In Praise Of The Canon 100-400L IS.

  • Thread starter Thread starter CT
  • Start date Start date
HoppyUK said:
But your point about the need to stop down is surely answered with CT's post at the top of the thread. His picture was taken with the lens wide open at f/5.6, at 400mm where this lens is supposed to be at it's weakest. Yet with solid technique, it is as sharp as you like!
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As you can see from my example I'm not there yet. But I find looking at crops of my pictures that the lens is indeed extremely sharp, but the things in the picture that are extremely sharp are not the subject.

On a picture of this jackdaw where even at 400mm the jackdaw was a small bird in the frame the jackdaw wasn't particularly sharp, but you could see the witness mark from the mould that the roof ridge tile was made from.
IMG_1457.JPG
 
Here's a good example from today. Shot taken with the 50D at 400mm with the 100-400L wide open- 800 ISO.

Full Frame
3647522396_a3fd62debf_o.jpg


Crop
3647522740_d210633ab7_o.jpg


Hand held btw.
 
one thing we haven't done yet, is use it on a bean bag.

I expect this to be quite a big part of its use in Namibia, that and the ergorest I bought which will fix to the door of the truck and support the bean bag or be fitted with a tripod head.

Now on the tripod head we presumably turn IS off.

What do we do on the bean bag?
 
CT why did you have to start this thread, i had a shot of TrevD's 100-400 at the weekend and will be trying to get a second hand one soon now every one will keep theres or want more money for it :lol::lol::lol:
 
trapper501 said:
one thing we haven't done yet, is use it on a bean bag.

I expect this to be quite a big part of its use in Namibia, that and the ergorest I bought which will fix to the door of the truck and support the bean bag or be fitted with a tripod head.

Now on the tripod head we presumably turn IS off.

What do we do on the bean bag?
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I never turn IS off on my lenses. :shrug:

You have to draw a distinction between on a tripod with the head locked off and using a cable release and on a tripod but pointing the camera around and releasing the shutter by hand.

In the former case there's no movement for IS to detect, so it's pretty pointless and you should switch it off if it's an older lens anyway as you can get corrupted images and Gen 1 IS lenses can in fact be damaged.

In the latter case, there's still loads of movement being detected through your hands on the camera and IS still operates and is a benefit.

As I understand it Gen 2 IS lenses which is any newish lens, automatically detects if there's no movement and disengages IS anyway.

So beanbag or tripod with hands on the camera/ lens (as with a gimbal lens) - leave IS on.
 
macky799 said:
CT why did you have to start this thread, i had a shot of TrevD's 100-400 at the weekend and will be trying to get a second hand one soon now every one will keep theres or want more money for it :lol::lol::lol:
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LOL Sorry mate! :D
 
quick question regarding this lens, what's the apperture at 300mm?

oh and is it internal zoom or a 'dust pump'?

regards
 
c_robinson said:
quick question regarding this lens, what's the apperture at 300mm?

oh and is it internal zoom or a 'dust pump'?

regards
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f5.6 @300mm

Dust pump allegedly, although that's not been my experience in about 4 years of using it.
 
CT said:
No - I really don't think I'd get the same sharpness at that shutter speed without IS, not consistently anyway. The thing with IS is that before it kicks in, you can can see the image dithering about in the viewfinder as you struggle to hold it steady, but the moment it kicks in you see the image become rock steady in the viewfinder. I wish all lenses had it - it's probably the biggest advance in lens technology since AF.
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goddammit now I want something that has IS, all my glass doesn't :(
 
I got one about six weeks ago and would highly recommend it. I got it instead of a 300 because of the versatility of the zoom, having been to an airshow ( Shuttleworth as well ) I have found this to be invaluable.
 
I used to have the 100-400 but sold mine was never that happy with it but for someone who is undecided between the 100-400 and 400f5.6 prime I bought the 400 and it is great this robin was took under a shady tree in my garden and I was pleased with the results

babyrobin3.jpg
 
have had my 100-400 for not quite a year yet, used on a 30D - and still getting used to holding it correctly in order to get best focus and crisp shots.

CT - must say, the 50D with the extra pixels makes an 'ell of a difference with cropping and keeping image clarity - doh, now you're making me want to upgrade body as well - lol

Gary
 
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