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Breitling65
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Registered: May 31, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 2232
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Review Date: Nov 4, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Quick AF, works with both tc's 2 and 1.4 fine, not very heavy and I could handhold for several seconds.
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Cons:
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Cost, some IQ degradation with tc, not as superb IS as on latest Canon lenses
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If you need long telephoto for birding or sports this is your lens. However I would suggest to get this lens before 300mm F2.8L IS otherwise you will be disappointed in IQ comparison  It is great in IQ lens but 300 is way better optics. You would need 1.4tc for sure, 2x works ok on mk III. In general also need bunch of other things like lenscoat, replacement cap & foot or plate, gimbal would be best, good heavy duty tripod and monopod. It adds lots of fun for birding, very noticeable by people since long and white.
I put 9 since it is for sure not best lens in my bag but I would say next after 300 F2.8L IS.
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 Nov 4, 2009
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Cesar
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Registered: Oct 18, 2006
Location: Portugal
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Sep 17, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, very nice in color and contrast
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Cons:
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nop
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Esta lente é simplesmente espectacular, é a minha lente favorita.
Para fotografia de natureza é sem duvida a melhor opção.
Recomendo vivamente.
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Sep 17, 2009
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Steven Evans
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Registered: Nov 14, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 46
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Review Date: Jun 3, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $5,800.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharpness, Contrast, Focus,
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Cons:
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Hummm, My first supertele- takes a bit to get used too
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I bought this lens about 2 months ago. I really like the bokeh, It has fast AF, The picture quality is simply stunning!!
I have found myself doing a lot of handheld photography(wildlife) with it. I am able to get pics down to 1/250 with a 50/50 keeper rate but I at 1/500 the keeper rate is very high!!
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Jun 3, 2009
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stelin
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Registered: Dec 22, 2005
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 4
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Review Date: May 1, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Everything bar the size and weight
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Cons:
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Size weight
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Simply awesome quality. Almost no need to process a RAW image. Incredibly sharp. Handholds well (for a short time). If only it wasn't so big and heavy, but then it wouldn't be a 500 f4!!
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May 1, 2009
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genefixer
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Registered: Jan 22, 2007
Location: United States
Posts: 1680
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Review Date: Apr 21, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Great crispness, lifelike images and perfect contrast images. Little PIP necessary. IS is very quiet and works great on or off a tripod.
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Cons:
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really none. Won't add price because for the $$ it is a steal!
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Have only had this lens for a couple weeks but already I find myself leaving my 400 DO IS at home and bringing the excellent 500mm F4 and a 300mm along for the shoots. I have debating about leaping for this lens for over a year and finally did with no regrets, even with this ongoing economic downturn!
do not have many images to show but for a laughable subject go to:
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/763078/0#6977743
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Apr 21, 2009
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philp
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Registered: Jul 31, 2004
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 19, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, sharp, sharp. Fast focus and hand holdable.
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Cons:
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Cost, but you get what you pay for.
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I've had this lens for a short while and I use it mainly for motorsport.
I thought my 300 f2.8 IS L was good but this is just as good.
The sharpness and speed of focus is amazing and I can hand hold for panning shots without much issue.
Adding the 1.4x convertor works really well and pushes it out to 700mm ithout any noticable drop off in IQ on my 1D MkIII.
This and the 300 2.8 are the best glass I have ever used. Well worth the expense.
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Apr 19, 2009
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James Wei
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Registered: Aug 12, 2007
Location: Australia
Posts: 35
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Review Date: Mar 20, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, excellent bokeh and stunning image rendering ability
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Cons:
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Weight
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This is a very good lens. I have bought it 7 years ago and bought it again because I need it for wild life photography.
Fantastic rendering and the images are just so sharp. Clarity with good contrast. Bokeh is fantasticly creamy buttery smooth.
Here are the image gallery from this lens
http://www.themesoftime.com/Gallery.aspx?ID=47
http://www.themesoftime.com/Gallery.aspx?ID=67
This is a very good lens to own
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Mar 20, 2009
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harrygilbert
Online
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Registered: Jan 10, 2006
Location: United States
Posts: 369
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Review Date: Feb 18, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $6,200.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp, excellent IQ, fast and accurate focusing (with 5D)
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Cons:
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Cost
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One of the best photo investments I have made. Only "nit" is the weak 52mm Canon polarizing filter. With a Wimberly head, it's a joy to use; with a Bushhawk, it is very manageable and I got my first decent BIF and wildlife shots (with a 5D no less).
Very sturdy construction and quality build - I feel I got my money's worth.
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Feb 18, 2009
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GeoffreyLI
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Registered: Jan 11, 2009
Location: China
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jan 21, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Razor-sharp image, fast focusing, good contrast
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Cons:
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White len casing, crummy lens cap, expensive
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Razor-sharp image even with the aperture wide-opened. 1.4X works very good on this lens. Fast focusing is performed with or without 1.4X attached on 1-series cameras. A stable tripod and ball-head is a MUST for this type of lens. If you are afforded to buy this lens, you will find it worth every cent you had paid. However, if you are bird-photographer, perhaps the lens is not long enough in some occasions. I never use Canon’s original lens cap. It is very crummy to use on the field. If the lens casing is coated in black or “cammo” color, it can be much harmony to match the nature environment.
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Jan 21, 2009
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RikWriter
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Registered: Jun 22, 2004
Location: United States
Posts: 2155
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Review Date: Dec 24, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $5,000.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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It's very sharp...nearly as sharp as my 300 2.8L IS...and very fast-focussing. It takes a 1.4X TC very well with no degradation in IQ and very little loss of focus speed. Not brutally heavy...I can use it well with a monopod after a bit of practice if I keep the shutter speed up.
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Cons:
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Mucho dinero. Mucho mucho mucho mucho dinero. Ouch.
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It's my dream wildlife lens and it hasn't let me down. I bless the circumstances that made it possible for me to buy it as it has allowed me to get some shots I never would have been able to get before. It's not light, but it's light enough that I have been able to carry it over my shoulder on a monopod for over 3 miles of hiking. It works a 1.4x teleconverter like it was made for it, nearly as well as my 300 2.8L IS used one.
It's a very expensive lens, but you can feel the value of it every time you pick it up.
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Dec 24, 2008
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DennisW1
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Registered: Sep 7, 2008
Location: United States
Posts: 34
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Review Date: Oct 27, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $5,800.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Canon's typical L lens quality surpasses itself with this lens. Outstanding focus and IS performance.
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Cons:
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My Visa card is still smoldering.
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I know, everyone moans just a bit about the price of this lens, but it's true you get what you pay for.
I've been shooting motorsports for the past couple years with 1DMkIIn bodies and my long lens being the 100-400IS, adding a 1.4 extender when necessary. I loved the lens except for it's slow aperature, which got even worse when the 1.4 was added. Anything less than a bright sunny day and I was scrambling for a fast enough shutter speed to keep images sharp, even with the IS.
I finally made the plunge for the 500 f4 this year and I'm sorry I waited so long.
Yes, it's heavy, but with the 1DMkIIn body and a good monopod it's a very manageable and the rewards you get from the images are well worth it.
If you think this is the lens you've been waiting for, you're probably right.......go buy it.
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Oct 27, 2008
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SONYBOY
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Registered: Nov 6, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 208
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Review Date: Oct 16, 2008
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $5,700.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Phenominal lens, focus is fast and positive,sharpness is as good as it gets,and build is what you should expect from a L series lens. Wieght is over emphasized by some a healthy adult male can hand hold this lens for short periods of time and I regularly pack mine attached to a tripod for hours.
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Cons:
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A bit pricey and if I could have afforded the extra money a 600 f4L would have done a better job for my needs.
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THIS LENS IS ALWAYS ATTACHED TO A BODY WHEN I AM OUT, THE OTHER BODY ROTATES OTHER LENS.
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Oct 16, 2008
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