p.1 #1 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
Hi Friends,
I am finding mixed reviews on new canon 600mm f4 v3 lens. The issue is around low light performance. The images are blurry when used with shutter speed below 1/250s. Also, performance with TC compared to version 2 is not as expected. Some post says it’s known issue and Canon is aware of the same. In that case, would like to hear if canon has rectified the flaw.
It will be really interesting to know your thoughts and experience from the one’s using this lens.
p.1 #2 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
If you are going to shoot a 600mm lens at 1/250 (why?), you better have a rock-solid tripod weighted down with no wind & remote ES control. Better to shoot with higher ISO & SS.
p.1 #3 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
brad-man wrote:
If you are going to shoot a 600mm lens at 1/250 (why?), you better have a rock-solid tripod weighted down with no wind & remote ES control. Better to shoot with higher ISO & SS.
I assume his question was compared to the same lens but mkll? I'll assume that he meant it has a congenital firmware/design fault that's not in the other non-mklll lenses under same usage.
In other lenses maybe the IS mitigates the lens movement(not the subject movement) at 250 ss.
John
Jan 30, 2021 at 12:34 AM
AmbientMike Offline • • • • • • [X]
p.1 #4 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
There is a big long thread on here about this or similar issues. You might pm the guy that started the thread if this isn't it or other issues
p.1 #5 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
That’s absolutely correct for most of the scenarios. Usually, you will have the tripod. But sometime situation might be different on field. Thus, wanted to check with someone who has upgraded from version 1 or 2 to version 3. Have you faced any challenges/ concerns with low light situations?
p.1 #6 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
I moved from 600 ii to 600 iii.
I have not experienced any issues with low light performance vs 600 ii.
Regarding tc, there is a very slight difference between the two, with the 600 ii being sharper, but in real world shooting conditions this is not noticeable.
The weight savings, improved balance and IS are significant advantages for my style of shooting.
p.1 #7 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
The 600III had issues with IS in the 1/30s to 1/250s range, especially when paired with 5D4. The shutter shock was so bad that the images were useless. I was able to shoot even at 1/8s and get sharp images handheld (not all of them, of course), but all of my attempts at 1/200s were garbage.
Since then, the lens received 2 firmware updates and things improved. Make sure you have the later updates, at least the second one.
Mine is super sharp with the 2xTC wide open, sharper than the 600II of a friend of mine.
What body do you shoot with?
p.1 #9 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
Can you post some images and did you check its firmware version? I've remembered when my 5D4 was the culprit, that on 1dx2 the lens was flawless, despite having the original firmware. Others had issues with 1Dx2, though.
p.1 #11 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
I started the original thread listed above. I felt the firmware updates improved things on the 5DIV, but it didn’t make them perfect. Every DSLR I used with the 600iii had issues, even after the fix. This included 1DX3, 1DX2, 5DIV, 5DSR, and the 90D. Now with two R5s, there is no issue with the ES mode. Early on I checked MS and lower shutter speeds that were previously affected and I got similar results to the DSLRs.
If you follow the previous thread, I was fairly adamant that only the 5DIV was affected. In actuality, in subsequent testing, it was all of the cameras, but the 5DIV was the camera I first noticed it on because it was so exaggerated.
If I recall correctly, I do not believe this was totally a shutter shock issue because I could have the lens mounted on a tripod and take perfectly tack sharp photos with IS off, but if I turned IS on, it displayed the issues.
Now that I almost exclusively use ES mode on the R5, it’s a moot point for me.
Also, don’t listen to those who ask why you’d ever shoot a 600 at 1/250. There are many times you’d need or want to do that.
p.1 #13 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
Thanks again for your inputs. Yes, I have read the comments in your previous post. When someone is spending 13 grands on a lens he/she should expect it to be bang for the buck and it to perform flawless in all given conditions. I am surprised that I am not finding much post out there on this topic. Now, I am thinking of renting and test it out before deciding to purchase.
p.1 #14 · Canon 600mm f4 is III : Issue with low light performance
I had an issue shooting in mechanical shutter and getting bad shutter shock at about 1/125 shutter speed with the r5. This is with the firmware update. Have images that are fine at 1/250 shutter speed.
switched to electronic shutter primarily since and haven't noticed the same phenomenon.
