Canon 400mm DO..did it get an upgrade?

George

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I am interested in picking up one of these, but I seem to remember it got a bit of an upgrade in 2008/9...am I correct?

I tried one of these some years ago, and felt it wasn't at all bad, and I like it's weight (or rather lack of it! !)

Be interested in the upgrade date...if it happened!!

Thanks, George.
 
Nikon's first 200-400mm f/4 ED 1983 - 1988 was a manual focus AI-s lens.

Nikon 200-400mm VR f/4 AF-S 2003 - 2010

Nikon 200-400mm VR II f/4 ED N AF-S 2010 - ...... added a couple of minor features, like supposedly a better VR system, and is otherwise the same.


Just shoot me now, not only did I get the wrong lens, bloo@y wrong make as well. :shrug: :wave: :wacky: :bang: been a long day. Got Nikon on my brain from another thread.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-400mm-f-4.0-DO-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

4 paragraphs up from bottom of review. There has been no changes to this lens since canon started manufacturing it.

As for this lens, very good weight wise, main reason my friend bought it, but I've not been impressed with its performance v price, would rather have my 300mm f2.8 any day.
 
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Pete, thanks, but I'm not sure of the relevance to my question??:shrug::shrug:
 
Think he may of meant to reply to the canon 200-400 thread bit further down!!
 
Think he may of meant to reply to the canon 200-400 thread bit further down!!

Yup, I think so...a touch of brain fade...well, it happens to all of us!!!:thumbsdown:
 
Yup, I think so...a touch of brain fade...well, it happens to all of us!!!:thumbsdown:

Guilty as charged :razz: :LOL: edited response above
 
http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-400mm-f-4.0-DO-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

4 paragraphs up from bottom of review. There has been no changes to this lens since canon started manufacturing it.

As for this lens, very good weight wise, main reason my friend bought it, but I've not been impressed with its performance v price, would rather have my 300mm f2.8 any day.[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the modified comments, Pete....!!
I have the 300 2.8 and love it, but the advantage of the 400 DO is I can push it to 800mm with a 2x and just occasionally I could do with the reach.

I certainly read somewhere that it (the 400) was modified, but perhaps that was incorrect...and it may well have been after 2008, when the above comment was made.
Let's see if anyone else has any input.
Cheers.
 
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Had some success with my 300mm F2.8 (MKI) + 1.4x and 2x TC (MKII) stacked
IMG_6377_copy_1.jpg


And that was on a canon 20D :D
 
I seem to remember it got a bit of an upgrade in 2008/9...am I correct?

I've just picked up a used 400 DO and while doing my research it was a common thread throughout that the very early models (i.e. First year or two) did have issues but after that they didn't, so not so much an "upgrade" but more of a "fix". Note that many of the available online reviews were based on the very earliest of these lenses. Mine (a late 2005) doesn't seem to have the problems that many of these reviews throw at it.
 
I've just picked up a used 400 DO and while doing my research it was a common thread throughout that the very early models (i.e. First year or two) did have issues but after that they didn't, so not so much an "upgrade" but more of a "fix". Note that many of the available online reviews were based on the very earliest of these lenses. Mine (a late 2005) doesn't seem to have the problems that many of these reviews throw at it.

That's exactly the info I was after, how are you finding the lens?
Seems if you are lucky a 2nd hand one can be picked up under £3000, although some are a bit over.

Have you tried it with extenders?

Thanks to all, George.
 
That's exactly the info I was after, how are you finding the lens? Seems if you are lucky a 2nd hand one can be picked up under £3000, although some are a bit over.

Just make sure you carefully check the age for lower priced ones. I looked at one in perfect condition @ £3.5k which was a Jan 2002 but suffice to say I passed on that one due to the very early date (only a couple of months from the release of these). I paid around £4k but got a 12 month warranty with it :)

Have you tried it with extenders?

I've done a quick test with a 1.4x Kenko Pro DGX on my 7D and hardly noticed any IQ difference, AF was as quick as without the TC. I'll dig out the test shots I did and post them a bit later.

EDIT: apologies, it seems I've deleted the test shots.
 
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Well thanks anyway, William, most helpful.

Off to Mexico for some whale shooting (with the camera of course!) so will follow up on my return.

Kind regards,

George.
 
..did it af, Pete?

Strangely it did, I assume it didn't detect the 2nd TC although it did hunt a bit before acquiring focus.
 
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