foot.

 

[East Wind Photography]

I know you mentioned this in some other forums but which one do you recommend? I'm considering replacing the one on my 600 F4L IS but wondering what I would actually get for my $$$.

One more item to consider might be a replacement lens foot. You could attach a lens plate to the Canon foot, but I prefer the integrated replacement foot.

 

[Loswr]

I know you mentioned this in some other forums but which one do you recommend? I'm considering replacing the one on my 600 F4L IS but wondering what I would actually get for my $$$.

What you get is a lower profile than the Canon foot with a lens plate attached, for not too much more $$ than the lens plate.

For the 600 II, I went with the RRS foot for these reasons. The balance issues don't appear to apply to the 600 I, so I'd think either the RRS or the Kirk foot would be good. I'd still skip the Wimberley since it can't be used as a handle to carry the lens.

 

[FunPhotons]

Update; I ended up passing on it. I'm not really ready for such a lens now, I'm going to stick to my plan and probably get one when I 'retire' in about 8 years. By then maybe they'll have released the 200-400