Use of a 1200mm lens

[istvan_sandor]

Hi,

I was reading the EOS lens catalogue today and started thinking in what

situations one would/could use a 1200mm/F 5.6 (non-IS lens).

Does anyone have some ideas?

(not that I ever considered buying such a lens, just for the sake of my curiousity)

[ian_reid]

surfing pictures from nearby cliffs.....detailed shots of the moon, shuttle launches...stuff like that.

[mark u]

The last occasions on which it was reported as being used that I recall were the summer Olympics (at the rowing), and at the time of the death of Pope John Paul (to get close-ups of the Vatican balcony). One was also used to get "paprazzi" shots of Princess Diana and Dodi Fayed on a yacht offshore the Cote d'Azur in southern France. If you wanted to buy one you'd be looking at a six figure sum in dollars or euros.

[jo7hs2]

Here's some Wikipedia information on it:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF_1200mm_lens

 

One was apparently for sale in 2005 for $75,000.

http://www.dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=315067

 

Wild stuff...

[mormegil]

Discontinued?! I guess I'm definately not getting one now!

[ott_luuk]

http://www.photo.net/mjohnston/column57/

 

Scroll down to see the sensible answer ;)

 

It`s really the f/5.6 aperture that makes this lens so big, heavy and unbelievably expensive. On the slower side, there are bird photographers who sometimes use their 500 and 600mm lenses with 2x converters and also surf shooters (Keep in mind that there`s also the Sigma 300-800/5.6 and a few MF 800mm designs that can take converters and the somewhat obscure Nikon MF 1200/11. Extreme focal lengths are not that rare although they are usually quite slow).

[andrew robertson]

"Discontinued?"

 

I have heard rumors for years that this lens is discontinued. I am not so sure - it is a one

off lens built to order. If you have the $80,000 or so they want to charge for it, they will

probably knock one out for you.

[beauh44]

Well if you have an old Canon FD camera sitting around, you *might* be able to find one of these <a href="http://www.canonfd.com/mirrorlenses/pages/page10.html">Canon 5200mm Mirror Lenses!</a> That ought to get you nice and close. <P>

 

In the photo, that tiny thing on the far right of the lens is the camera!<P>

 

For those who haven't seen it <a href="http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Fixed_Focal_Length/EF_1200mm_f56L_USM/">here's a pic of the beast</a> of which you speak, I believe.<P>

 

I realize it's not quite the same thing but if you put the Canon 500mm f/4L IS on a 1.6x crop body (say a 30D) and add a 1.4x teleconverter, you're right around the FOV of a 1120mm lens on a FF digital or film camera.<P>

 

If you do the same with the 600mm f/4L IS you'd be right around 1344mm FOV equivalent. Good luck!

[phule]

There were two of them at last years Kentucky Derby.

[mark_chappell]

Thousands of nature photographers use 1200mm lenses as a matter of routine: 600/4 + 2x

converter. Yes, it's an f8, not an f5.6, but it costs less than $10K, not the ~ $80K that the

Canon 1200/5.6 is supposed to cost. Also, a Canon 600/4+2X is stabilized, and the $80K

1200/5.6 isn't.

[stephen hazelton]

I can see the application, though not at the price. I've tried shooting with a cheapo 500mm with and without 2x teleconverter, and it can be surprisingly hard to get a full-frame image of small birds.

[originaljoie]

I was reading about the lens a few months ago, and the uses have all be fleshed out here and the article I read siad most were owned by rental agencies and leased out as needed.

 

As far as the "discontinued" the article I read said the lenses are special order and are not produced until ordered, so that may be why they say "discontinued".

 

Disclaimer: I don't work for Canon, just posting what I've read so take it with a grain of salt.

 

For my money I think I'ld buy a 600 and a 2X converter.

 

Of note though, Canon list the 1.4X and 2X conveters as being compatible with the 1200mm lens so you could by the lens and a 2x and have a 2400mm lens.

[mars c]

I've read, but cant find the link now, That canon discontinued it, But did not state If they will accept made to order for it.

 

And also there are only 15 copies of them in the world, or so I read.

[steve_dunn2]

<p>Canon tends not to issue press releases when they discontinue lenses (except in the case of a lens which is being discontinued because its successor is being introduced). So we have to figure out what's discontinued by looking at what lenses disappear from Canon's Web sites and/or brochures. (This is why there was a rampant rumour a few years ago that the 17-40 had been discontinued: the incompetent folks who manage Canon's U.S. Web site somehow made it disappear for a while. Then it came back.)</p>

 

<p>If anyone cares to loan me this lens, I'd be happy to report on how I used it :-)</p>

[mark u]

It's still listed as current on Canon UK's website:

 

http://www.canon.co.uk/For_Home/Product_Finder/Cameras/EF_Lenses/Fixed_Focal_Length/EF_1200mm_f56L_USM/index.asp