Canon EF400mm f5.6 versus Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-f5.6

Hi folks
Having attended the MotoGP at Valalencia last week, and using my 7d with a 70-200mm with 1.4 extender. I have realised I need a longer lens for such events. I was wondering what lens would be better, ie sharpness. I know the 100-400mm has the benefit of the zoom, but I don't want to lose image quality if I can help it.
John
Solved!
Go to Solution.

This topic has been debated many times at both Photography on the Net (POTN) and Fred Miranda (FM) for years with no clear winner. I suggest you forget about choosing one or the other based only on IQ under ideal circumstances. You're not going to see the difference doing what you do unless you have extremely good panning skills. The prime is marginally sharper but so what? It limits what you can shoot because you can't keep changing position so you'll miss opportunities, some of which may be that "money shot". I shoot a different form of action, and based on the expectations of those viewing motorsports photos I strongly suspect the ideal photos will have slow enough shutter speeds for blurred wheels (or spokes) & background but a rider & bike that very crisp. Meeting those requirements will cancel any difference between the 2 lenses IQ wise 99% of the time.
For my needs the prime (just about ANY prime) would be useless, even if I got them free, and I rely on lenses considered to be less than ideal by most because they're superzooms, BUT they do the job, & well. They may not have the very best IQ but they do get the shot, and do it consistantly. Just remember it's not just the lens that captures the shot, it's the combination of the lens, the body, knowing how to set the variables in the body, and your ability to either pan perfectly or hold it steady enough. Blow one of those a tiny bit & the IQ is now less than what was possible when exacuted perfectly. You're not shooting stationary riders from a tripod from a fixed distance all day long so consider all the variables from your previous trips to the track before buying.
"A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought."

Similar Messages

Is there a lens profile for Canon EF100-400mm/4.5-5.6L IS II USM for Lightroom 5 ?

I have Lightroom 5.7 and Camera RAW 8.8 (Via DNG converter 8.8) in Mac OS X 10.10.2.
According to Adobe documentation there lens profile for EF100-400mm/4.5-5.6L IS II USM should be provided by Camera Raw8.8.
However, I cannot not find lens profile correction for this lens from Lightroom 5.7. Does anyone know howto enable lens profile for this lens ?

Thanks, this workaround works:
I copied appropriate lens profile from (the .lcp file)
/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/LensProfiles/1.0
to:
/Users/<my username>/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/LensProfiles

Canon 70-200mm lens with a Canon Extender EF 2X III versus Canon 100-400mm lens

Which is better for astrophotography,
a Canon 70-200mm lens with a Canon Extender EF 2X III or Canon 100-400mm lens

JMR66 wrote:
Which is better for astrophotography,
a Canon 70-200mm lens with a Canon Extender EF 2X III or Canon 100-400mm lens
If you refer to Canon 70-200mm 2.8L IS II USM + Extender 2x III, then you'd get f/5.6 all over the focal length range vs. the EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS USM (meaning you'll get a bit more of light at the short telephoto end when using the 100-400)
Both combinations are very sharp, but I think the 100-400 is a bit sharper when compared to 70-200 2.8L II + extender 2x III, noticeable if you use full frame DSLRs.
If you use APS-C DSLRs, then I'd suggest going for the 70-200 2.8L IS II USM because you'll get more than 1 f-stops of light if you shoot from 70 to 200mm (without the Extender 2x III) compared to the 100-400, and the sharpness is really amazing (better than 100-400 in both Full Frame and APS-C cameras)
Regards
HD Cam Team
Group of photographers and filmmakers using Canon cameras for serious purposes.
www.hdcamteam.com | www.twitter.com/HDCamTeam | www.facebook.com/HDCamTeam

Outdoor sports action photography

I love taking pictures of drag racing cars. I want to be able to get more control of depth but want to use the repeat shutter setting. How can I get the depth of field and make the car the main focus of the picture in an action shot?

I haven't shot the drags since the days of manual focus lenses & film so it's going to be much easier to learn now. Your goal is very similar to what I do shoot these days & I have an article on line that should be a good start and then combine that info with my motorsports comments in a thread here. You may need to buy a lens (depending on what you already have) & if so I recommend either the 70-200 f4 L or the 70-300 IS as good choices.
On line article is here
http://www.rccanada.ca/rccforum/showthread.php?t=147971
Motorsports comments are here
http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/Lenses/Canon-EF400mm-f5-6-versus-Canon-EF100-400mm-f4-5-f5-6/td-p/300...
Learning good panning technique will take a while, but it's the trick to getting the right result when combined with the right shutter speed.
"A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought."

Aperture incorrectly lists Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS USM lens

I recently noticed that Aperture is incorrectly listing my Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS USM lens. It displays it as "Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L + 2x" so it's incorrectly showing a 2x converter which I never ever use.
I tried opening the same file directly from my CF card in Photoshop CS5 and there I was able to see that the RAW image actually has the correct listing for the lens (with the 2x converter).
I then did some examining in my Aperture library and was able to determine that this problem began occuring somewhere between August 14th 2011 (lens labelled correctly) and September 23rd 2011 (lens labelled incorrectly). I suspect there was a software update to Aperture around that time. Further examination shows that on August 14th 2011 and previously Aperture would list the lenses without the manufacturer. While from September 23rd 2011 and on Aperture began listing the lenses with the manufacturer listed.
From what I gather it's the only lens that Aperture is listing incorrectly. It's not a big deal, but it really should be a complicated fix for the Aperture team either.

From what I gather it's the only lens that Aperture is listing incorrectly. It's not a big deal, but it really should be a complicated fix for the Aperture team either.
There are quite a few lenses listed incorrectly - mine do not show at all - "unknown lens".
But send feedback to Apple, otherwise they will not know about the problem: Aperture main menu bar:
Aperture > Provide Aperture Feedback
Regards
Léonie

Will my 70-300 Canon Zoom lens + a 2x multiplier function on a new EOS T3i

Will my 70-300 Canon Zoom lens + a Canon 2x multiplier function on a new EOS T3i?

Basically.... no.
As far as I know, Canon 2X Extenders (teleconverters) cannot even be fitted to any of the 70-300mm lenses. The Canon Extenders all have a protruding front element that prevents them from even being attached to quite a few lenses. They can be fitted to the 70-200mm zooms, as well as the prime lenses 135mm and longer.
A third party 2X would physically fit onto the lens. But.... Most 70-300mm are f3.5-5.6 aperture lenses. With a 2X on them two stops of light are lost to the teleconverter, so the lens/TC combo becomes and effective 140-600mm f7.1-11 lens. Your camera will stop autofocusing with smaller than f5.6 aperture lenses (only 1D-series and 5D Mk III can still focus at f8, even they would fail to focus at f11). Your could still manually focus, except the viewfinder will be quite dim to try to do so.
And, frankly, I wouldn't expect much in terms of image quality. A strong (2X) teleconverter on a zoom lens is often not a great combo.
My advice would be to save up for a longer focal length lens... Something I use a lot, which has good image quality and focuses very well, even in combination with a Canon 1.4X teleconverter, is Canon EF 300mm f4 IS lens. There is also the Canon 400mm f5.6 lens, but it lacks IS (so plan on using a tripod or at least a monopod). If you prefer a zoom there are the Canon 100-400mm IS and Sigma 120-400mm OS or 150-500mm OS. I hear that Tamron is developing a new 150-600mm VC lens that's supposed to be competitively priced, but I don't know when that will be available or have any advance info on it's performance or image quality.
Besides these options... get closer to your subjects. That's often going to give better results, anyway, since with longer focal lengths you'll be shooting from a greater distance, it's much harder to get a steady shot, plus there often can be various atmospheric effects that reduce image quality too.
Alan Myers
San Jose, Calif., USA
"Walk softly and carry a big lens."
GEAR: 5DII, 7D(x2), 50D(x3), some other cameras, various lenses & accessories
FLICKR & PRINTROOM

Canon produce a zoom lens to compete with Sigma 150-500mm and soon to be released Tamron 150-600mm

When will Canon complete with Sigma 150-500mm ($899 B&H), Tamron 150-600mm ($1,060) B&H, the L 100-400 is outdated compared to these newer lens, $600 more expensive and doesn't have the range using my 7D
Solved!
Go to Solution.

Easy answer!
Neither of those lenses are close to the level of quality, all things considered, as the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6 L IS.
In this respect they are NOT comparable. If you disregard everything except build quality, the comparison is not even close.
Not that the third party lenses are not serviceable, they are. But certainly you see the distinct difference?
You are simply not going to get a Canon L for a Sigma price.
Sigma has made some extreme strides in lens production lately. For instance the 35mm f1.4 Sigma is by all accounts sharper than the daunted Canon 35mm f1.4 L. But upon closer examination the build difference is quite noticeable. What's it worth to you?
Now if you want Canon to update the 100-400mm, they will and I suspect to see it this year. The year of the lens!
If you want it to be in the 500mm to 600mm range, I doubt it will happen.
A 400mm f5.6 L prime with IS is supposed to be in the future, too. Very interesting as this is a real winner of a lens.
EOS 1Ds Mk III, EOS 1D Mk IV EF 50mm f1.2 L, EF 24-70mm f2.8 L,
EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II, Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 EX APO
Photoshop CS6, ACR 8.7, Lightroom 5.7

Canon 100-400 mm serie L

Does canon make a 100-400 mm serie L lens that, does not push or pull for the distance to get the at 400 mmm?
I love my 70-200 mmm that twist distance, does 100-400 mm serie L come that too or is it just push and pull model?

The "push/pull" Canon 100-400mm is not right or wrong. It is just different. You may like it or not. But I would suggest you try it first. I find it an easy to use lens and I use it on nearly every wedding I photograph.
The EF 70-300mm f4-5.6 L is another candidate you might consider if you don't go for the push/pull.
EOS 1Ds Mk III, EOS 1D Mk IV EF 50mm f1.2 L, EF 24-70mm f2.8 L,
EF 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II, Sigma 120-300mm f2.8 EX APO
Photoshop CS6, ACR 8.7, Lightroom 5.7

Digital Photo Professional

Hi,
The Canon 70d is a very nice camera that is quite new.
Will the DPP 4.1.xx software be available for it in the future?
Thanks,
Steve

KingEyre wrote:
This is the info, including the link to the Canon website.
Canon has released an updated version of its Digital Photo Professional (DPP) software, which now supports – in addition to its current range of full-frame DSLRs – the EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 70D, EOS 7D Mark II, EOS 7D, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 700D and EOS 100D…
Launched in September 2014, Digital Photo Professional 4 was Canon’s first sweeping change to its popular RAW processing software since its original launch. The latest version of DPP – version 4.1.50 – is a response to feedback from owners of older full-frame and APS-C cameras who are looking for the very latest RAW workflow solution.
Additionally, DPP 4.1.50 supports the recently launched EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM and EF-S 24mm f/2.8 STM lenses, the profiles for which are now available for use with the Lens Correction function.
Commenting on the update, Mike Owen, European Professional Imaging Communications Manager, Professional Imaging Department, Canon Europe, said: “DPP 4.0 has proved incredibly popular with our customers and this latest update further extends its appeal to a wider range of users, such as those using the highly successful EOS 5D Mark II. Canon remains firmly committed to offering a complete range of products to photographers and increasingly its software solutions are playing a vital role in delivering the ultimate in image quality from capture to output.”
DPP 4.1.50: KEY FEATURES
Faster, real-time adjustments.
Improved RAW file workflow.
Better, more approachable user interfaces.
Compatible with 64-bit native environments.
Colour adjustments for specific colour gamuts.
Improved highlight recovery provides expanded tonality.
Improved shadow recovery function.
Support for movie playback.
Auto Lighting Optimizer can be applied to JPEG images.
Better integration with EOS Utility.
You can download DPP 4.1.50 now, free of charge, from Canon Europe’s support site here. Just click on your camera – EOS-1D X, EOS-1D C, EOS 5D Mark III, EOS 5D Mark II, EOS 6D, EOS-1D Mark IV, EOS 70D, EOS 7D Mark II, EOS 7D, EOS 700D and EOS 100D – and select DPP 4.1.50 from the software options to download.
I got it, and it seems to work. I haven't had a chance yet to see whether it fixes any of the bugs in the previous release or improves on the awkward user interface. But it does work on my 7D RAW files, which is what I badly wanted. That said, it still doesn't work on files from my wife's T2i; and since we do some photo shoots together, that remains an annoying inconvenience. I think they should just make V4 work on all .CR2 RAW files.
As of this morning, the new release is still not on the Canon USA Web site, nor is there any mention of it there.
If you haven't downloaded DPP V4 before, don't be blindsided by the fact that they make you enter the serial number of a qualifying camera. If you don't have that on your computer, you'll want to look it up ahead of time.
There's also a new release of Version 3 of EOS Utility. But it appears that the only addition is the aberration data for one or two recently released lenses.
Bob
Boston, Massachusetts USA

I am using Lightroom 4.4, I recently downloaded the latest Camera Raw update, 8.8. Will it work with LR 4.4?

I recently downloaded the most recent Camera Raw update, 8.8. Will it work with LR 4.4? My current Camera Raw plug-in does not recognize my new Canon 100-400mm lens.

Quote "I have downloaded the most recent DNG converter. I guess I was mistaken in thinking I could use this as a plug-in with LR. If I understand correctly, I need to convert image files taken with the new lens with the DNG converter and then load them in LR 4 in order to use the Lens Correction feature in LR. Does that sound correct?"
No, as far as I am aware the only function that the DNG Converter performs is to convert the raw files from a supported digital camera model to a DNG file format.
This will allow you to work with the DNG files in earlier versions of Lightroom or Adobe Camera Raw that do not provide support for the particular camera model raw files. It has nothing to do with Lens profiles.

7D issues

I bought both a 7D and a 60D last August. The images from my 60D are amazing, sharp, clear and colors are fantastic!!
The images from my 7D are not nearly as sharp, colors seem a bit off and all images as a whole seem to have a "film" or haze-type look over the images. I did the firmware update 2.0 yesterday and now I am unable to focus in low light. I am using the basic 28-135mm as my walkabout lens.
Any suggestions or comments as to what may be happening?? I am ready to send the 7D back and get another 60D.
Thanks!

You may have an AF issue. My reply in this thread (message 37) might help.
http://forums.usa.canon.com/t5/Lenses/Is-the-Canon-100-400mm-a-sharp-enough-lens/td-p/473/page/4
Also if you've installed a filter on the lens remove it to see if there's an improvement. If it passes the AF test it might need to have the MA set to match that specific lens (see your manual).
"A skill is developed through constant practice with a passion to improve, not bought."

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Lens Profile

The Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Lens does currently not have a lens profile in LR 5.x. What is the likelihood that Adobe will add one?

The lens profile delineates corrections for geometric (barrel or pincushion) distortion and for light fall-off (vignetting). The CA correction and defringe functions are separate tools that just happen to be grouped together with profile application function and the perspective distortion tools in the same panel because there is a certain logic to having them under one roof.

Would a EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM be a good addition to a Canon EOS Rebel T3?

Would a EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM be a good addition to a Canon EOS Rebel T3? I do already have a Canon zoom lens EF 75-300 lens in addition to the standard 18-55 lens.

I rented one and brought it with me to Italy to use on my T1i. It's a good lens and it takes great photos. The downfall is that it's very large & heavy. We had to drag it around in it's own separate carrying bag while we walked around Italy. It was great to take a shot of the top of the Duomo in Florence with it, when we were 2 miles away. We really couldn't find anything that we could use it on up close.
It depends on what you are going to do with it. If you're looking to take photos of wildlife, this would be a good lens along with a sturdy tripod.
It's quite a jump from the kit lens and the 75-300 you have. I had both of those lenses as well, then I upgraded my 75-300 to a 70-300 and that's really all I need. I also have the 18-55 as well as a 50mm prime.

IPhoto 08 versus Canon DPP

I own a Canon XSi DSLR and I shoot all my pics in RAW. I usually photograph birds and other wild life and often need to sharpen, adjust exposure, or modify the white balance. Does anyone have an opinion about which program, iPhoto 08 or Canon's DPP, is best for doing these tasks? I will use iPhoto to do all my organizing of the photos, so I am just looking at post processing needs.
Before anyone suggestions Aperture or PhotoShop, I am looking at no cost choices for now.

After testing out both options, DPP is not as easy to use as iPhoto. iPhoto is not as powerful, but is more fun and does what I need in fewer steps. If I need a more powerful program, I will use photoshop or Corel.

Sony miniDV versus Canon miniDV

I've read a few times on this forum that Sony miniDV cameras will be recognized by iMovie 08 even if they are the "second" firewire device attached to a Mac. In other words, you can have an external firewire hard drive attached and then attach your Sony camera and it will be recognized.
Then, I've read where a Canon miniDV camera will not behave this way. With a Canon camera, you must detach all other firewire devices and have only the Canon camera as the single firewire device attached to you Mac in order for the Canon miniDV camera to be recognized.
Does anyone know the real story here or have any actual experience with this? I would like to buy a new Canon camera, but I have an external firewire drive attached and that is where my Events are stored. So, obviously detaching my Events firewire drive isn't desirable.
I presently have an old Sony Digital8 firewire camera and it works without detaching my firewire drive.
I appreciate you help and advice.

I have a Canon HV30 attached with a firewire& my time machine also attached with the other firewire port. IMovie recognizes the HV 30 & so does FCE. Hope that help. bjt

Canon EF400mm f5.6 versus Canon EF100-400mm f4.5-f5.6

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