Canon EF 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS II....at last, it's announced!!

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Martin
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Looks like it will be here soon.

Specs

Rumors so far of course
 
Similar specs to the 70-300mm L but let's hope you can use the canon teleconvertors
 
Similar specs to the 70-300mm L but let's hope you can use the canon teleconvertors

Only if your camera can focus at f8 (like the 7d2) as you can on the existing 100-400
 
Just bought an old one... Not interested in a new one but just hoping that mine keep it's value!
 
Should be out in 2019 given Canons timescale with the 7DMkII
 
Beta testing is about to start, and I have heard from a very reputable source, which I am afraid I can't disclose, that the lens will be very impressive indeed. This is from someone who got his hands on an early beta model.
 
I love the push pull zoom but I'd trade it for weather sealing.
 
Just bought an old one... Not interested in a new one but just hoping that mine keep it's value!
That depends on the price of the new one. If the cost ends up being significantly higher than the £1200 the mkI goes for new, it could have a positive effect on the used price. However I suspect the difference will be small enough that the increase in supply will depress the value. Perhaps I should offload mine now before the mkII announced.
 
For sure it will be a far superior lens to the existing 100-400 but will probably cost far more as well.
 
It will be interesting how it will compare to the new sigma 150-600mm, particularly at the long end. 600mm, if sharp, will have a big advantage.

Just bought an old one... Not interested in a new one but just hoping that mine keep it's value!

Only if new one is 2x price...
 
For sure it will be a far superior lens to the existing 100-400 but will probably cost far more as well.

"Far superior" ? I have to say that my current copy is sharper than the 5 bladed razor that I shaved with this morning and that's sharp :naughty:
 
I have to say that I like mine a lot as well...
 
I have to say that I like mine a lot as well...

Won't be parting with mine as I really cannot see a new model being noticeably sharper, might have a better IS and coatings but not much else but I stand to be corrected as usual :whistle:
 
"Far superior" ? I have to say that my current copy is sharper than the 5 bladed razor that I shaved with this morning and that's sharp :naughty:

The 70-300L is a waaaay better lens than the current 100-400L and the new 100-400L looks like it's based on the 70-300L so expect it to be waaaay better than the existing ancient 100-400L.

PS Have you tried shaving with your 100-400?
 
Won't be parting with mine as I really cannot see a new model being noticeably sharper, might have a better IS and coatings but not much else but I stand to be corrected as usual :whistle:

The old design was released in 1998

When you look at something like the DXO Mark as an example, the 100-400 scores 14 v 24 for the 70-200 F2.8 Mk II

The biggest issue with it appears to be its ability to resolve detail / sharpness compared to modern lenses.

Imagine if they could get it closer to a 70-200 :)

Comparison
 
What I would like to see is more consistency with the new model.

I've owned a few Canon 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 lenses and a few 400 5.6 lenses.

The 400 f5.6 lenses have all been pretty much the same but the 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 lenses have varied a lot.

At 400mm - my current 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 is better than any of the 100-400 f4.5-5.6 or 400 f5.6 lenses I've owned and that's the reason I've held onto it.

If I do end up going for a new model I'll be keeping my existing one till I know I'm happy.

 
Well, after a few years of false starts and rumours, at last it's announced!!

Here are the details, courtesy of Canon rumours.

Price: $2199 USD
Release Date: November 11, 2014
Ship Date: Unknown


  • Focal Length & Maximum Aperture: 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6
  • Lens Construction: 21 elements in 16 groups
  • Diagonal Angle of View: 24º-6’10’
  • Focus Adjustment: Inner focus system / USM
  • Closest Focusing Distance: 3.2 ft. / 0.98m
  • Filter Size: 77mm
  • Max Diameter x Length, Weight: 3.7 in. x 7.6 in. / 94mm x 193mm; 3.46 lbs. / 1,570g
Overview
The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM telephoto lens delivers a superb combination of cutting-edge performance, compact construction and brilliant resolving power that’s great for sports and wildlife photography.

The telephoto lens features one fluorite and one super UD element to help provide impressive contrast and resolution with reduced chromatic aberration across the entire zoom range. Canon’s new Air Sphere Coating (ASC) helps significantly reduce backlit flaring and ghosting, while fluorine coatings on the front and rear lens surfaces help lessen smears and fingerprints.A 9-blade circular aperture renders beautiful, soft backgrounds, and a 3 mode (standard, panning and exposure only) Optical Image Stabilizer provides up to 4 steps* of image correction.

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM telephoto lens is equipped with a new inner focusing AF system to help ensure fast and accurate focus down to 3.2 ft. with a .31x maximum magnification. Usability enhancements include a rotation-type zoom ring with adjustable zoom torque for more precise, customizable zoom performance, a redesigned tripod mount that can be attached and detached without removing the lens from the EOS camera, and an all-new lens hood with a side window that makes it simple to adjust specialty filters-like polarizers-without the need to remove the hood.

Ruggedly constructed with advanced dust and water sealing for durability in a range of environments, the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM telephoto lens is a stellar performer with refined controls for a wide variety of situations.

I look forward to the reviews!!

George.
 
...but now we have the info and price..and cheaper than I'd have thought.
 
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Well get ripped off in this country if that's the price $2199. I bet UK price would be £1899 which is a lot of money for a f4.5-5.6 lens. And I wish it was an f4-5.6 lens at that premium.

But the conversion doesn't work out. US 7D MKII $1799 v UK £1599
 
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£1385 is wishful thinking given the existing one is in that ball park.

It's going to be a serious jump in price.

PS

Can we merge the threads ???????
 
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Hmmm... I've always been told that the Canon 400mm F/5.6L is a sharper lens than a Canon 100-400 zoom (excluding this latest one which we can't assess yet).

If the new 100-400 is sharper and isn't the type of zoom which creeps out like a horse's cock and also focusses down to just over 3ft (the 300mm F/4L IS does just under 5ft) then it might be worth selling both my 300L and 400L lenses.
 
Hmmm... I've always been told that the Canon 400mm F/5.6L is a sharper lens than a Canon 100-400 zoom (excluding this latest one which we can't assess yet).

If the new 100-400 is sharper and isn't the type of zoom which creeps out like a horse's cock and also focusses down to just over 3ft (the 300mm F/4L IS does just under 5ft) then it might be worth selling both my 300L and 400L lenses.

If you can justify 2x higher price than either, then yes. Since you have two of those I'd serisouly think about it. Prime-sharp IS zoom is a dream.
 
Hmmm... I've always been told that the Canon 400mm F/5.6L is a sharper lens than a Canon 100-400 zoom

It's fair to say there's a general acceptance that this is the case.

As I said above, the 400s I've had have been consistently good but the 100-400s have varied. I guess that's a prime v zoom thing.

My current 100-400 is better than the 400s I've owned at 400mm and with the added flexibility of the zoom (so many quick framing adjustments to 200mm, 300m etc) - it's been a joy to own this particular copy.

Weather sealing is a massive thing for me as it's such a handy moderate lens to be out and about with so (depending on price) I'll be all over this like a rash once the early adopters feedback on consistency.
 
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But don't L Lenses have international warranty be worth buying one if your out there on Holiday.
 
Under the assumption CR's rumor is true

Difference of v2 as compared to v1
- More lens elements and groups
- Differing Focus adjustment
- Shorter focusing distance by 0.82m/2.7ft
- Zoom system possible twist-type rather than push-pull
- Larger Diameter x Length, Weight 2mm x 4mm; 190g
- 2 more stops of IS
- 16 year gap between the introduction of the v1 & v2
- $500 more
- Inclusion of IS Mode 3 http://www.usa.canon.com/cusa/consumer/standard_display/Lens_Advantage_IS

Version 1 vs 2

v1
Focal Length & Maximum Aperture 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6
Lens Construction 17 elements in 14 groups
Diagonal Angle of View 24° - 6° 10'
Focus Adjustment Rear focusing system with USM
Closest Focusing Distance 1.8m/ 5.9 ft.
Zoom System Linear extension Type
Filter Size 77mm
Max. Diameter x Length, Weight 3.6" x 7.4", 3.1 lbs. / 92mm x 189mm, 1,380g
2-stops of IS
Introduced 1998
Price $1,699

v2
Focal Length & Maximum Aperture: 100-400mm 1:4.5-5.6
Lens Construction: 21 elements in 16 groups
Diagonal Angle of View: 24º-6’10’
Focus Adjustment: Inner focus system / USM
Closest Focusing Distance: 3.2 ft. / 0.98m
Filter Size: 77mm
Max Diameter x Length, Weight: 3.7 in. x 7.6 in. / 94mm x 193mm; 3.46 lbs. / 1,570g
4-stops of IS
Introduced 2014
Price $2,199

Edit: Added more "complete" specs
 
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MFD looks interesting.

Doesn't sound much but in reality that's a huge difference.
 
sonys 70-400 f4-5.6 is £1500~1700 or so i think

you might get 1200-1400 from the grey market tho
 
MFD looks interesting.

Doesn't sound much but in reality that's a huge difference.

....Does 'MFD' stand for Minimum Focussing Distance?

If so, that's a very big carrot for this donkey! My favourite subjects amongst all wildlife are dragonflies, butterflies and mini-beasts. I usually wonder around the countryside with a Canon 300mm F/4L IS and a Canon 100mm F/2.8L IS Macro (and lightweight tripod). The 300mm can get me as close as 5 ft and then if the subject is willing I can swop my lens (often already mounted on tripod) to the 100mm Macro and get up close and very personal.

So, one lens which offers the flexibility of 100-400mm zoom down to as close as 3.2 ft would be in theory a no-brainer replacement for my 300mm prime and possibly even my 400mm F/5.6L prime.... In theory!

At 1,570g it's not lightweight though, but.. Price may be the decider.
 
It will be interesting to see the side by side comparison of this vs the Sigma 150-600 Sport considering they're both going to be in the same ball park, but with the Sigma having an extra 200mm.
 
You can't just do a straight conversion, firstly, unless you get it shipped out of state, there is a sales tax in the US. Secondly, I think there's a tax on lenses in the UK of 5%?...and of course VAT at 20%, and the pound is slipping vis à vis the dollar, probably only get about USD1.5 to 1GPB, so if you do this calculation the price comes out about £1850, which is where it will probably settle at.
 
I read somewhere that an announcement by Canon is expected on November 11th - This coming Tuesday.

Oh dear, I have just shelled out for a 7D Mark II body. I think I need to stop being a donkey after a carrot and hold my horses. On paper it's very, very attractive.
 
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