p.1 #1 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
Hi all,
I have wondering if its worth buying used Canon 400 f5.6 for bird photography on Canon 7D. I did try the Tamron 150-600 lens and found images to be soft at 600mm. Also is there another upgrade to this lens (Canon 400mm f5.6) coming in near future ?
p.1 #3 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
Well, if you don't need IS, and price is an issue, the 400/5.6L is a lot less expensive than the 100-400L IS II.
I don't know about Canon plans for upgrading the 400/5.6L, but I suspect it's low on the priority list. For example, the 300/4L was upgraded to IS many years ago, but not the 400/5.6L. This suggests that you might see a 300/4 L IS II before a 400/5.6 L IS.
p.1 #4 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
I'd be very surprised to see an updated 400 f/5.6L. Similar to the 200 f/2.8L II, I think the upgrade is the zoom which covers the same FL at the same aperture and provides updated IS and near-equivalent optics.
That said, the lens is still very relevant today with the obvious implication that lens support is a good idea.
p.1 #5 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
Hi Deepak,
Sure, the EF 400/5.6L is still a great birding lens, especially at current used prices. However, unless your budget precludes it, I think the EF 100-400 II would be the lens I would rather have. It's a 100-400 zoom with the latest IS and a great close-up focusing capability, so it's very versatile. It is, however, heavier and quite a bit more expensive. It's so good though, that it might be enough reason for Canon to not even bother updating the 400/5.6L .
p.1 #6 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
I got the 100-400L version I Zoom about a year before they introduced the version II. Refurbished from Canon Direct at $900.
Not a lens I use much and therfore better cost justification than v.2.
The primes are just too long for my traveling bag.
Also a refurbished 1.4 x extender.
Glad I did ..
p.1 #7 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
I prefer the 400 5.6L to the 150-600 zooms.
That being said, unless I'm on a tripod, I have to shoot at 1/800 or faster, which is not an issue for moving objects or daylight. For wildlife, I am often on a tripod and focusing in live view anyway.
The 100-400 zoom is far more expensive, but does work well as a landscape lens also.
p.1 #11 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
If you ask me, the 400 f/5.6L ought to be everyone's first BIF lens. It is lightweight, fast focusing, and sharp as a tack. And inexpensive and well built (better than the 150-600mm zooms). The MFD is about 12 ft, which I find to be plenty good enough because if you get to 3 ft on something small your DOF will decrease and you will be forced to stop the lens down, driving up your ISO. Even though the 400 f/5.6L does not have IS, I found I could hold it quite still and shoot at 1/640 and get really sharp shots. I hate to see newbies relying to IS so much that the never develop proper technique. Used or unused it is a great lens. I will never let mine go as it can serve as a backup BIF or a backup to a backup.
p.1 #12 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
deepz wrote:
Hi all,
I have wondering if its worth buying used Canon 400 f5.6 for bird photography on Canon 7D. I did try the Tamron 150-600 lens and found images to be soft at 600mm. Also is there another upgrade to this lens (Canon 400mm f5.6) coming in near future ?
Thanks,
Deepak
I'd recommend getting a used 100-400 MkI on this forum's B&S board, instead of 400 f/5.6, if you want to stay more-or-less in the same price range. Just make sure to get several pictures taken with the lens for your inspection before you close the deal. Not all 100-400 MkIs, especially the older ones, were equally good.
Mar 19, 2017 at 03:06 PM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.1 #13 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
At one point it was known as the BIF king, so I would say it's still potentially worthwhile. Haven't used it much, but I've read it's sharper at 400mm than the very popular 100-400 v1.
You might want a later model. I don't know if they changed the optics, but I have seen a big difference between a newer and older Sigma 400/5.6, and the Pop Photo test of the 400/5.6 L back in 1994 or something wasn't that hot.
Can't tell you how late you might want to go, though.
p.1 #14 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
deepz wrote:
Hi all,
I have wondering if its worth buying used Canon 400 f5.6 for bird photography on Canon 7D. I did try the Tamron 150-600 lens and found images to be soft at 600mm. Also is there another upgrade to this lens (Canon 400mm f5.6) coming in near future ?
Thanks,
Deepak
The 400mm is a great lens especially for the price. I have not seen folks complaining about bad copies. The lack of IS may be an issue. Here are a few hand held with the Kenko 1.4x and retains AF.
p.1 #17 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
Thank you all for your honest review ...based on the above pics it surely is a real winner and i will stick to my decision to buying a 400mm f5.6 since it would be purely for birding.
Is buying a used from BnH or Adorama better than ebay since they offer a 30 day return and are reputed sellers ? Are there any sites where i should look for ?
p.1 #18 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
deepz wrote:
Thank you all for your honest review ...based on the above pics it surely is a real winner and i will stick to my decision to buying a 400mm f5.6 since it would be purely for birding.
Is buying a used from BnH or Adorama better than ebay since they offer a 30 day return and are reputed sellers ? Are there any sites where i should look for ?
You can check used lens prices in the Lens Price Database,
p.1 #19 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
There are now rumours that Sigma is working on a 400 f/5.6 OS, so it may not be too long before we see what Canon doesn't seem to interested in offering: updates to the 300 f/4L I and 400 f/5.6.
400 f/5.6 is still a great lens and if the 100-400II is too much money, is a superior choice for faster action and BIF than the 100-400 v1 where it's AF is much slower, but if you can get the v2 zoom go for it, fast AF, stellar IQ, amazing close focus ability, takes a 1.4x TC with almost no apparent hit to IQ and on the newer 5D4/1DXII the AF performance is excellent.
p.1 #20 · Is Canon 400 f5.6 still worth buying for bird photography ?
Given the brilliant quality of the new 100-400II i doubt Canon could really get much better from a small lightweight prime anyway. And seriously think Sigma will be challenged to find a market for a lens which will even if excellent be limited in flexibility compared to the 100-400II.
If it half the price and manages to be as good from an IQ point i woukd still pay double for the flexibility AND quality of the Canon zoom.
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