Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS ll USM

Just picked up this lens about a week ago. I looked here for a thread but did not see one.

All with the Canon 7D

Bare lens F-4.0
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With the older 1.4 ll T.C. wide open 5.6
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Bare lens F4.0 66.6% crop
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Bare lens F4.5
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Bare lens F-6.3 with fill flash
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Pics with the 500 ll and 300 ll with and without T.C.'s are here: www.flickr.com/photos/avianphotos
Just opened a web page: www.birdsthatfart.com
 
I dont have the 500 but I have the 600 f/4 and I can tell you the image on the 5DIII compared to the 7D is much better even with cropping. 5DIII is 22MP compared to 18MP on the 7D. Than add onto that lower noise and improved AF system. I no longer use the 7D for wildlife. I use the 5DIII now exclusively.

tron said:
Very interesting. You wet my appetite for this lens!

Now I do not have a APS-C camera like 7D. I do have 5D II and 5D III.

I wonder if 5D III with more enlargement will have equally good results...
(I am short of just a 500mm f/4L IS II to find out ::) )
 
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Birds that fart, Never had a comment on it before.
I am a hobbyist. Tried a few names and it didn't fly so I got mad and tried this and it worked. So I figured no one would see it anyway... I blog there and put up a few reviews on the Sigma 300mm 2.8 prime Sigma 500mm prime. And the only two lenses I own in the Canon mount . The 500 II and the 300 II. It is a place for me. Not for anyone else really. I am retired and wanted a place to blog and post a few pics. And so cheap and easy to put up a web page. 2.50 dollars a month?

Actually if Pentax, which I have for the Sigma lenses ever comes out with a camera that will AF pretty good. I may start shooting with Pentax and Sigma again. The 300 is killer sharp without a t.c. and the 500 is also pretty good. They are so small I love the size and with Shake in camera will make a killer combo IMO.

East Wind Photography, I read your review about the 1DX and 5DIII. Very good read and very informative. You put allot of time into that. I personally like the 7D for the reach. And the spectacular resolving power. I now use the 1D mark IV and it is so much better AF it is amazing. I am not a FF fan for birding. It was a compromise buying the IV waiting on the 7D II or what ever the name will be. If FF ever gets to the pixel density I like for birding then I would MUCH rather have a FF camera for sure. Great article

I bought the 500 II because it is lighter than the older 500 IS which I sold to buy this one. I travel daily and the old 500 was just too heavy for me. I thought about the 600 II but it is too big and heavy for me. My only concern was the reach with the FF cameras. But I knew I could always pick up a IV used ( which I did ) for my work. And I was hoping for a 7DII to go with the 500 II.

When the new 7D II comes out I will go for that one if the AF is improved. It will be my birding (dream machine).
All those little pixels WOW, I cannot wait.

Gary
 
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garyknrd said:
Birds that fart, Never had a comment on it before. Actually flickr is where my main photo gallery is. Over 2000 pics now of birds. www.flickr.com/photos/avianphotos
I am a hobbyist. Tried a few names and it didn't fly so I got mad and tried this and it worked. So I figured no one would see it anyway... I blog there and put up a few reviews on the Sigma 300mm 2.8 prime Sigma 500mm prime. And the only two lenses I own in the Canon mount . The 500 II and the 300 II. It is a place for me. Not for anyone else really. I am retired and wanted a place to blog and post a few pics. And so cheap and easy to put up a web page. 2.50 dollars a month?

Actually if Pentax, which I have for the Sigma lenses ever comes out with a camera that will AF pretty good. I may start shooting with Pentax and Sigma again. The 300 is killer sharp without a t.c. and the 500 is also pretty good. They are so small I love the size and with Shake in camera will make a killer combo IMO.

East Wind Photography, I read your review about the 1DX and 5DIII. Very good read and very informative. You put allot of time into that. I personally like the 7D for the reach. And the spectacular resolving power. I now use the 1D mark IV and it is so much better AF it is amazing. I am not a FF fan for birding. It was a compromise buying the IV waiting on the 7D II or what ever the name will be. If FF ever gets to the pixel density I like for birding then I would MUCH rather have a FF camera for sure. Great article

I bought the 500 II because it is lighter than the older 500 IS which I sold to buy this one. I travel daily and the old 500 was just too heavy for me. I thought about the 600 II but it is too big and heavy for me. My only concern was the reach with the FF cameras. But I knew I could always pick up a IV used ( which I did ) for my work. And I was hoping for a 7DII to go with the 500 II.

When the new 7D II comes out I will go for that one if the AF is improved. It will be my birding (dream machine).
All those little pixels WOW, I cannot wait.

Gary
 
Upvote 0
It is a fun hobby for me. I surely don't take it very seriously. I just have fun and photo birds. Great retirement hobby by the way. I highly recommend it. I never even owned a DSLR until I retired 4 years ago. But it is so easy and fun.

I was looking up to photo some gulls when I was sapped with a poo shot... I always remember that. :p

RMC33
You are going to love that lens if you rent it. I am just floored by the sharpness. Let me know how you like it. I wasn't going to upgrade because I had the 500 IS. But I live in Asia most of the year and the dealer here traded with me and gave me a good deal. So I bit the bullet. I am glad I did not. No regrets or complaints.

Thanks for the complements on the pics, I love piddling with this stuff.

Gary
 
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Dec 30, 2012
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garyknrd said:
It is a fun hobby for me. I surely don't take it very seriously. I just have fun and photo birds. Great retirement hobby by the way. I highly recommend it. I never even owned a DSLR until I retired 4 years ago. But it is so easy and fun.

I was looking up to photo some gulls when I was sapped with a poo shot... I always remember that. :p

RMC33
You are going to love that lens if you rent it. I am just floored by the sharpness. Let me know how you like it. I wasn't going to upgrade because I had the 500 IS. But I live in Asia most of the year and the dealer here traded with me and gave me a good deal. So I bit the bullet. I am glad I did not. No regrets or complaints.

Thanks for the complements on the pics, I love piddling with this stuff.

Gary

Will do. I get it tomorrow and am quite excited. I am thinking about replacing my 400 f/2.8 IS II with this lens. I got the 400 at a steal price ($7800) from a friend who bought a bunch of gear and had no clue what he was doing. The weight difference is the main reason in addition to not having a crop body anymore nor wanting to buy another. I plan on testing it very hard bare and with a 1.4 TC compared to the 400.
 
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Dec 30, 2012
423
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garyknrd said:
If you have time I would like to see more with the 1DX. If you have them on another site I would like a link.
Thanks, Gary

Im still learning the 1Dx but I do love it. I have been posting in the http://www.canonrumors.com/forum/index.php?topic=8079.0 "anything shot with a 1Dx. I am still trying to find a proper place to AFMA the lens to my 1Dx as well. Here is one more.
 

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