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Archive 2023 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

mannyfresh79
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

Hi, I currently have the 500 f/4 I (version 1) and really love the image quality of this lens. I was considering moving to the Canon 500 II and wanted some feedback from others that have done the same. It's 1.5 lbs lighter... I'm still pretty fit and currently hand-hold my 500. Curious if that 1.5 lbs makes that much of a difference. It is 2x the cost...

Thoughts?

Sep 21, 2023 at 02:38 PM

big country
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

It does make a difference, but is it worth 2x the cost? your decision. you do get more advanced technology and better IS. personally i'd go for a 600mm ii.

Sep 21, 2023 at 09:12 PM

mannyfresh79
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

big country wrote:
It does make a difference, but is it worth 2x the cost? your decision. you do get more advanced technology and better IS. personally i'd go for a 600mm ii.

Do you hand hold the 600 II ?

Sep 21, 2023 at 10:22 PM

gkinard1952
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

I went from the version 1 to the version II.
Optically not much difference IMO.
Unlike you with the version 1 I used it mostly on a tripod. Version II I hand hold most of the time. But, even with the version II I find I am trying to find places to help stabilize it. Tree, knee, BIF is fine if not too long.

I would not have switched ,but was offered 6,500 for mine when the II first came out. I had bought it on flee bay for 5,500 just like new. And the country I was in had a favorable exchange rate so I switched.

Still have it and wish it was with me now.. I miss it. I found it much easier to travel with. If and when I travel with it. I can throw it in a roll on bag with my clothes. Extra 1.5 in weight reduction made a difference for me.

Sep 22, 2023 at 12:54 AM

Mike Jacks0n
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

To me, the weight difference feels more significant than the 1.5 lbs. suggest. And if you use TCs, the V2 is better with them. Almost no reason to ever stop down, versus the V1 where you can get a relatively noticeable improvement stopping down.

Are those worth an extra few thousand dollars... can't say. You'll have to weigh that yourself. The differences are rather thin. When I was choosing between the V1 and V2 these differences were enough and made it easy for me to decide, but at the time the V2 was the best Canon had to offer so there was also a little obsolescence protection added in too. If you are considering a V2, you might even want to wait until the RF 500 shows up (in whatever form) and the EF V2 will see another price drop as they flood the market.

Sep 22, 2023 at 10:32 AM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

I believe that the v2 is still the current 500. Probably has improved IS vs the older v1.

Sep 22, 2023 at 10:59 AM

mannyfresh79
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

Thanks for all the responses... I'm glad I posted this on here, because it gave me time to think and realize what a bargain it is to stay with the V1. I'd be paying $2.5k to save 1.5 lbs and get slightly better stabilization. Will give it more thought. I don't travel on planes with this setup so it's mainly for local bird/wildlife shooting.

Sep 22, 2023 at 01:19 PM

jaredmizanin
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

As far as prices dropping once the RF 500 comes out (probably in the form of the 200-500/4) I just don't see that happening. Prices on the 500 II are already pretty low (just saw one sell for $3499 and regularly bump into them under 5k). The new 500 should be over 10k. Sometimes new gear actually drives the secondhand prices upwards.

Sep 22, 2023 at 01:41 PM

big country
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

i did 90% of the time when i owned it.

mannyfresh79 wrote:
Do you hand hold the 600 II ?

Sep 22, 2023 at 01:57 PM

armd
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

I think my earlier reply was lost when the site crashed. Apart from the issues mentioned, the v2 is still supported by canon for at least two years, whereas the v1 is not. Additionally, the v1 will not allow H+ FPS (20 for the R5) in MS mode though it will in ES.

Sep 22, 2023 at 09:11 PM

jpeter
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

I used the 500v1 on a 5d2 and 7d2. Shot it with and without 1.4x extender. I was happy with the lens. It is a beast though. For me its a car safari or put on tripod lens.
Sold both bodies and the lens. Went a couple years with 100to400v2 and 5dsr. Bought a 500v2 have owned it 4 or 5 years. Its hard to judge the sharpness between the two. The 7d2 and 5dsr have the same pixel density, but the 5dsr is sharper with its weak aa filter. So my feeling that the v2 is sharper might have to do with the camera body. I will say the v2 lens with 1.4x resolves the pixel density of the 5dsr pretty well.
Onto weight. Yes its lighter, but still mostly tripod use for me.
Jp

Sep 23, 2023 at 05:30 AM

mannyfresh79
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

jaredmizanin wrote:
As far as prices dropping once the RF 500 comes out (probably in the form of the 200-500/4) I just don't see that happening. Prices on the 500 II are already pretty low (just saw one sell for $3499 and regularly bump into them under 5k). The new 500 should be over 10k. Sometimes new gear actually drives the secondhand prices upwards.

Wow $3499 is a great price. Was it in excellent condition?

Sep 23, 2023 at 05:40 AM

Uarctos
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

I'd get the II, the prices are going down and you'll still have support for 5-6 years. I used the original for 7 years, exclusively hand-held, but the II is much easier to carry around and hand-hold, quite a bit sharper with the TC's, although if bare it's a wash between the two.

Sep 23, 2023 at 06:27 AM

jaredmizanin
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Canon 500 f/4 I vs. II

Wow $3499 is a great price. Was it in excellent condition?

There were plenty of marks on the lens's exterior. To be honest I never saw photos of the actual glass. I really didn't want to ask for more photos because I'd be too tempted to buy it if the glass was in great shape.

Sep 23, 2023 at 07:41 AM


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