Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L IS Mentioned [CR1]

Ozarker

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Isn't IS for static targets anyway? Almost every bird I shoot is sitting still, so for me... IS works great.

I've not tried IS while panning.

I'm behind the knowledge curve here because I have not been able to get out and shoot any appreciable amount of time at all for the last 1.5 years.
 
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haakmann said:
So still no news even 20 months after this article. Late 2016 they said...We maybe never see another Canon 400mm f5.6L IS lens...?

Maybe there is a less expensive version than the 400mm 2.8 with buil in telekonverter coming.
I think the will not bring an update of an normal 300mm F4l IS ii or 400mm 5.6L IS.
If they bring an update, they bring it with build in teleconverters.

.... please ::)
 
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AlanF

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Steve Dmark2 said:
haakmann said:
So still no news even 20 months after this article. Late 2016 they said...We maybe never see another Canon 400mm f5.6L IS lens...?

Maybe there is a less expensive version than the 400mm 2.8 with buil in telekonverter coming.
I think the will not bring an update of an normal 300mm F4l IS ii or 400mm 5.6L IS.
If they bring an update, they bring it with build in teleconverters.

.... please ::)

A 300mm f/4 with a built in 1.4xTC would give 300mm f/4 and 420mm f/5.6. How would this compete with the 100-400mm II? It's unlikely to be any sharper if at all at 400mm, would be far, far less versatile, and the flip in TC is quite bulky so probably not much lighter and may even be longer than the retracted 100-400.
 
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I think that a new Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L IS USM will be quite welcome. I am presently in the market for a 70-300 and am waiting for the first tests of the new EF 70-300 IS II USM to arrive. If both IQ and AF-speed and accuracy are good, I will get that. Otherwise I will possibly (have to) buy another brand.
But if it will be the EF 70-300 IS II USM, I know I will also need something a bit more powerfull. I occasionally shoot birds and airplanes, and then 400 mm on an APS-C is very good.

I have tried an EF 500mm f/4L IS once for a few minutes on an airshow. And although AF was lightning fast, I presonally found it was a bit big and heavy to manoeuvre in the crowd of an airshow. The guy who I could try it from said he would also have prefered a 400 mm, looking back at it.

About 8 months ago I thought that I had the ideal solution. I saw the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM and the reviews about the IQ were fine. I already decided that I wanted that lens, and even wanted to buy it before buying my new 70-300. The price is high for such an old lens, but it seemed worth it.
But then I saw my mistake: that lens has no IS! :eek:
I was disappointed and horrified at the same time.

So I think a new 400mm with IS would be welcome.

Keep it f/5.6 to limit weight and dimensions.

Off course, AF must be lightning fast for the intended use of such a lens.
I want to add that I think I would like it to have ring-USM as opposed to nano-USM so that for birding I would have REAL FTM instead of the STM- or nano-USM version of FTM.
 
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Don Haines

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AlanF said:
Steve Dmark2 said:
haakmann said:
So still no news even 20 months after this article. Late 2016 they said...We maybe never see another Canon 400mm f5.6L IS lens...?

Maybe there is a less expensive version than the 400mm 2.8 with buil in telekonverter coming.
I think the will not bring an update of an normal 300mm F4l IS ii or 400mm 5.6L IS.
If they bring an update, they bring it with build in teleconverters.

.... please ::)

A 300mm f/4 with a built in 1.4xTC would give 300mm f/4 and 420mm f/5.6. How would this compete with the 100-400mm II? It's unlikely to be any sharper if at all at 400mm, would be far, far less versatile, and the flip in TC is quite bulky so probably not much lighter and may even be longer than the retracted 100-400.
One could continue the logic and say that a 200F2.8 and a 1.4 teleconverter is the same as a 300F4..... but slapping on a teleconverter always hurts the image quality. That's one of the reasons why there is a market for each....
 
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AlanF said:
A 300mm f/4 with a built in 1.4xTC would give 300mm f/4 and 420mm f/5.6. How would this compete with the 100-400mm II? It's unlikely to be any sharper if at all at 400mm, would be far, far less versatile, and the flip in TC is quite bulky so probably not much lighter and may even be longer than the retracted 100-400.

I can have F4 at 300mm if i want. ;)This can't be beat be zoom. (at this price)
And with bird photography 500/s apart to 250/s can make all the difference.
 
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I don't see any point in making this lens. A new EF 400/5,6L IS will get about the same price as the new and very sharp EF 100-400/4,5-5,6L IS II. It will maybe be a bit lighter, but not by much.

Canon should instead make a EF 500/5,6 IS. This will be a great lens for bird shooters, much better than a 400mm which is a bit too short, especially for smaller birds.
Even better would be a DO version: after Nikon launched their new and very compact AF-S 300/4 PF VR I think we will see many new DO lenses also from Canon to a much lower price in the coming years.
Five years and Canon has not yet released this lens. Now Nikon has exactly the lens suggested above (stabilized 500mm f/5.6). Time for a strike back?

I really hope so!
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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Five years and Canon has not yet released this lens. Now Nikon has exactly the lens suggested above (stabilized 500mm f/5.6). Time for a strike back?

I really hope so!
 
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SteveC

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Given how much people complain about the f/7.1 at 500mm in the 100-500mm RF lens, what do you suppose is the likelihood that fabioduarte will consider an f/11 lens a response to his gripe? Granted, he personally might not be one of the f/7.1 bashers, but if I had to bet, the likelihood is he'd not be satisfied with this.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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Given how much people complain about the f/7.1 at 500mm in the 100-500mm RF lens, what do you suppose is the likelihood that fabioduarte will consider an f/11 lens a response to his gripe? Granted, he personally might not be one of the f/7.1 bashers, but if I had to bet, the likelihood is he'd not be satisfied with this.
Really, the RF 100-500 is Canon's answer. And it's a very good answer.
 
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Today I shoot, only birds, with a 7D Mark II and a 400mm f/5.6L prime. In fact I believe the 600mm f/11 would be fun to have but I do not believe it compares to Nikon 500mm f/5.6 pf lens, and it should be neither considered an upgrade for me.

I really believe there is a good niche to be explored by Canon in the 400~500mm f/5.6 primes for wildlife but I agree that, for now, the only Canon's answer for that is RF 100-500, although it requires me to go for the mirrorless system, which then takes us to the R7 discussion...

Thanks for the comments.
 
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Given how much people complain about the f/7.1 at 500mm in the 100-500mm RF lens, what do you suppose is the likelihood that fabioduarte will consider an f/11 lens a response to his gripe? Granted, he personally might not be one of the f/7.1 bashers, but if I had to bet, the likelihood is he'd not be satisfied with this.
As a bird photographer, I don't remember ever having the need to make a step back because I was too close to the subject. So, at least for me it does not make a lot of sense to use zoom lenses.

So, considering only primes, the problem for me now in the Canon line-up is that to get something a little better than what I have and add IS I would need to go to the $7k 400mm f/4 DO. Thus, I really believe there is a gap there that Canon can explore.
 
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Jul 21, 2010
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As a bird photographer, I don't remember ever having the need to make a step back because I was too close to the subject. So, at least for me it does not make a lot of sense to use zoom lenses.

So, considering only primes, the problem for me now in the Canon line-up is that to get something a little better than what I have and add IS I would need to go to the $7k 400mm f/4 DO. Thus, I really believe there is a gap there that Canon can explore.
There’s a gap, but what is the market for it? The fact that the 7-series has only seen two bodies, on a longer schedule than even the 1-series, suggests the birding market isn’t that large, relatively speaking. Alternatively, Canon may want those people to buy a FF body for better features/IQ, then in turn buy a longer lens than they used on APS-C.

I shoot birds, went from using a 7D to a 1D X then replaced my 100-400 with a 600/4 II. Not that I’m typical.
 
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There’s a gap, but what is the market for it? The fact that the 7-series has only seen two bodies, on a longer schedule than even the 1-series, suggests the birding market isn’t that large, relatively speaking. Alternatively, Canon may want those people to buy a FF body for better features/IQ, then in turn buy a longer lens than they used on APS-C.

I shoot birds, went from using a 7D to a 1D X then replaced my 100-400 with a 600/4 II. Not that I’m typical.
Yes, the big question is how big the birding and wildlife market is. Currently the exchange rate in Brazil is such that a 600mm f/4 is restricted to few. Perhaps what I'll do to upgrade if the (IBIS) R7 does not come is to get an R5. Even being equivalent to 17MP when cropped, at least I'll get all the new features and the stabilization and that should give me a bigger keeper rate, specially in the woods where it is quite difficult for me.
 
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unfocused

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Adding to Neuro's comments, I just don't see a prime lens that hasn't been updated since its release nearly 30 years ago as likely to get the RF treatment. Buyers prefer zoom lenses. Zoom lenses today are as sharp as primes. There is a rumored 100-400 RF lens coming eventually. If you want this lens, buy a used one and use the IBIS on the R5.
 
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unfocused

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Yes, the big question is how big the birding and wildlife market is. Currently the exchange rate in Brazil is such that a 600mm f/4 is restricted to few. Perhaps what I'll do to upgrade if the (IBIS) R7 does not come is to get an R5. Even being equivalent to 17MP when cropped, at least I'll get all the new features and the stabilization and that should give me a bigger keeper rate, specially in the woods where it is quite difficult for me.
Smart move. The R5 with its full frame and 1.6 crop is a fantastic combination.
 
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SteveC

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Adding to Neuro's comments, I just don't see a prime lens that hasn't been updated since its release nearly 30 years ago as likely to get the RF treatment. Buyers prefer zoom lenses. Zoom lenses today are as sharp as primes. There is a rumored 100-400 RF lens coming eventually. If you want this lens, buy a used one and use the IBIS on the R5.
The rumored 100-400 is probably not an L lens.

On the other hand (if willing to use the adapter), perhaps one of the EF 100-400 L IIs (not the official designation, but hopefully people will know what I mean) could make do; I'd certainly prefer that over a non L RF 100-400 (though not necessarily over the extant L 100-500).
 
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My EF 400/5.6L is my oldest lens and I've had since film days. Probably my best investment. My main uses are sports (windsurfing) and birds, and like someone already mentioned, if I had a 100-400mm, I would use it at 400mm 95% of the time. Sure the latest zooms may well be sharper, but this lens is 30 years old.
I would definitely be in the market for a RF 500/5.6 that is sharp wide open. Not interested in zooms or faster (heavier, more expensive) primes.
 
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My EF 400/5.6L is my oldest lens and I've had since film days. Probably my best investment. My main uses are sports (windsurfing) and birds, and like someone already mentioned, if I had a 100-400mm, I would use it at 400mm 95% of the time. Sure the latest zooms may well be sharper, but this lens is 30 years old.
I would definitely be in the market for a RF 500/5.6 that is sharp wide open. Not interested in zooms or faster (heavier, more expensive) primes.
I actually just bought an EF 400mm f/5.6 . Still is a great lens for very low price. Already have 70-300 so just needed an optimized birding lens. With canons recent trends an RF 500mm f/5.6 would probably be $2500.

For bird usage IS not all that useful anyway since I usually keep shutter at 1/2000 or more.
 
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