Scott Stoness Offline Upload & Sell: On
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4X Lens Review | |
I will repeat my conclusions from elsewhere in case anyone cares:
some more wildlife sample shots from 200-400 here https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1220363
here are my cleaned up grizzlies that I posted here previously https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1220115
For my preferred subjects (big mammals) I think 200-400 is close enough in quality to 600 that the differences are obvious:
- similar quality
- great quality on both with 1.4x (1.4iii vs 1.4 internal) - not visually noticable
- zoom vs no zoom
- f5.6 vs f4 at 600
- more compact vs not
- similar weight
- as compared to 100-400 L, the only advantage is weight [the 100-200 is not useful for mammals) for 100-400 - the 200-400 is a joy compared as long as you are strong. I suspect women will be less strong and still prefer the 100-400 (3.5lbs vs 8lbs is considerable). Its amazing to look through 5dii w 100-400 vs 5diii w 200-400 - the 200-400 is so much brighter and if you look at thedigitalpicture.com or lensrentals.com blog, the iq is way noticable. And in my view, up until now for big mammals close in, the 100-400 was the best available for features.
To copy what I said in the nature post, with respect to 200-400 vs 600 v2:
Observations are:
- quality is so close [600f4 v2 vs 200-400]that only the obvious conclusions are available
-600 w f4 is one stop faster than 200-400 w 1.4int - not a profound observation, but 600 on 7d lets you get far away and not disturb the animals. And most good photography ocurrs at dusk or dawn so it matters.
- So close in 200-400 is better but 600 is better when they are further away and you don't want to scare them in the bush.
- the combination of 600 and 200-400 is superb
- Other that I have already said:
- 200-400 is same weight as 600 about
- switching back and forth to 1.4 is really easy
- in the car the 200-400 shines because it does not hit the mirror etc like the 600
- its hard to hold and zoom because its heavy and one hand is on shutter and one hand holding and the zoom is stiff but I am happy and am willing to lift weights to condition for the challenge (I am 6'2" and 230 lbs so 90% of my work with 600 is handheld, 5% on monopod and 5% on tripod already on 600 f4)
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