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Archive 2015 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please

  
 
dr4tone
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


I have come into some money. I am fortunate. :-) I am going to buy a new wildlife lens with this money. I've narrowed it down as follows: either the Canon 400mm DO IS II, or the 500mm f/4 IS II. I will be handholding this lens. I am a female, not a weakling by any means, but I lay no claim to any bench pressing accomplishments. If I shoot with the 400, I imagine I am going to end up using the 1.4 iii most of the time. But its lighter and easier to handhold. The 500 will give me more reach, and if I am feeling super energized, I could add the 1.4 to that lens and have more reach than I have dared to dream I would ever have. Please advise if you feel so inclined as to which lens I should buy. This will be a once in a lifetime kind of purchase for me. I appreciate your help.


Jun 20, 2015 at 02:55 PM
Chris B.
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


What camera body will you be using?


Jun 20, 2015 at 04:48 PM
dr4tone
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Hi Chris, A 1DX camera body. I am upgrading from the 400 f/5.6 L, which I found to be very manageable. Easy peasy for weight.


Jun 20, 2015 at 05:07 PM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Since you probably have a few camera stores in Minneapolis, try and hold your camera with the 500 attached, in the store. It is much heavier than the 400 and you may regret buying the 500 if you find it too awkward and heavy to handhold.


Jun 20, 2015 at 06:37 PM
dr4tone
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


I stopped by to test the 500 at national camera, really the only store in Minneapolis. They told me that didn't keep that lens in stock because it was too expensive to keep in the store. Alas. I am tilting toward the 400, but am having a hard time waiting for it! Adorama and B&H have it on back order with no delivery date in sight. Still, I think the 500 will be too heavy for comfortable handheld shots.


Jun 20, 2015 at 06:50 PM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


dr4tone wrote:
Still, I think the 500 will be too heavy for comfortable handheld shots.


I would agree with that. You may wish to contact a Canadian dealer online. Their price is about $6200US compared to B&H's $6900US.




Jun 20, 2015 at 06:59 PM
rushmore22
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Somewhat of a encyclopedia of good nature lenses, reads easily: https://photographylife.com/lens-reviews


Jun 20, 2015 at 07:08 PM
dr4tone
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Thank you!!!!



Jun 20, 2015 at 07:42 PM
tfoltz
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


the 500 hands down


Jun 20, 2015 at 08:16 PM
dr4tone
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Thank you.


Jun 20, 2015 at 08:28 PM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


tfoltz wrote:
the 500 hands down


Yeah, hands down because the OP will be too tired to lift hers.



Jun 20, 2015 at 09:57 PM
woos
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Before you buy maybe rent from lensrentals or something for a few days? I don't think the 500's are hard to hand hold at all, even the version 1. Since the weight isn't too far out that you can't just sort of support it with your elbow against your chest. I've never even seen the 400 DO II in person though so ;p.


Jun 20, 2015 at 10:00 PM
unclechuck
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


woos wrote:
Before you buy maybe rent from lensrentals or something for a few days? I don't think the 500's are hard to hand hold at all, even the version 1. Since the weight isn't too far out that you can't just sort of support it with your elbow against your chest. I've never even seen the 400 DO II in person though so ;p.


Excellent suggestion, and in addition to weight you will get a better sense of handling the lens.




Jun 20, 2015 at 10:14 PM
David Garcia
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


I do handhold my 500 f4 II every once in a while, but not for very long. I prefer to have it mount it on my gimbal head most of the time. It's an amazing lens. However, for handheld shots, I'd much rather purchase the 400do II for size, weight and ease of carry. It's the nicest and lightest 400 f4. That one is on my list, but I may purchase a 6 or 800 first.

If I were you, I'd go for the 400 mm do II.



Jun 20, 2015 at 11:49 PM
dr4tone
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Well, that just gave me a chuckle to go with my morning coffee. I fear you are right Tony. besides, the reviews on the DO IS II are pretty impressive. Seems Canon has truly revolutionized this lens.


Jun 21, 2015 at 08:32 AM
dr4tone
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Thanks David, I am moving in that direction. Now for the wait - for Canon to deliver some more units.


Jun 21, 2015 at 08:33 AM
Chris B.
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


I owned the 400 DO version 1, and currently own the 500 version 1. Hand-holding the DO was a pleasure even with the 1.4x on it, but I rarely hand-hold the 500. I might suggest investing in a good monopod for those times when you want to take some weight off your shoulders. ... The 1DX is not a lightweight body


Jun 21, 2015 at 08:46 AM
morris
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


For a long time I feared a heavy lens and felt shooting from a tripod would cramp my style of spontaneous reaction to surprises. When I purchased the Sigma 150-600 Sport I started shooting off a tripod 90% or more and have come to like this more than handheld for a number of reasons:
- When waiting on a perched bird to move one can relax rather than holding on subject
- lower shutter speeds are possible
- When set up reaction time is similar to hand held
- I come home from long shoots and don't feel exhausted

As the lens is heavy if i'm going to walk a distance I hang the lens and body from a Rapid Seven Curve sling and barely feel the weight. I hold my tripod in my hand and/or over my shoulder. Use an appropriate head. Most chose a gimbal style head though there are some that use a ball head capable of supporting the system weight. I use a pan tilt head and this also works well though probably the least popular of the choices. Which ever setup use a quick release so that you can handhold when you wish and/or break down and set up quickly. Also, to set your tripod up quickly, place one leg on the ground and pull the other two back toward you. With your camera mounted like this you can take a photo is a couple of seconds. Level after getting the first photos so you don't miss your subject.

If you are still concerned about weight go lighter.

Morris

Edited on Jun 21, 2015 at 02:38 PM · View previous versions



Jun 21, 2015 at 08:59 AM
dr4tone
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Very helpful Morris.thank you!


Jun 21, 2015 at 09:57 AM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Advice on a Lens Purchase please


Kudos to those that get great shots shooting with a tripod and big, heavy lenses. However, it is not for me, nor for a lot of others. I shoot with a tripod about 1% of the time. Lugging all that gear around and setting it up takes most of the enjoyment out of photography away for me.

As we know, wildlife opportunities are often fleeting moments, and if you are hiking with a tripod you often don't have time to set up to capture those moments.

Handheld shooting allows you to quickly shoot in any direction. Try quickly shooting overhead or turning past 180 degrees when using a tripod.

Hiking a short distance with heavy lens and tripod leaves me exhausted. Hiking a long distance with light handheld gear does not exhaust me.

To each their own.



Jun 22, 2015 at 01:26 PM
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