400 or 500?

skydiver

skydiver

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Ken
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Hi Guys,


which would you choose if you had a choice of the Canon 400 f2.8 or the 500 f4, and why?

Anyone had any experience of using both?


Currently have the 400, is the extra reach of the 500 worth the 'upgrade' ?


thanks in advance...
 
How about adding a 1.4x shouldn't have a problem with a 2.8 lens.
 
I'd by 1.4TC and turn 400/2.8 into 600/4 when I need longer reach
 
Hi Guys,

thanks for quick replies.

Already have the TC's - but any gain if I add the TC's to a 500? :thinking:
 
gunnar said:
I'd by 1.4TC and turn 400/2.8 into 600/4 when I need longer reach
Click to expand...

My maths must be out as I get it to a 560mm not 600.

I would go 400mm f2.8 as it gives the advantage of better background separation of subject to background. Can be used in lower light, and takes the teleconveters and keeps auto focus on 1D bodies.

How often will you need the extra reach if you already have the 400 and teleconverters ? With the 7D if I remember right you lose the abillaty to auto focus over f5.6
 
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A 2x convertor on an f2.8 lens will take it f5.6, so will AF on any Canon body not just the 1D range.
 
I'd go with the 400 2.8... simply because the sheer size of the 500 is too much for me (my arms aren't long enough to hook the lens hood!), plus the 400 is 2.8 and the 500 can never be. Sometimes its better to have f2.8 and use a crop tool than have f4 and get less accurate AF in failing light.
 
desantnik said:
I'd go with the 400 2.8... simply because the sheer size of the 500 is too much for me (my arms aren't long enough to hook the lens hood!), plus the 400 is 2.8 and the 500 can never be. Sometimes its better to have f2.8 and use a crop tool than have f4 and get less accurate AF in failing light.
Click to expand...

The 400 is a heavier lens than the 500 I think, or at least the old ones are. The 500 is actually extremely portable for what it is.
 
Yes, the old (aka "current" because you can't get the new uberlight canon primes yet) 400 is heavier, but heavy is one thing, too long is another if you are shooting from a monopod and need to grasp the end to steady it...
 
mmm...thanks guys, food for thought.

Guess the best idea is to borrow a 500 and give it a try, but reading the comments, thinking I'll stick with what I've got.
 
Another one for the 400... its just more versatile, as said you can use TC's without issue, with the 500 its not worth thinking about really.. and again as said theres the low light issue to think about.
 
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