Upgrade strategy with new 100-400mm f/4-5.6L

[randerson]

I have the current 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L and love it. With a new version coming out I'm thinking of upgrading to it. But how should I go about that to save the most money? Do you think I should sell off the one I have now a month or two before the new one is released and then buy the new one? Any thoughts how how different the new one will be?

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

There have been upgrade rumors for about 6 or 7 years now. You should not make buy-sell decisions based on rumors. You also might be aware that the value of your lens won't drop, because any new one, if it happens, will cost 2X the price of the old model.

 

[randerson]

Ah, good point. Nice to hear that the resale value won't drop because there's a new one. Then I shall wait until it comes out, at which point when it's out of my price range, I can forget about the whole topic.

 

[Dnd]

It would be nice to see the push pull design go away.. along with the dust sucking that it does. holding off until new comes out..fingers crossed.

 

[samkatz]

I rent the 100-400 L once or twice a year, and don't mind waiting to buy the new II when it comes out. If it does, we can assume that the IS will be improved, since the current version was designed in 1998. I would gladly pay more to get a stop or two more of stabilization since I rarely use a tripod.

 

[Loswr]

It would be nice to see the push pull design go away.. along with the dust sucking that it does. holding off until new comes out..fingers crossed.

It amazes me how many people who don't actually own a lens are perfectly willing to read negative information about it and parrot that information to others. Are you aware that the current 100-400mm lens has weather/dust sealing at the switches and zoom mechanism, and lacks only the mount gasket seal (it's close cousin, the 28-300mm, has the mount gasket and is a 'weather sealed' lens)? Are you aware that a rotation-driven zoom mechanism would 'suck dust' just the same?

The current version is an excellent lens - yes, it would benefit from improved IS, faster AF, and the newest coatings. But as it is, it delivers great pictures in a very convenient package (relative to other options like an internal zoom).

 

[FunPhotons]

There have been upgrade rumors for about 6 or 7 years now. You should not make buy-sell decisions based on rumors. You also might be aware that the value of your lens won't drop, because any new one, if it happens, will cost 2X the price of the old model.

True enough. I've been holding off buying the 100-400 for the new one, and it's been years. No problem really, I've plenty to keep me busy with my present lenses, but it would have been a mistake not to buy the old one if I had really needed it.