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Trevor Sowers
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Registered: Aug 14, 2009
Location: Canada
Posts: 111
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Review Date: Feb 5, 2022
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Solid construction but very light and compact for 400mm.
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Cons:
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None
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If you like to walk and carry your Super Tele then this is your lens! It is vey packable and if you have enough light to shoot @5.6 then you will get first rate images if you do your part. I shoot it wide open most of the time and it just looks fabulous. The built in hood is super handy and the tripod collar works perfectly. As a side note the old school construction is wonderful and adds to my enjoyment of the lens.
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 Feb 5, 2022
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Perdu
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Registered: Aug 1, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 1694
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Review Date: Jan 14, 2020
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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- Crazy Sharp
- Extremely Fast Autofocus
- Very nice Bokha
- Very Light Weight for a 400mm
- All metal
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Cons:
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- None at all
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I own a EF 100-400L and this. I use them both for different applications. The real benefit of this puppy is it is so much lighter and manageable. People complain it does not have IS. The first time I used it, it was a cloudy miserable day. I wasn’t expecting too much but I got good results even at 1/200 sec. Of course not every image was sharp but enough were, and the results were outstanding on a bright day at shutter speeds of 1/1000sec and above. If it had IS it would be heavier, more expensive and maybe slightly slower to focus. Canon built this lens for a very sharp lightweight nature lens for fast moving objects like BIF and that’s exactly what it’s good at.
If you need closer focus screw a Canon 500D lens on the front of it. Problem solved.
Bokah is much better than the 100-400L. Also needs less time in post editing but both lenses are very good. Also it’s very sharp wide open, which I forgot to mention
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Jan 14, 2020
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stopper
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Registered: May 1, 2008
Location: Canada
Posts: 2
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Review Date: Jun 10, 2015
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Small for a 400mm, it gives 'L' IQ across the whole frame
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Cons:
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None
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Difficult to use when hiking in the bush. The light level is decreased so much that unless out in the open I will use my 300mmF4 IS. The IS does make a difference.
This lens should be updated to IS and fluorite glass included.
I have a lot of great photos of my Sons huskies play fighting in the snow. The images are so sharp it is easy to see the individual hairs on the dogs.
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Jun 10, 2015
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Photoguy1956
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Registered: Jun 10, 2015
Location: Iceland
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Jun 10, 2015
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,800.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Fast AF, IQ and light
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Cons:
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Sunny days are a must
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Fast AF and especially fast when set to 8.5 minimum focus. Lucky my 7D can be set to ISO 1600 and get good results...sure helps with a 5.6 aperture.
I am very happy with this lens. Watch out birds...I am going to shoot you.
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Jun 10, 2015
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adrianb
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Registered: Jun 27, 2010
Location: Romania
Posts: 740
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Review Date: Aug 19, 2014
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,044.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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price, weight, AF
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Cons:
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f/5.6, no IS , no weather sealing
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I've wanted to move from a manual focus lens (Tair 300mm f4.5) to an AF lens, because I was getting tired of shooting wildlife with manual focus as I was missing a lot of shots (especially moving targets).
There were only 3 options for me: 100-400 L, 300 F4L IS and 400 5.6L
The zoom was out of the question, since I would be shooting 90% of the time at the long end (400mm), and then the battle was on between 300 F4L IS and 400 5.6L.
The main advantages of the 300 were F4 and IS. I liked the fact that it had 1.5m MFD,but soon I've learned that that MFD is not a deal breaker (For me) with the 400 (which has 3.5m).
I finally decided on the 400mm because I had already used a 300mm for a while,and if I'm upgrading to a new lens, besides the AF, I just wanted some extra reach.
I've got the lens for 2 weeks and used it on a 5Dc, 5D3 and 50D.
On the 5D3 it works superb, considering the high ISO capability of the camera to help the slow 5.6 aperture of the lens. Not to mention matching the advanced AF system of the 5D3 with the fast AF speed of the 400 5.6 . If you're shooting BIF or distant targets, set the lens AF to 8.5-infinite, and the AF is lightning fast.
Sure, a lot of people would have wanted IS on the lens,but then the price wouldn't have been the same, the weight wouldn't have been the same, etc.
To me, the only disappointment is the lack of some decent weather sealing,since this is thought out as a wildlife/sports lens.
F5.6 is annoying,especially on the 5D, as I find myself shooting ISO 800+ almost all the time,with this lens, but the results are very good. I can't complain on the aperture,since I knew what I was getting into.
For somebody who wants extra reach from a telephoto (wildlife,etc) I can't think of a better lens (on a budget) than the 400mm 5.6L
For an extra 100mm and an F stop (500 MM F4 IS) you have to pay 5-6 times the price and I don't think it's worth it.
I also browsed the web for reviews of the new Tamron 150-600, but it didn't convince me.
It's a shame that Canon doesn't have a cheaper alternative for the 500mm+ FL
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Aug 19, 2014
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bacateen
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Registered: Nov 11, 2011
Location: Canada
Posts: 28
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Review Date: Nov 23, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Light weight, sharp, contrast, cost
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Cons:
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no OS
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All has been said about this lens. I am putting up this review just out of urge to support this good lens. Everything is good about the lens except no OS. However, this was my first L lens which I used for long time. By end, I started taking decent sharp pictures at 1/200 to 1/300 shutter speed if need be. When I moved to OS lenses, I was getting out 4 stop OS out of 2 stop system. This builds your techniques very well. I still get surprised by amount of detail in pictures I have with this lens.
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Nov 23, 2012
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fishyfinger
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Registered: Jul 3, 2011
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Aug 28, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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'Price', light to hold, very sharp, fast focus, hood.
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Cons:
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None, I looked at the box first..
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First chance to use it, was today.
Chasing gannets in Shetland, lovely blue sky.
This lens is a great buy, very easy to use, very easy to hold for a good amount of time.
I also tried the lens with a carbon fibre monopod, worked great.
Very fast focus, easy to hold the focus too when waiting for that 'great' shot!
Worth the money; people that moan about 'lack of IS', spend more money then, simple.
A lot more money..
Buy this, it makes a lot of sense.
Shots of gannets here;
http://www.flickr.com/photos/fishyfinger/
Thanks for reading,
Tim.
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Aug 28, 2012
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cpe1991
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Registered: Apr 25, 2012
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 722
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Review Date: Apr 25, 2012
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,100.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Light, sharp, very fast focus, great for handheld shots of birds.
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Cons:
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The lack of IS is not much of a drawback for bird photography. Because of its light weight and lightning fast focussing, this is the best lens for birds in flight where you have to turn off IS if you have it. For other bird shots, fast shutter speeds are usually necessary anyway and these eliminate the effects of shake. If you are in a hide, you can steady your elbows or the lens on a ledge for slow shutter speeds. For a fraction of the price of one of the big Canon lenses, you get a hand holdable lens you can walk around with all day, and you can move it around quickly for unexpected shots, unlike those guys with their f/2.8s and the necessary hefty tripods. This lens is sharp wide open at f/5.6 and there is no point in going to smaller apertures unless you want greater depth of field.
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Apr 25, 2012
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fotojev
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Registered: Feb 13, 2010
Location: Netherlands
Posts: 35
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Review Date: Nov 13, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 8
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Pros:
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Sharp, relatively light weight, fast.
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Cons:
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No weather seal, no IS.
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This lens was my first lens for bird photography. With a 50D it was a nice compact solution. Of course it was not perfect because of the limited reach. For birds in flight with enough light it is perfect because it is hand holdable.
I do no longer have this lens and I doubt whether I will buy it again. IS is a must have I think as well as weather sealing.
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Nov 13, 2011
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JoelWilcox
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Registered: Apr 11, 2005
Location: United States
Posts: 387
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Review Date: Jun 5, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,329.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Lightweight, simple (no IS).
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Cons:
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Would be bullet proof if it had weather sealing.
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Sharper than my 100-400 at 400mm, which is why I got it. Love the built-in lens hood. But its lack of IS practically screams for a gimbal head. I use a Wimberley Sidekick on an Arca-Swiss Z1 -- super smooth and stable.
But note that if you're using a 1D series body or battery grip, you'll want a longer lens plate than made/recommended to move the lens/body forward for neutral balance. An RRS multi-purpose rail (MPR-113) fits the bill.
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Jun 5, 2011
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nadandnad
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Registered: Apr 5, 2010
Location: Germany
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Apr 7, 2011
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Light weight, Sharp, really fast AF
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Cons:
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weather sealing
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This is the longest focal length lens I ever griped, It needs training to be used to hunt the shot you want on time. Light weight and the built in hood is very practical. The only thing I would complain about is weather sealing that is missing. Of course sharp f5.6. It is really fun to use such a lens. Great bokeh for 5.6. Compared to the 5 times priced f4, this is a real bargain.
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Apr 7, 2011
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ken billington
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Registered: Dec 4, 2010
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Dec 4, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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light in weight, excellent optical performance, fast focusing, sharp images, good vignetting performance
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Cons:
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no image stabilisation, not water resistant
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Advantages:
1. Light in Weight - the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM Lens is light in weight compared to the other Canon telephoto lenses . This is a huge advantage for bird photography, easy to maneuver when taking flight shots, not too tiring when trekking.
2. Excellent Optical Performance - as a member of the Canon L Lens Series, the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM Lens' overall optical performance is outstanding.
3. Fast focusing - thanks to the Ultrasonic Motor (USM), the 400 f/5.6 L internally focuses very fast and very quietly.
4. Sharp Images - the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM Lens performs superbly in the sharpness department. Even wide open, the 400 f/5.6 produces very sharp images.
5. Good Vignetting Performance - even the corners of full fame shots remain evenly colored without displaying any tendency to vignetting.
Disadvantages:
1. Image Stabilisation - one of the compromises of this budget lens is that it doesn't have image stabilisation (IS). It can still be very successful for "handheld" or so-called "grab-shots" provided that a short exposure time and/or a higher ISO is used. When used together with the high quality EOS DSLR's recently introduced by Canon, this disadvantage can be compensated.
2. Water Resistance - another disadvantage of this lens is that it isn't 100% water resistant like its more expensive cousins.
Conclusion:
The Canon EF 400mm f/5.6 L USM Lens is hugely successful for bird and wildlife photography and especially for flight shots. It offers a good level of performance at a relatively low price.
Check out my photos on https://focusingonwildlife.com/news/
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Dec 4, 2010
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CampX
Offline
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Registered: Dec 20, 2005
Location: Canada
Posts: 812
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Review Date: Jul 27, 2010
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Recommend? |
Price paid: Not Indicated
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Pros:
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Light weight, super IQ, easily hand-holdable
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Cons:
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Jul 27, 2010
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rndman
Offline
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Registered: Apr 10, 2009
Location: N/A
Posts: 27
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Review Date: May 24, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,200.00
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Sharp wide open, light, built in hood, surprisingly hand holdable even for lower shutter speeds, price
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Cons:
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Little long. I now need a new bag to carry it attached...
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In spite of having 100-400 in my bag, I went for this lens, just to get those BIFs. My 100-400 is very good for static subjects, but for BIFs I though the AF was bit slower.
Yet to give a complete test ride to 400mm, but in last couple of days whatever it has delivered, I am pleased.
Highly recommended to anyone looking for lens for BIF (alone) and on fence between 100-400 and 400mm. The absence of IS should not be an issue as BIFs need high enough shutter speed.
Some samples from my new lens below. Yes, these are not BIFs, but just to give you an idea.
I think my copy has abit of front focus. I will probably need to run through MFA.
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4065/4634230136_391ceb718b_o.jpg
http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4057/4633632327_8fec5f36c7_o.jpg
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May 24, 2010
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Phil UKNet
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Registered: Oct 20, 2007
Location: Thailand
Posts: 0
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Review Date: May 7, 2010
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: $1,357.00
| Rating: 9
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Pros:
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Reasonable price for the focal length, reasonable weight, great image quality, fast and accurate AF, built-in lens hood, tripod collar included
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Cons:
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No IS, minimum focusing distance not that close
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In theory the EF 300mm f/4L IS lens plus an EF 1.4x extender should be a better choice than the EF 400mm f/5.6L lens. Instead of just 400mm @ f/5.6, you get 300mm @ f/4 or 420mm @f/5.6 plus Image Stabilisation.
That's the theory. In practice, it didn't work out for me because the EF 300mm f/4L IS lens I owned never really delivered the results I was expecting. I sold it and bought the EF 400mm f/5.6L.
So far, this lens has exceeded all my expectations. The image quality is very good, and with small subjects I think the limiting factor is my 40D's sensor. I'm sure the extra pixel density of a 7D will help, and that will probably be my next acquisition.
Autofocus is accurate and very quick. The image quality is still perfectly acceptable with the Canon EF 1.4x extender but - of course - autofocus ceases to function on bodies other than 1-Series cameras.
When using an extender, manual focusing using Live View works adequately but the process is slow and not really suitable for photographing quick moving subjects, such as birds. The lens isn't too bad for hand-holding but after a few hours my forearms start to ache a little.
The biggest drawback is the lack of IS. After using lenses with the latest technology IS, it is something that I miss very much. I feel happier using this lens on a tripod but it isn't possible all the time.
I won't get into the EF 400mm f/5.6L vs the EF 100-400mm L zoom lens debate because I've never used the 100-400mm.
My buying decision was based on the theory that with the zoom I would probably be using it at 400mm most of the time. The prime was cheaper, and probably sharper - although I know some people say it isn't.
I'd love an updated version with improved optics and four-stop Image Stabilisation. When/If Canon announce that lens I will upgrade, but until that happens I am happy with the version that's available now.
A few image samples at:
http://phil.uk.net/photography/canon_400F56L.html
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May 7, 2010
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barmaley
Offline
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Registered: Oct 23, 2009
Location: Russia
Posts: 0
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Review Date: Nov 19, 2009
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Recommend? yes |
Price paid: Not Indicated
| Rating: 10
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Pros:
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Very sharp, Very fast AF, nearly flawless IQ, good build, built in hood.
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Cons:
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none for the price, may be want close minimal focusing distance.
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This is my favorite lens.
I wanted long telephoto primary for birding, and chosen this lens over a number of competitors.
It is insanely sharp, have excellent colors and microcontrast,
have virtually none CA (they are pronounced only in very high contrast lighting). Overall image quality is excellent.
It has the fastest AF speed among anything with comparable price, and balances very nicely on medium sized body like 40D or 7D.
On full frame camera 3.5m minimum focus distance may be annoying, but on crop camera sparrow sized bird fills the frame.
I like built in hood, very nice feature.
Lack of IS may be drawback for somebody, but I successfuly use it handhold.
You can read my review with sample images here:
http://alexsukonkin.com/reviews/Canon-EF400f56-L-USM_en.html
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Nov 19, 2009
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Reviews
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Views
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Date of last review
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120
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313977
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Feb 5, 2022
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Recommended By
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Average Price
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95% of reviewers
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$1,071.57
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Build Quality Rating
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Price Rating
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Overall Rating
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9.74
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9.56
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9.5
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