Upgraded Canon EF 100 - 400L IS USM Lens?

[obelix]

<p>I'm trying to sell my Canon EF 100 - 400L IS USM Lens.<br /> <br /> Been told that in the last year and a half or so the 100 - 400 Lens has had LD Glass (Low Dispersion Glass) added as an upgrade to the lens.<br /> <br /> I can't find any info on it, and on Canon's website it still has the same specs as my current lens.<br /> <br /> Does anyone here know anything about it?<br /> <br /> Thanx</p>

[zml]

<p>Adding LD glass would be in effect creating a new lens, so my guess is no, Canon did not change that lens to that degree and you are victimized but yet another urban legend.</p>

[craig_meddaugh]

<p>While the 100-400 has seemed to improve markedly over its longish lifespan, Canon has been coy about what, if anything, has been done. I've never heard anything about LD glass, but I suppose you never know. There were a lot of complaints from early digital users that maybe Canon responded to, but I suspect that they would trumpet this sort of improvement (and charge more for it). </p>

[alan_bryant1]

<p>According to Canon's own book, "EF Lens Works III: The Eyes of EOS", the 100-400 L has one fluorite element and one ultra-low dispersion element.</p>

<p>Also, Canon's site, at http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=150&modelid=7344#ModelDetailAct , has the text "L-series super telephoto zoom lens equipped with an Image Stabilizer. The fluorite and Super UD-glass elements largely eliminate secondary spectrum."</p>

<p>There seem to be many names for the special glass. I believe LD is low dispersion, UD is ultra-low dispersion, so Super UD is presumably Super-Ultra-Low dispersion. I guess the next one will be supercalifragilisticexpialidocious-low dispersion. In any case, I believe all of those are inferior to actual fluorite, and the 100-400 has one fluorite and one S-U-LD element, and always has.</p>

 

[isaac sibson]

<p>Craig- I'm interested in the source of info about the 100-400 improving over it's production run? I've never heard that before, would be interested to see something on that.</p>

[bobatkins]

<p>Urban myth. As far as I know no changes have been made to the optical design of the lens. When a change is made, Canon announce it and raise the price!</p>

<p>It's possible that somewhere along the line Canon tightend up their quality control, but that's not the sort of thing they talk about and I'm not aware of any evidence that they did.</p>

<p>I've tested a couple of samples and the latter one was slightly better, but on a sample size of 2 that really means nothing. One of them had to be better than the other and assuming random variations there was a 50:50 chance it would be the latter one.</p>

[obelix]

<p>Thanx guys, I don't know where he got the info from, but I believe it's bogus.<br>

I agree a change like that and we'd all know about it.<br>

thanx for the info. i'll see him tomorrow and hopefully he'll take the lens.</p>

[jason_hall5]

<p>See chart at bottom of page....</p>

<p><a href="http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/infobank/lenses/fluorite_aspherical_and_ud_lenses.do">http://cpn.canon-europe.com/content/infobank/lenses/fluorite_aspherical_and_ud_lenses.do</a></p>