EF100-400mm/4.5-5.6 vs EF400mm/5.6

[cngim]

<p>dear all,</p>

<p>My next target of shoot out trying is eyed on the birding photographing (couple with me Canon 50d body).<br>

Here comes with 2 lenses options. What lens shall i get based on my budget constraint, but yet still able to serve my purpose of shooting?</p>

<p>1. EF100-400mm/f4.5-5.6<br>

2. EF100-400mm/f4.5-5.6L IS USM<strong> </strong></p>

<p>Your inputs are valuable to me. Thanks in advance!<strong><br /></strong></p>

<p>cheers,<br>

jenny gim</p>

 

[Mattman944]

<p>The 100-400L is a very nice lens. I love it and everyone I know who has it loves it. See my GBH image.</p>

<p>You will have to decide if your shooting situations require a zoom. I am glad I have a zoom because there are situations where 400 was too much and I couldn't back up. This happened often when I was shooting flying birds. -MattM</p>

[g dan mitchell]

<p>It basically comes down largely to a question of how you will use the lens. If you only need to shoot at 400mm, the prime makes a lot of sense - though it does not have IS. If you need versatility to shoot between 100 and 400mm, the zoom is the choice.</p>

<p>Both lenses can produce fine results.</p>

<p>Dan</p>

[mike_hitchen]

<p>For size and weight the two are pretty comparable: the the prime being about 3 inches longer the zoom about 5 ounces heavier. Overall I would get the zoom primarily for the IS, secondly for the flexibility of the zoom.</p>

<p> </p>

[matthias_meixner2]

<p>Another option would be EF300 f/4 L IS + 1.4 TC.</p>

[mark_ethridge]

<p>I really like my 100-400. The way I shoot, IS is indispensable. I don't really do birding, so I can't comment on that but I find the zoom to be very convenient. </p>

[mbkissel]

<p>I have both lenses. At 400, I'll give a slight edge to the prime for image quality. But as someone here once said, the 100-400 is better at all focal lengths between 100 and 399. So you get all those extra focal lengths and IS to boot. I sometimes struggle with composition on the 400 f/5.6, especially when freedom of movement is difficult or impossible.</p>

[esfishdoc]

<p>My observations echo what is said above.<br>

I own a 100-400L and use it frequently. <br>

For most birds whether static or BIF the more focal length the better. I'm frequently wanting more than 400mm. That said.... I'd go with the 400 5.6 or the 300 f4 + 1.4TC. The 300 f4 has IS which is really a nice feature. It also focuses much closer than other lenses in this range. <br>

Lensrentals.com currently has a used 400 5.6 for sale. A couple of days ago they also had 100-400's and 300 f4's but it looks like they were sold.<br>

<a href="http://www.lensrentals.com/buy">http://www.lensrentals.com/buy</a><br>

The gold standard for birding is probably the 500 f4 or 600 f4 (+/- TC's) with a stout tripod and Wimberly head. If you have 10K laying around consider that.</p>

<p>Here is a shot of an eagle flying around our place the other day. This was shot with a 100-400. It is a good shot but far from great. </p>

<p>http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/5215314473_0ce00aea3d_z.jpg</p>

<p> </p><div></div>

[warren_edney]

<p>I have a 100-400, the flexibility of the zoom on my 7d is really useful. I use it mostly for sports photography with subjects at varying distances. I must admit I really don't miss not having anything less than f5.6 but as the others have pointed out it does depend on what you want to photograph.</p>

[akphotograph]

<p>I love my 100-400 L IS. My favorite lens for sure. I only pull out my 70-200 L 2.8 when light fades. Almost all my eagle photos were with the 100-400.<br>

http://akphotograph.zenfolio.com/eagles</p>

[cngim]

<p>Sorry for my mistake above on the option of lens coloumn. Typo error.<br>

1. 100-400mm/f4.5<br>

2. 400mm/f5.6</p>

<p>Thanks all for the sound inputs. I almost pull a trigger for this lens 400mm/5.6, but i pull back still. As i aware that this lens goes without IS and also might not be able to add the tele-converter on it as it might somehow stop the auto-focus from functioning.<br>

But still, many are recommended this 400mm/5.6 instead. But i like the 100-400mm lens as it can give an adjustable distance to the subject we wanna shoot.</p>

<p>My priority still goes to birding shoot out, but also might use the lens on others as well.</p>

<p>thanks<br>

jenny gim</p>

[macpherson]

<p>I own the 600mm f4 L IS and the 100-400 L IS and have shot them on the 5DMkIIm 7D and 40D.</p>

<p>There are time - not too often - but there are times when the 600mm is too much lens.</p>

<p>I do a weekend tour / workshop in Maine in May. We have a place where there are Osprey diving on fish returning to spawn. The birds are as close as 10 yards away, and to try to track a diving Osprey that close with the 600 / 7D combination is nearly impossible.</p>

<p>The 100-400 is *far* easier because it's handheld. You have a lot more freedom of movement than trying to swivel the 600 on the gimbal head. Although I do still shoot the 600, the 100-400 is probably a better choice - and a lot less stressful.</p>

<p>As others have said, the flexibility of the 100-400 vs the 400 prime really makes the decision for me.</p>