Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

200/400mm

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    200/400mm

    Anyone using the Canon 200-400mm. Review please
    Thinking of having a massive clear out of gear - camera's, lens, both still and video
    Trev

    Equipment - According to the wife more than a Camera Shop got

    Flickr:
    https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevb2639/

    #2
    Hello Trev,

    I had lot's of fun with it
    2017-06-09_0005 by Dany Flageole, sur Flickr
    2017-06-09_0009 by Dany Flageole, sur Flickr
    2017-06-09-14-12-07_1520 by Dany Flageole, sur Flickr
    2016-06-10-17-01-01-0002 by Dany Flageole, sur Flickr
    2016-06-10_1013 by Dany Flageole, sur Flickr
    2016-06-10_0773 by Dany Flageole, sur Flickr

    Not too heavy, very practical when you need more than 200mm but less than 500mm
    Super fast, super sharp, very hard to choose which one I preferred between this one I borrowed a few times or the fixed 500mm f4 I owned.
    Cannot be handheld for a whole day

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks Dan, at the moment its something I'm sleeping on. Over the years I've accumulated so much gear I need to get rid of it. My wife's always telling me we got so much stuff in the house we could open a camera shop.. So sell up and invest in the 200-400 is running through my head. Already got someone interested in the video equipment, they are prepared to do an exchange.
      BTW Lovely images
      Trev

      Equipment - According to the wife more than a Camera Shop got

      Flickr:
      https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevb2639/

      Comment


        #4
        I was running a 500mm F4 and a 300mm F2.8 with two bodies on a double harness and it was starting to get too heavy and unwieldy. The 200-400mm was just announced and on paper, it was the perfect solution to my needs. It was quite obvious that a zoom wasn't going to match the quality of those two primes, but I was prepared to compromise a little.. When the lens arrived, I was prepared to be a little disappointed, I suspected I had made a huge mistake, but first results were quite stunning ........ what a relief! After a short period, I was able to duplicate some shots I had taken on the 500mm in similar light. This was the ultimate test and would show the quality difference in real world terms.

        Old and new shots side by side on a 27" iMac retina screen, kept zooming in equally on both images and I just couldn't tell the difference. An added bonus; zoomed to 400mm with the 1.4x switched in gives 560mm, but you can still add a 1.4x on the back of that to give 784mm and surprisingly, in MKIII form, the images are still amazingly good. I haven't tried it with the 2x.

        I bought mine at launch and the price was a bit stupid, around £2,000 more expensive than it is now, but I got top money for a 1 series body and my two primes, so it didn't sting too much. Other than the price, I am trying to think of the negatives with this lens .......


        still thinking .......


        still thinking .......


        ​​​​​​​still thinking .......


        ​​​​​​​still thinking .......


        No .............. minds gone blank!
        Colin

        Comment


          #5
          Thanks for that Colin, still sleeping on it, but leaning more and more towards it.
          Hope you and yours are well
          Trev
          Trev

          Equipment - According to the wife more than a Camera Shop got

          Flickr:
          https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevb2639/

          Comment


            #6
            I have had this lens for 4 years and it is fantastic. The images are shape and with the new 1dx iii body and a 2x extender plus the internal 1.4x extender I get AF using live view at 1120mm at f11. With the last couple of bright days, I have had some great shots. In my opinion it is the best all round wildlife lens. The only downside is that teamed up with the 1dx, it weighs a ton. A tripod is needed. I bought mine when Canon were doing a 10% off all L lenses, which helped bring the price down to a small mortgage, Haha.

            Comment


              #7
              Sorry I mean Sharp not shape

              Comment


                #8
                I'm only a little fella, five nine and eleven and a half stone, but I generally use this lens hand held. With the correct technique, arms braced and using back muscles for any movement, I can generally shoot all day hand held. I'm not implying I don't ache a bit after a full day, but much better than lugging a tripod around and keep setting the thing up.

                If I'm going to be in one place for hours, then I'm happy to use a tripod, or a beanbag if I'm in a hide.
                Colin

                Comment


                  #9
                  I do suffer from back and neck ache most of the time, so its a tripod for me, plus I like to shoot some wildlife at a low shutter speed, so again it's a tripod.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Thanks Dan, Roy, Colin. Still dithering over it, weight was one issue I had in my mind, in the fact more often than not it would be paired up with the 1D X Mkll - I do a lot of walking, yomping gear on my back.
                    There is also the issue I need to change my vehicle and Mrs B is also looking at a new bit of glass --- in the form of a new conservatory!
                    WATCH THIS SPACE !!!!
                    Trev

                    Equipment - According to the wife more than a Camera Shop got

                    Flickr:
                    https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevb2639/

                    Comment


                      #11
                      My money's on Mrs B!
                      John Liddle

                      Backwell, North Somerset - "Where the cider apples grow"

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Originally posted by John Liddle View Post
                        My money's on Mrs B!
                        John, you obviously don't think I have the upper hand in my house ----------------------------------------------------------You'r right
                        Trev

                        Equipment - According to the wife more than a Camera Shop got

                        Flickr:
                        https://www.flickr.com/photos/trevb2639/

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Got a chance to try one on trip to Yellowstone, one of the other people on the trip had one. AF seemed really snappy and all the images I took, range of focal lengths and TC switched in/out, looked great.
                          Weight is a factor, little more than 3.5kg, having used a 500 f4 which is 0.5kg lighter I'd say both lenses are not something to lug about too much.
                          Hand holding in short spells for either but some support, bean bag, fence, wall, tripod etc, would be my choice.

                          Biggest factor though is the price tag
                          Canon 5D3, 7D2, 60D, Canon 70-200L f2.8 IS II, Canon 300 f4L IS, Canon 16-35 f4 L, Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM, Canon 1.4 MkIII extender, Sigma AF 10-20mm f/3.5 EX DC HSM, Sigma 150-600 Contemporary, Tamron SP AF 70-300 F/4-5.6 Di VC USD, Canon EF-S 18-55mm 1:3.5-5.6 IS
                          https://www.flickr.com/photos/16830751@N03/

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Tripod might be a bit too much, unless you really want to stay put for longer periods. Monopod is the way to go to carry that thing for hours while still being sturdy for your shots

                            19092822_10156321664083378_5819998077793073031_o_1 0156321664083378 by Dany Flageole, on Flickr

                            19143737_10156333115418378_46301724091696547_o_101 56333115418378 by Dany Flageole, on Flickr

                            19145972_10156333135753378_591683258225615279_n_10 156333135753378 by Dany Flageole, on Flickr

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Before I buy something expensive, usually photographic, I worry myself about the cost. Can I really justify this? You're just being selfish! You could do without it! It's far too expensive! You don't really need it ..... you just want it! etc, etc, etc.

                              Once I decide to go for it and hand over a rather large bag of pennies, I don't ever consider the cost again. It's the utility of using it and the benefits to my photography that matters .
                              Colin

                              Comment

                              Working...
                              X