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Rajan Parrikar
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Registered: Sep 9, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 942
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Review Date: Apr 4, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Optical performance, Versatility, Build, Portability
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Cons:
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Relatively slow, Clumsy hood, Older generation IS
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I bought this lens primarily for landscape photography. My copy is very sharp even at 400mm. Overall optical performance is first rate. Its combination of high image quality, reach, versatility and portability makes it a terrific bargain.
A newer version of this lens could do with the latest IS technology and a re-design of the hood.
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 Apr 4, 2013
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Peter Kirk
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Registered: Sep 25, 2004
Location: Australia
Posts: 303
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Review Date: Mar 7, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Excellent range, IS, sharp
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Cons:
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A tad weighty
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Great zoom with superb sharpness and colour.
It is a little heavy, but I suppose there is quite a bit of glass in this thing.
Very nice lens
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Mar 7, 2013
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yohoe
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Registered: Feb 28, 2013
Location: United States
Posts: 3
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Review Date: Mar 1, 2013
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,699.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Image Quality, Build Quality, Range
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Cons:
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Push/Pull
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Great lens. The zoom range is incredible and the image quality is fantastic. The only negative I have is the push/pull as it could get dirt in the system. Also, I take 80% landscape photos so it's a little more than I need.
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Mar 1, 2013
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digitalfx
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Dec 22, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 97
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Review Date: Oct 14, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,250.00
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Price
Performance
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Cons:
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f5.6
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I have been using the 70-200 f2.8 II lens, which is exceptional, but it just wasnt long enough to cover kids on the Soccer field. So I found a mint UX dated 100-400 on Ebay for $1250. I was a bit reluctant considering the mixed reviews, but after a weekend of shooting I am more than impressed.
I have been living mostly on the far end of the lens, shooting wide open at 400mm and the results are better than expected. Very sharp and contrasty images, the focus speed has not been an issue, and frankly Im getting more shots in focus than the 70-200 (which is likely more to do with the field of view).
The push pull zoom is a breeze, despite what others have said. Quite frankly, for sports its a better option imo.
For the money, this is a spectacular choice.
The only negative is the slow speed, which hasn't been a major issue as Im shooting with a 5D3, so I just crank up the iso, but if a faster version came along, I would defiantly trade this one in assuming it was as sharp as this model.
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Oct 14, 2012
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Sayeret18
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Apr 1, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 597
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Review Date: Aug 6, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Compact, build quality, IQ
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Cons:
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Push-pull zoom.
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The lens is excellent in all respects. Build quality, IQ, etc. are fabulous. Given the len's range, it is amazingly compact. I've heard that the AF is "slow" - so far, I don't agree. The AF is not as fast as the 85mm 1.8, but it is a 100-400 zoom, for goodness sakes, and I've been able to easily lock onto and track rabbits and small birds. In many respects, this lens is a longer version of the 24-105: not quite the sharpest, and certainly not the fastest, but darn good within its very broad limits and tremendously versatile.
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Aug 6, 2012
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fredster
Offline
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: Jun 8, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 232
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Review Date: Jun 10, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Never bought or owned one.
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Cons:
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Never owned or bought one. Have no idea at all about this lens.
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Jun 10, 2012
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40Driggs
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Registered: Sep 16, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 440
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Review Date: Apr 26, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,067.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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build quality, stabilization, versatility, colors contrast, decent sharpness
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Cons:
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(somewhat) slow focusing, awkward manual focus ring
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This lens is used on a 7D.
I moved from the 70-300L to this lens for extra reach. That is a great lens and if the focal length works for you, I'd actually recommend it over the 100-400, even though I think that it is overpriced and that it definitely should come with a tripod collar and nicer case for the price.
I have also owned the 400 f/5.6 before, but sold it when I bought my kayak since I wanted to shoot from the 'yak and figured IS would be a big advantage for that use.
As far as the 100-400 goes, it is a real work horse lens. I bought an older copy (UT) and was concerned at first that the rumors about copy variation would mean that I would have a soft lens. Luckily this turned out to be a false rumor (at least in my case). I did have to MA my lens to +7 though for optimum results.
The lens is sharp enough for my uses wide open, but does show some improvement stopped down. I like the fact that the MFD is much closer than the 400 prime since it makes the lens more versatile for closeups. Image stabilization is not as good as on the newer design, so I usually count on 2 stops compensation. I also wait for a couple of seconds for the IS to kick in, which seems to help. Colors and contrast are great. I have found the bokeh to be harsh sometimes in very busy backgrounds. The prime seems to be a little bit better in this area. The push/pull design makes the lens easy to transport but takes some getting used to. I usually either leave the tension ring all the way loose or cinch it down when I know I'll be shooting at 400mm. The manual focus ring is in an odd location next to the tension ring which I don't care for. Luckily I rarely use manual, so it's not a big deal. The autofocus is on the slow side for USM, but is usually fast enough. When shooting distant objects the focus limiter comes in handy.
My ratings on a scale of 1-10
Build Quality -9 Bokeh- 8
Focusing - 8 sharpness- 8.5
colors/contrast-9
If you are expecting 70-200 II sharpness wide open then you will be disappointed. If you expect great results in a versatile package at a reasonable price, then you'll be very happy with this lens.
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Apr 26, 2012
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cpe1991
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Apr 26, 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 26, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,300.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Good copies are very sharp, very good zoom range, not too heavy, IS quite good.
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Cons:
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Bad copies are soft
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I tested a new lens and it was too soft for bird photography where you need to crop. So, I bought a 400mm f/5.6 L which is excellent. Then a 2-year old used 100-400mm came up locally and I tested it against the 400mm: the IQs were indistinguishable, just as the MTF data on Photozone show. So, you have to test this lens before buying. The reason for the mixed reports on this lens is because the quality control is poor and there bad copies. Both the 400mm f/5.6 and the 100-400mm L IS are great lenses for the money and are easy to use hand held if you are sensible and use high speeds or lean against something for slow shots.
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Apr 26, 2012
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nswelton
Offline
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Registered: Jan 16, 2006
Location: N/A
Posts: 234
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Review Date: Apr 11, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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sharp with good IQ, like that it's an all in one package
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Cons:
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dust magnet, weird zoom mechanism
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my dad owns this lens and i use it a lot when i go to visit the family. i've probably taken thousands of images with this lens and after all is said and done i've got mixed feelings about it. on the one hand it's pretty sharp and has great colors and contrast. on the other hand, with the quality of the new 70-200 2.8 II, there's no real reason to have this lens any more if you pair the Mark II with a doubler. the push pull mechanism tends to suck dust into the lens, and the zoom mechanism is really hard to get used to. that said, it's quirky to focus and quite reliable. just perhaps obsolete these days.
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Apr 11, 2012
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Dan E
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Mar 23, 2010
Location: United States
Posts: 1
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Review Date: Mar 21, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,500.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Sharp Images, great build quality and Extremely versatile
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Cons:
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None
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I have used this lens for 3 months for both Wildlife and Sports photography. I has given me sharp images, some sharper than I had expected for the shooting conditions. The IS, although I leave it switched off most of the time, is a great positive point for this lens. I have "hand held" shots at 400 mm with a shutter speed of 1/30 at F7.1 with acceptable results using the IS. If you are undecided about this lens, just buy it. You'll be very happy that you made the purchase. I've read some poor reviews done on this lens and have analyzed the comments and complaints. I've concluded that most of the negative issues with this lens are "user technique" and not the fault of the lens. A little bit of common sense and some good photographic technique can work for you. If you think that you can take the "impossible" picture just because you spent $1500 on a lens, you're in for disappointment. Use this lens as the fine photographic tool it is, apply good photographic principles, and you'll do very well with it.
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Mar 21, 2012
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dmcharg
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Dec 1, 2003
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 784
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Review Date: Feb 17, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Superb lens, amazing telephoto flexibility in a single lens. You just can't beat the flexibility offered by this lens.
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Cons:
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Its not cheap or small
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Excellent lens. If your thinking about it just do it. Its extremely flexible and whilst not a small lens it is a lens you can easily walk around with for hours. In this sort of price/size range your options are 300F4L IS, 400 5.6L,70-300L IS and 100-400LIS. I already had the 70-200F4L non IS but wanted more reach but still the flexibility of a zoom. Having used this for a few months the zoom was the right choice for me. If your not sure about primes vs zooms, get the zoom for sure. I am based in the UK and with the cloudy overcast weather IS is essential. I am not really into bird photography but i can easily see how even 400 isn't enough, especially if your talking about small birds. I like this lens for compressed landscapes and being able to pick out distant landscapes i.e sunrise,sunsets,mist etc in the distant hills. As an all round telephoto its excellent and its flexibility far exceeds any of its cons. You can't compare this lens to Canon's super telephotos such as the 500F4 etc because they are just in a different price bracket and nothing like as portable as this lens. Highly recommend it.
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Feb 17, 2012
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Breitling65
Online
Buy and Sell: On
Registered: May 31, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 4993
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Review Date: Oct 23, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Very portable, light and convinient for travel lens. Sharp enough for zoom lens.
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Cons:
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Sluggish on AF and not as effective old IS
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I got this lens to try how good it is before Canon will release something better in this range. I am tired of heavy long telephoto, and I need lighter lens.
I use to own several telephoto primes including 500L, 300mm F2.8IS & 400/5.6L etc. In compare this lens is very close to primes in IQ. However as any slow lens required better lights to produce great shots, shots are noisier if lights are low. I like colors and contrast, they are same as any other great L lenses. Bit slow AF is OK, not as dramatic. Works fine with 1.4tc on mine 1D mk IV.
It is great for birding and air shows but again while good lights. I wish this lens is F4 and with better IS with same price and size, but it will never happen 
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Oct 23, 2011
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nycandre
Offline
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Registered: Apr 23, 2009
Location: United States
Posts: 22
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Review Date: Apr 19, 2011
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Very sharp, and not outrageously expensive Built like a tank
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Cons:
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Potentially - dust getting in because of the push pull system.. Heavy.. like a tank
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(updated) Recently saw that it had been evaluated at photozone.de. Conclusion: boringly .. good. Wide open. Have to agree, it is not going to overtake a fixed focal tele in resolution etc. But it is durn good in any conditions where 4.5 - 5.6 isn't a handicap.
Recently used it for near close ups at the short end (100mm). Will let the image speak for itself. This is a 3/4 crop from the original, shot handheld with a 5D Mark I at 1/200 F5.6 ISO 1600
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/5634034954/
Speaking of sharpness - another sample, about a 1/4 crop, flowering magnolia - shot with a 5D Mark I at 400mm 1/400 F5.6 ISO 1000
http://www.flickr.com/photos/nycandre/3452707338/
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Apr 19, 2011
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edatc
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jul 17, 2009
Location: N/A
Posts: 39
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Review Date: Feb 19, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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100-400mm and IS and plenty sharp
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Cons:
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It can get tiring after 6 hours in hot sun...
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When I first got the lens I tried all sorts of informal tests on tripod, with and without is, etc... trying to see if it would focus, if it was sharp, etc. Probably wasted my time. This is a later date code lens and as it turned out the normal pictures I took with the lens were more than acceptable. Plenty sharp and great focus. This lens is only used during the daylight hours and outside. Great outdoor sports lens, zoo lens, wildlife lens. I know it's not everyone's cup of tea, but I love the push and pull, wish all zooms had them because for me it works fast.
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Feb 19, 2011
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NicoNico
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Dec 17, 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 17, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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focal length range (on 1.6x), push pull zooming, excellent handholdable
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Cons:
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first generation IS, no wheather sealing, not excellent optics
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Excellent lens for walking around and shoot some wildlife on 1.6x crop camera. I love it on my 7D where it is equivalent to an 160-640mm IS. Very easily handholdable. IS helps but to bad it isnt 4 stops.
I would only replace it if canon announces a fixed 400mm f/5.6L 4 stops IS.
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Dec 17, 2010
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dustnet
Offline
Image Upload: Off
Registered: Jul 30, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 5
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Review Date: Jun 9, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Range, IS, AF, fastness to go from 100 to 400, 77mm
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Cons:
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No weather sealed, Image quality doesn't match 70-200 telephoto.
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Hi everybody,
I've been using this lens for a period of 3 years and really loved it. I'm now using a CANON 500mm f/4 IS and a 70-200 f/4 IS, mainly because I needed a longer focal and the extra image quality.
Here is my take on this lens.
Pros:
+ Versatility. With this lens on your body, you can do pretty much everything (well, except wide shot..): landscape, wildlife, portrait and even some kind of macro.
+ Being able to go from 100mm to 400mm on the same lens allow you to get some really unusual shots, like you can work on a typical portrait, and then get a dramatic close-up, thing that you would maybe haven't done if you had to change the lens.
+ IS. I've never used this lens with a tripod. Even if it's not the best IS ever seen, it is clearly enough considering the amazing ISO performance of our body nowadays.
+ 77mm, just take the filters from your 10-22 or 17-40 and you're good to go.
+ With a X1.4 converter and a piece of tape, you can keep the AF working, you'll find more on that on the web.
Cons:
- Some say that the push/pull zoom system is gathering dust…I've never experienced the problem myself.
- Weight. I would have maybe kept this lens if it was half the weight it is. I just can't hike with the 500mm AND the 100-400L.
- Image quality is perfectible.
This lens is a must have for those who can't afford/don't want a 500mm. It is incredibly versatile and can be used in an amazing number of situations (perfect zoo lens, kayak lens…etc..).
Need real world examples ? just check my blog and gallery:
http://photography.emmanuelrondeau.com
http://blog.emmanuelrondeau.com
Thanks,
Emmanuel.
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Jun 9, 2010
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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262
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607862
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Apr 4, 2013
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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90% of reviewers
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$2,086.79
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.31
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8.68
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9.1
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