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Archive 2019 · Canon 800-thinking about selling

  
 
rprouty
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


I'm thinking about selling my Canon 800 lens, I bought it new and have really enjoyed it but as I get older I don't enjoy it as much. I'm think about replacing it with a 500 V2 or a 400DO II. We were in Yellowstone in May and we used our 100-400 IIs all the time so I'm thinking one of the shorter lighter lenses would be more fun to use.
Any thoughts from folks who have downsized? Thanks



Jun 24, 2019 at 09:55 AM
Abbott Schindl
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


I haven't downsized, but have used the 800...

A small point that might help you: the 500 (II) with a 1.4X Extender (III) works extremely well and yields 700mm FL if you need that much.

Most of the time I use my 100-400 (II), sometimes with a 1.4X Extender (III). The combination serves me well for large mammals (Yellowstone), larger birds (sandhill crane and other migrations), aircraft in-flight and so on. It also travels very easily on aircraft and is an easy hiking companion.

It also depends on what you do with the images. My 500 is sharper than the 100-400 (I typically use both on 7D2 and 5D4 cameras), but not as versatile. If you need the utmost detail, the 500 or newest 600 are better options if you can deal with the size and weight. But if you want portability, versatility, and are willing to sacrifice a tad of sharpness, the 100-400 (II) is the better option.

In the above, though, I assume you're close enough that you've minimized the effects of air currents. If you're mostly using the 800 to compensate for being close, then you'll want a replacement combination with similar FL. Whenever possible, I try to compensate for distance by moving closer (when possible) or contenting myself with whatever my high-res cameras (7D2 and 5DsR) can capture.



Jun 24, 2019 at 10:33 AM
armd
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


Like Abbott, I find the 100-400 II to be the optimal walk around wildlife lens. It will pair nicely with the 1.4x III for nearby objects, but the IQ breaks down quickly for distant subjects. The 500 IS II is a nice lens which works well alone or with the 1.4x III but IQ really suffers with the 2x. The new 600 IS III is 2" longer and about the same weight as the 500 IS II whereas the 600 IS II is significantly heavier and longer than either lens. With these options, the 400 DO II while a great lens doesn't offer the utility of the zoom and neither the AF speed, reach, etc. of the other choices.


Jun 24, 2019 at 11:15 AM
morris
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


The 800mm is a big heavy lens and while you once enjoyed it you express that it is now a chore to use and that you are not using it much any more. Listen to your body and avoid an injury. You are already enjoying using the shorter 100-400 and there is no reason you can't add a TC when necessary.

Morris



Jun 24, 2019 at 11:30 AM
Colin F
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


Not sure how old you are, but it is easy to grow weary of the weight of the bigger guns. I had the older, heavier 500 f/4 IS for two years, and grew tired of it, and sold it in order to get the "II" version. But I first went about a year just using the 100-400 II, and while it is a very good, versatile lens, there is no substitute for a big prime (for those of us with the disease - ).

I must respectfully disagree with armd's comment about the 2X on the 500 II, for it was that reason alone that I bought a 500 II. I had borrowed a friend's 500 II as I was curious to know how well it played with the 2XIII which I still owned from my 500 IS days. In short, I was blown away by how well it worked in terms of AF speed, even when using outer AF points, and image quality was great. *This was with a 5DIV, so lesser bodies (and of course crop-bodies) won't do as well as the 5DIV and 1DXII. That exercise had me buy a 500 II, and it was very nice knowing that I could pop on the 2X (in good light of course) and have a nice image. It never worked very well with the older IS version of the 500.


Four months ago I switched to Nikon (due to the D850) and the Nikon 500 f/4E with 1.4 ext. I find myself thinking about getting the 600E as we often seem to not have enough reach, but wonder if I would regret that extra 1.5 lbs. (I wish the Nikon 2X worked as well as the Canon).

Yesterday, I used a blind in my back yard and pulled out the old, neglected 7DII and 100-400 II. I set up a vertical perch which I had drilled some 1" suet holes in for woodpeckers. In a short period of time a Pileated showed up, and I was able to use the versatility of the zoom, capturing both a full body shot, and a head-shot. I couldn't have done that with the 500 f/4.

So basically I feel that both lenses are needed by a serious bird photographer if it can be afforded.

And another thing that you may want to keep in mind is that getting out regularly with a bigger lens actually keeps you sort of "in shape" for doing so, whereas taking it out infrequently is more of a shock to the body.


https://media.fotki.com/2v2ESqgf8xBSnFo.png

https://media.fotki.com/2v2ESqgUFxBSnFo.png


Edited on Jun 24, 2019 at 06:11 PM · View previous versions



Jun 24, 2019 at 12:00 PM
rprouty
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


I may try and find a trade for a 500 V2 but it's like letting an old friend go.


Jun 24, 2019 at 12:03 PM
elkhornsun
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


The focal length of the lens does determine the initial image size but the resolution of the sensor is equally important in determining overall maximum print size. A 500mm on a 45MP D850 gives me an image file that is the equal of a D5 with a 600mm lens.

If you do not need the 14 fps of a "pro" DSLR you can get a much higher resolution image and not need to haul around as heavy a lens. For me that means using my 3.1 lb 500mm f/5.6 PF lens with the D850 instead of my 600mm f/4 lens with a D5 camera.

In the western USA a very long lens is useful but with my overseas travels a 500mm lens with or without a 1.4x teleconverter is more versatile. There is such a thing as having too much lens and having to over crop subjects as a result. At the popular bald eagle area near Haines the use of a 600mm lens results in too tightly cropped images as the camera to subject distance is not that great and one is photographing a very large bird.

I always take my 80-400mm lens and have it on a second camera while using a 600mm or 500mm prime lens. I am going to take two cameras anyways so adding this lens to my kit is not a big deal. Even less of a problem when I take the 500mm FP lens.



Jun 24, 2019 at 01:07 PM
Imagemaster
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


When it comes to weight, there is simply no fixed focal-length lens that exists that can cover the same focal-length range as the 100-400. Neither a 400 DO, 500 f4, nor 600 f4 can give you all those focal-lengths from 100mm to 399mm.

Sure, f8 and f11 are not great when using a 1.4x or 2x TC, but for me and others concerned about weight, it is better than coping with 11 pounds or more that you would get with two or more prime lenses, a gimbal, and tripod.



















Jun 24, 2019 at 03:11 PM
Andrew J
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


Colin F wrote:
Not sure how old you are, but it is easy to grow weary of the weight of the bigger guns. I had the older, heavier 500 f/4 IS for two years, and grew tired of it, and sold it in order to get the "II" version. But I first went about a year just using the 100-400 II, and while it is a very good, versatile lens, there is no substitute for a big prime (for those of us with the disease - ).

I must respectfully disagree with armd's comment about the 2X on the 500 II, for it
...Show more

I was with you right up until the part where you went to the dark side.



Jun 24, 2019 at 09:33 PM
armd
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


Your comments on the 2x mated to the 500 is ii were very interesting. Even at small apertures, f/11 and above, on a tripod, using live view, I struggled with static subjects at distance unless they filled up the whole frame. Mind you, one is shooting at 1000mm and there are other factors involved. I don’t think it was my tc as it performed reasonably well on my 300f/2.8, though perhaps it has something to do with the lens voltage and the 5d series?

I agree that the 500 f/4 is ii is a fabulous lens by itself or with a 1.4xtc. Unfortunately, I was never happy with its performance with the 2x. Care to post a few samples?

Anyhow, I think we can agree it’s hard to find a substitute for the size/weight and utility of the 100-400 is ii?



Jun 24, 2019 at 09:45 PM
Colin F
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


armd wrote:
...though perhaps it has something to do with the lens voltage and the 5d series?


So my first question would be, what body were you using?



I agree that the 500 f/4 is ii is a fabulous lens by itself or with a 1.4xtc. Unfortunately, I was never happy with its performance with the 2X. Care to post a few samples?

It would take some time to dig through all my images to find the ones taken with the 2X, so my question for you on this would be, did you do an AFMA with your body & lens, and if so, are you confident in the AFMA method you used?


Anyhow, I think we can agree it’s hard to find a substitute for the size/weight and utility of the 100-400 is ii?

Yup, I just shot this an hour ago with the 100-400 II and 7DII:


https://media.fotki.com/2v2ESNSQHxBSnFo.png






Jun 24, 2019 at 10:11 PM
armd
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


Colin F wrote:
So my first question would be, what body were you using?


It would take some time to dig through all my images to find the ones taken with the 2X, so my question for you on this would be, did you do an AFMA with your body & lens, and if so, are you confident in the AFMA method you used?




Used a 1dx until I sold it and am currently using 5dmkiv’s. All of my lenses are calibrated with FoCal so that’s not the issue. I find the images with the 2x and the 500 to be lacking in contrast, suffer from CA, and have poor resolution. The same tc on a 300 f2.8 is ii didn’t demonstrate any of these characteristics and in fact the images with the 2x on that lens rivaled the sharpness of the 500 with a 1.4x. This seems to be confirmed by the optical tests on the digital picture. Again, full frame, probably not a problem but cropping, the image degrades extremely rapidly.

Edited on Jun 25, 2019 at 09:35 PM · View previous versions



Jun 25, 2019 at 03:24 PM
Flowernut
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


I'd consider the new 600. The weight is comparable to the 500 and with a 1.4x gives you 840mm that is sharper than the 800.


Jun 25, 2019 at 06:35 PM
Liquidstone
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


rprouty wrote:
I'm thinking about selling my Canon 800 lens, I bought it new and have really enjoyed it but as I get older I don't enjoy it as much. I'm think about replacing it with a 500 V2 or a 400DO II. We were in Yellowstone in May and we used our 100-400 IIs all the time so I'm thinking one of the shorter lighter lenses would be more fun to use.
Any thoughts from folks who have downsized? Thanks


I can relate. After extensive use of a Sigmonster, 400 2.8 IS and 500 f4 IS (as well as the occasional borrowed 800 5.6 and 600 f4) in the past, my appetite for big glass has mellowed dramatically with age. Perhaps my tolerance for punishment has gone down, or my passion for long shooting has abated, or both.

I ditched all my big glass except for the 400 2.8 IS, which I sometimes bring out of storage to shoot at 1600 mm (with stacked 2x TCs) just to see if I can still handle a supetele.

My preferred daily shooter is a Sony RX10 IV, supported by a 400 DO II for BIFs (even the latter feels heavy at times).

I might rediscover a yearning for big glass when a reasonably priced (less than USD 20K) 800 f/4 L is released. If I'm gonna be punished with carrying heavy artillery, the extreme reach should at least be worth the effort.




Jun 25, 2019 at 06:48 PM
daniel.in.la
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


After shooting with that 800mm and now with the Sony 600mm and owning the 400mm, I'd look at that Canon 600 f/4 v3 as it really is super light and easy to carry around. I love the fact that carrying big glass is no longer a massive undertaking, aside from proper packing.


Jun 25, 2019 at 07:16 PM
RobertLynn
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Canon 800-thinking about selling


The 800 is a specialty lens and an expensive one at that. If you're not using it and you don't plan on it, sell it.


Jul 04, 2019 at 03:14 PM





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