After seeing so many great images with this lens I had to have one. I did find out today on the first shoot that handholding this lens takes some skill. The 7D did fine AF wise but the shaky hands were wishing for the IS... I will learn and find myself a monopod to assist me....

Congrats with the new 'toy', John! Looks pretty good to me!

The 400/5.6 is a lens I've long been debating. My 100-400 is just too darn sharp to justify the expense but I've found myself tempted more than once.

A good monopod however is something I can advise anyone on buying. It's the one item I never forget to throw in the back of the car. Besides, it has saved me a lot of sore muscles during tedious seminars where I had to shoot all the keynote speakers with a 1D/70-200 2.8 IS + flash. That's a setup that will wear you down during a long day but not so with a monopod.

Good looking airplane. The 400 f/5.6 does well on all fast moving things, like this duck. (I betcha that's a kind of a picture the pilots of jet aircraft don't wanna see thru their windshield. )

Very nice... my ducks have been stationary but hope to find some in motion...very nice image!

Emile Gregoire wrote:
Congrats with the new 'toy', John! Looks pretty good to me!

The 400/5.6 is a lens I've long been debating. My 100-400 is just too darn sharp to justify the expense but I've found myself tempted more than once.

A good monopod however is something I can advise anyone on buying. It's the one item I never forget to throw in the back of the car. Besides, it has saved me a lot of sore muscles during tedious seminars where I had to shoot all the keynote speakers with a 1D/70-200 2.8 IS + flash. That's a setup that will wear you down during a long day but not so with a monopod.

Thanks... will be looking at the monopod thing next week...

Looks good to me! I'm trying to decide between the 100-400 and the 400/5.6. Looks like you've got a keeper there, enjoy it!

Thanks... here is another one which I think is a touch sharper with less "shake."

Here is a shot from my 7D / 400 f5.6L. I swear I've had more fun with that lens then the rest combined.

Very nice... I have got to find some swamps somewhere in this desert....

John McLean wrote:
Very nice... I have got to find some swamps somewhere in this desert....

What about them Roadrunners and Karakaras ? They'd make good targets for your 400 f/5.6.
Egrets are large slow fliers (not much of a challenge there) but they cause exposure troubles with their white plumage.

Nice shots. I have done aircraft panning on my 400 5.6 at 1/100. It doesn't not take much time to get used to.

For moving subjects, monopods are a total PITA. Don't bother.

sav1977 wrote:
For moving subjects, monopods are a total PITA. Don't bother.

I guess you don't watch many pro photographers at sporting events.

This is bull crap.

No brick walls.

No cats.

GRRRR!

sav1977 wrote:
Nice shots. I have done aircraft panning on my 400 5.6 at 1/100. It doesn't not take much time to get used to all the blurry shots at those settings.

For moving subjects, monopods are a total PITA. Don't bother.

Fixed.

This was a little harder to track!

Look like a keeper to me. Conrat on your new toy.

Was thinking of buying the 300 2.8IS (didn't happen), i sold mine but then imediately bought back one. Yes, i love the lens that much.
The key is to keep the shutter high at all time, even it means pumb up the ISO.
Here is one with a TC:

hsk06 wrote:
Look like a keeper to me. Conrat on your new toy.

Was thinking of buying the 300 2.8IS (didn't happen), i sold mine but then imediately bought back one. Yes, i love the lens that much.
The key is to keep the shutter high at all time, even it means pumb up the ISO.
Here is one with a TC:

1DMkII N 400mm f/5.6L

John McLean wrote:


Gottcha on the high ISO and bump up the shutter speed... great shot of the coyote....!


I'm I wrong, but isn't that a fox?

monochrome wrote:
John McLean wrote:


Gottcha on the high ISO and bump up the shutter speed... great shot of the coyote....!


I'm I wrong, but isn't that a fox?


Grey fox it is