Wildlife Photography Lenses: 300mm f/4, 400mm f/5.6, 500mm f/4 (My Lens Evolution)
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- Опубликовано: 25 апр 2020
- Lenses for Wildlife Photography Canon. Since I got serious about wildlife photography many moons ago, I've owned three lenses as I've gradually upgraded. Whilst still using film I started out with a Canon 300mm f4 (often paired up with a 1.4x extender) before progressing on to the Canon 400mm f5.6 fixed lens. Finally I purchased a Canon 500mm f4 Mark i which is my biggest and most expensive lens. In this video I describe my journey and how I've used each lens, including the advantages and disadvantages. There's lots of sample images taken with each of the three lenses.
Filmed with Canon M50 and 15-45mm lens.
Equipment: Canon 1DX Mark i, Canon 300mm f4 (Non IS), Canon 400mm f/5.6 EF, Canon 500mm f4 EF Mark i
I'm a big fan of the 400mm f5.6 fixed lens - it's great value for money. See the review I did here: • Canon 400mm F/5.6 Revi... If you are considering buying this lens then please use this link: amzn.to/2AnX8q8 as I will receive a small commission from Amazon which helps to grow my channel.
Filmed with Canon M50 and 15-45mm lens.
Equipment: Canon 1DX Mark i, Canon 100mm f/2.8 Macro lens; Ulanzi VL49 Mini LED Video Light
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Thanks Paul for wonderful video...
Very nice demonstration of the lenses 📸 Thank you 👍
Great line up! And excellent photos!
Love your photos and the story of your journey !! Also the nature in your background !!
Thank you!
very informative! and lovely shots
valuable information - thanx dude
Great video ..thanks it was very informative
Thank Paul, always really interesting to see what the experts use. I'm doing my best with the EOS R and a 100-400ii at the moment and can only dream of a chunky prime!!
Cheers Ian. That lens is great - it will suit many people.
Thanks for the great video,info 👍🏻
No worries. You are welcome. Thanks Mike.
I still have the 400mm f/5.6 but I now use the Canon 100-400mm Mark 2. It is a very versatile lens and it is equally as sharp as the prime. A very informative video Paul.
Hi Pauline. Hope you are keeping well. Yes, the zoom is excellent - in my opinion it's maybe a touch sharper and I definitely think a bit faster focusing.
Some great wildlife lenses 😁😁
Great video yet again Paul. I have the same three lenses with 7dii, hoping to acquire a full frame body plus extender very soon.
Great stuff. 1.4 mark iii extender is very good. I've never tried a 2x
Good video Paul,glad you are Canon user 😁
Thanks ..👍
The 400mm f5.6 is a great lens, I tend to use mine on my 5DS or 5DS R and use the optional crop of 1.3 and get some amazing images, must try it on my 1DX as your results are amazing.
The 1.3x crop factor on the Canon 1D Mk IV camera body is very handy for extending the magnification of telephoto lenses. A 400mm f/2.8 becomes a 520/2.8 focal length. I have also found that the Canon tele-converters don't degrade the image quality, so converters are also a very effective way to get further 'reach' from your lenses.
I loved that camera. Had two of them for years. Many of the advantages of a full frame and a crop. Unfortunately, technology marches on and I finally, reluctantly, got rid of them when I switched to mirrorless. I got virtually nothing for them, so I can tell you, if the latest technology doesn't interest you and you want an awesome still camera, these are out there for a song and a dance, and a couple hundred bucks!
I love your video
Great video and images Paul. I used a mark one 100 to 400 Canon with a 70d. I'm tempted going prime 400mm 5.6 and going full frame 5d mark iv eventually stay safe.
You would definitely not regret the 400mm f5.6!
I just bought a almost new 500mm F4 IS at a Pawn shop in Phoenix, it was in its case with a camouflage body cover and asked the owner what's that here and he said a bird guy from New Mexico brought it in because he never used it, and it's been here for years....... how much I asked and he tells me it comes with a 1.4x Teleconverter II and also a 2X III teleconverter and also a long tripod Arca swiss and an extra CPL filter and a 52mm stock Gel..... I gave the man $2K and will sell it for the same..... so I told him pack her up ......and it shoots wonderful..... what a sharp and fast USM lens !!!!!!
Just the info I needed. Currently using the 400 5.6 which I love but on a 1DX sometimes miss the focal length. By viewing your video I will add the 1.4 extender which I can reuse once I have saved money for the 500mm. Thx a lot. Love the videos
Thanks. The extender is pretty good on the 400mm in strong light. In poor light it's definitely a struggle.
Nice one buddy, glad your ok, saw your FB post I’ve been staying off it to be fair too to many Bad vibes, take care and all the best JP
Yeah bad vibes was one of the reasons. We have to do what makes sense in these crazy times.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography right with ya buddy, you take care eh 😉👍🏼
Hi Paul good to see you are well, I have to say from the looks of all the image's you could probably get dam good shots with anything. Until next time take care and stay safe
That's very kind of you Clive! You take care too my friend.
Hi Paul, my first digital moving up from film was the Canon 20d, still have it.
Great video.
Dave
Me too. Crazy how many more megapixels we have now. Thanks for commenting David.
I owned a Canon 20D for a short while. Probably the worst camera I've ever owned.
another great video Paul & really nice to see your evolution ... i've just picked up a Canon 300mm f4 L IS and want to upgrade my 600D . i'm in Norway and weather conditions and light are about the same as UK .. .i'm looking used. was thinking 7D , but i see that is almost the same as my 600D . so mayeb 7DII is a better opition then the 5Dii ...
If you can I would go for 7Dii over the mark i. 1D Mark iv also a good option.
I have seen some great photos with the Cannon 400 f 5.6 a very good starting point for a bit more reach.
Yes, it's a good option for sure, especially if you have a really good camera body.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography I have an 80D and am looking to get a longer telephoto lens. I have out to 200mm currently but can't decide between the 300mm f/4 and the 400mm f/5.6, they are similarly priced to buy new so that isn't a huge concern. What would you recommend or do personally if you were buying these for a crop body camera?
I am worried that if I get the 400mm I will be missing out on a lot of focal length and could miss shots, I would consider getting a teleconverter in time with the 300mm.
Thanks
Good video, thank you.
I bought a 400 f5.6 two days ago (£559 used, bargain) to go with my R3. Wow!
I’m still getting used to the camera, I’ve only had it a month, but straight away with this lens I’m getting results I’m happy with. And, of course, should I need IS, that’s built into the body 👍
Excellent. Fantastic. Yes, the IS should still work for you
I have the 400mm f/5.6 and it's really a light and compact lens, but I do wish it had stabilization for my shaky hold. Once again lovely results Paul, but it appears that you can achieve that no matter what equipment you use.
Hi Chris. There's a lot to be said for technique. Equipment helps but it's nothing without the basics.
Hi Chris, I have a poor hand holding technique too, a £40 Giotto monopod transformed my images. No head on it, I just screwed it straight into the camera, as walking about, most of the time small birds were in the hedgerows anyway.
Hi Paul, love your videos. I have had a very similar lens journey, my 300 has stabilisation so must be a mark ii? I have the mark ii 500 and love it as well as the 400. I use a 7Dii and 5 DSR and was thinking about the new 1DXiii before the current situation happened, will have to wait and see how long this goes on for. I think it is great that you include your settings as even though they will not work for meany situations I think it helps people to start thinking about what aperture, ISO or shutter speed to use. Can I suggest that you include the name of the subject because not everyone will know what a Hoopoe looks like for instance? All the best, Rich.
Thanks for your input Richard. The 1DXiii looks good - kind of bridging the gap to mirrorless. I'll bear in mind the bird names, yes. Cheers.
Hi Paul, another great video as always, as a Nikon user I'm always a touch envious of Canon's 400mm 5.6, I hear great things about it and it seems a strange gap in the Nikon line up. I was interested to note that you said you don't use Image stabilisation much on the 500mm prime. I always have half an eye on the secondhand market for a 500mm (I'll commit one day!) and have seen some non IS examples in my price bracket but always held back due to the lack of IS. just wondering if I've missed a trick. All the best Ian
Hi Ian. Really, I.S. is only necessary for hand-holding at slower shutter speeds. it can help to stabilise the viewfinder but I've decided that just bugs me anyway.! If you use high shutter speeds, IS really shouldn't matter.
Great video Paul good to see the progress. We all have our ultimate lens but just can’t afford it...lol. Cheers Keith
Absolutely. I think my lens would be the new 400mm f2.8. I reckon it would tick all my boxes!
@@PaulMiguelPhotography yes thats the one on my shopping list although the new 600mm F4 would also be a close contender. I think the 400mm would give more flexibility when used in conjunction with a converter. Either one would be a massive step up from my 100-400mm which is still a great lens.
Great video's Paul!...Please tell me why you are using the 1Dx along with the Mk4.
Hi Christopher. I don't have the 1D Mk 4 now. I have used the DX for a long time. It serves my purpose and one thing I would say is it is bullet proof - which is really important for what I do with it. I hope to get a mirrorless soon as it will open up new opportunities for me.
With the Topaz AI bundle package, I do not have as much of a need for the extreme large and heavy high end f4 lens to get very sharp clean images. IMO it is the now new game changer. That said, I would not turn down your fabulous 500 f4, I just have a harder time justifying one for myself. BTW I use a well calibrated weather sealed metal body Tamron G2 150-600.
Hi Paul, great video and beautiful images with all the lenses. Have you ever had any experience with the 400mm f4 DO? Seems a bit of an unloved lens and can be found fairly cheap compared to the 500mm.
All the best
Very good question! I've never tried one. What's interesting is there are so many conflicting reviews. I honestly wonder if there was a bad batch made?
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Thanks for the reply Paul. Maybe yes, a common remark for it seems to be a lack of contrast, I doubt that's much of an issue these days with the post processing tools we have now.
I shall have to do some more digging but it seems like a good alternative for a long lens with a reasonable aperture.
Hi Paul, great video, thanks for sharing your experience with us!
I'm looking at moving in to the world of DSLR - I'll be using a Canon 600d but am trying to decide which lens to get for wildlife photography. I'd like a zoom lens of some sort - I know the Sigma 150-600C is a very popular lens, but in an ideal world I'd want something a bit smaller as I tend to walk around a lot. Alternatively, I'm thinking the 100-400L mk1 (cheaper option vs mk2) or the 70-300L with a 1.4x converter. What are your thoughts on these please? Would the 300mm give enough reach do you think? Thanks.
I'd definitely consider the 100-400mm - great all round lens. It loses quality and speed with the converter but still pretty good.
Lovely video Paul, do you have a link please for the camera strap?
Just found this one. it might be slightly different to mine, but pretty much the same. www.amazon.com/BlackRapid-Breathe-Camera-Safety-Included/dp/B01LFODBW8
Hey Paul, not sure if you'll see this, just wondered what the camo sleeve on your 400mm is I have the same lens and keen on something like that. Thanks heaps, keep up the great work. Tom
Hi. I think it's a cheap one that - not a proper neoprene which is way better.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography thanks Paul, I'll give one of the eBay jobs a crack
As a pensioner I found lugging around my Canon 100-400mm lens very tiring. I now have the micro four thirds Panasonic Leica 100-400mm lens, half the size and half the weight. I have also just bought the Panasonic 100-300mm lens, one third the size and one third the weight. I had no issues with the Canon lens and I was very happy with my results. Also, as an amateur photographer, I am also very happy with the Panasonic lenses and I can’t see any downside to the quality of my pictures. If I was fit, it would still be Canon. Needs must.
Hi Paul, love your channel! I’m wondering if you can steer my in the right direction. I’m currently using a 5d I’m looking at getting a better lens for wildlife photography. Mostly in woodlands for deer and squirrels. Would you recommend the 300mm f4 IS with 1.4x tele or the 400mm f5.6? Thanks :)
Tricky one. Personally I would go with the 400mm. But if you can find an old 300mm f2.8 that's a great lens - and you can find them at reasonable prices now. Canon won't service it any more though.
From 50D to 1D Mk4, the big jump !
Absolutely! Quite a big difference there.
As always very informative video. What are your thoughts on using zoom lenses such as Tamron 150-600 which I have? I shoot Nikon D850 so is 1.4 teleconverter same as Canon 1.4 extender?
Thanks Joseph. I think those Tamron and Sigma lenses are good options if you can't afford very expensive gear. Personally I wouldn't be happy using them, I find them too soft - but, I believe the Sigma 500mm f4 is surprisingly good! Yes, 1.4 teleconverter is same - I would try not to use on the Tamron much though - it will really degrade it I reckon.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Well as long as I am stuck inside might as well see what Nikon charges. Thanks for help.
@@joepalmer75 my quick two sense, the sharpness is super dependent from copy to copy... I know a few photographers who are well into their professional careers and shooting some incredible things with the sigma 150-600. Remember, with good light any lens is the best lens.
I wish i could borrow one.
hi paul what are your thoughts on using a kenko 1x4 converter with a canon 80d and a canon 70-300 L f4 5.6 is usm lens also would i be able to used auto iso in av i always enjoy looking at your videos keep it up thanks
I think you may have issues with connection. Some people tape the pins on the extender.
Hey awesome video! Have you ever used the 400mm DO II and how would that compare to the 5.6? Is it worth the price?
Great question. Never tried it. All the research I've done: everyone in 2 camps - half love it, half seem to hate it. I honestly wonder if there was a bad batch made!
If you have the cash to spare for the Canon 400mm DO mii get it. Small, lightweight handheld all day and night. Descent close focus (not perfect),super sharp images and fantastic stabilization. What you pay for is ease of use and functionality. Well worth the cost of pro specs...especially if you are or intend on going pro.
reminds me of a pokemon, seeing them all lined up like that!
Hey Paul, i was wondering what you're opinion is on third party supertelephoto zooms, such as the tamron or sigma 150-600. I have one from tamron and quite like it but i sometimes end up hitting the limits of what the lens can do. Would the 500 f4 be better as you mostly mention the reach being the thing that made you go for it. Would love to know your view on this matter!
TIA
- kind regards, Robin
Sorry for late reply. I think you would find the canon 400mm f4 sharper and faster. Apparently the Sigma 500mm f4 is very good.
Canon EF 300mm f/4L USM non IS version is extremely sharp lens.
The canon 500MM EF Is the best lens and is worth getting it if you got over £3.000 to as much as £6.000 second hand and I got the canon 400MM EF 5.6L lens
Hi Paul, Thanks for making this video. One quick question, I have CANON - EF 100-400/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM with canon 1.4X telephoto extender, what's your suggestion on using it for wildlife photography and is it still good to have canon 400MM f5.6?
Hi Santhosh. I would stick with that lens. I don't think there is much between the two lenses
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Thanks Paul!
Hi , Hw ds the 300 f4 IS wrk with a mirrorless camera bidy .
If you're on a budget and want professional photography gear, you should look at purchasing non-current models of cameras and lenses.
For example, you can get a Canon 400mm f/2.8 autofocus lens (the old one, without IS, from the late 1990s) for less than $1500. You can get a Canon 1D Mark IV pro camera body for $1000. It gives you ten frames a second, an 18.1mp Raw file, and swift accurate autofocus.
Very few shooters want to pay upwards of $25,000 for just _one_ lens. An entire kit of equipment will cost a fortune at those prices. Even a tripod with a head suitable for long telephoto lenses will set you back a few thousand dollars.
And if your budget doesn't even extend to an old Canon 1DMk IV camera, look at the original Canon 1D or 1D Mark 2n camera bodies. They are pro-series cameras with a robust build and can be found online as cheap as chips - just a few hundred dollars!
Also remember that those older bodies like the Canon 1D Mk IV, 1D Mk 2n, etc, have a 1.3x crop factor, which gives an extension to your telephoto focal length - a 400mm f2.8 lens effectively becomes a 520mm f2.8 angle of view. Add a 2x tele-converter to it and you're shooting with an effective 1040mm f5.6 lens, which is as long as you could ever possibly need.
Absolutely superb advice. Indeed those old bodies, and lenses, are still great quality and can achieve excellent image quality.
hi, my e 77 d body and 300 mm f4 lens varos pictures look very grainy why can't I keep my iso above 200 too much
I bought the same lenses in that order. The 300mm is a stabilized one. In the meantime, find the 300mm more suitable for photographing insects, possibly with an extension tube. The 400mm in good light for comfortable walking around, a quick combination with my 7DMII. The 500 for walking around and on a tripod is the finest lens, it does give you muscles. The 7DMII is a nice camera with reasonable to good light, in the darker days I am not so happy with it, too much noise. The 1DX is much better suited I suppose? What do you think of that? By the way I like your video's.
Great stuff! Yes, I think the 1DX is considerably better than the 7dii for noise. Also 5D mark iv.
Hi Paul , I am looking to do some wild life photography from an canoe it’s fairly stable platform but does move a bit , I have a 60D , would I need an IS lens I want to hand hold it , I am thinking of the 300mm IS or the 400 mm without IS ,
Thanks Peter
I think if you can get shutter speed up close to 1/2000 you would be ok. Otherwise I think IS might be better for you here.
Do you recommend 300mm f4 (maybe with 1.4tc) or 100-400 for wildlife? I am using 77D with Sigma 60-600 and i am looking some lighter lens with Sigma. Big aperture lenses would be fine but too expensive for me at this moment...
Both are good options. I would choose the 100-400 over the 300mm with extender.
Interesting. I have gone a similar way with my lenses, but not exactly the same. I bought a Canon EOS 4000D as the first DSLR for me to own, and then I got a Sigma 150-600 f/5-6.3 C lens, which is not that bad. But... after a while, I decided to look at Prime lenses when I found out about them (yeah, talk about lacking knowledge XD). Since I had never really heard of a Prime lens for SLR typ cameras, I looked around for a cheapish Canon Prime lens just to try them out, and see if I could get used to it. I decided for it to be a Macro lens since I didn't really have a Macro lens anyway. So I bought a Canon EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM after finding one second hand for £180, and that convinced me to then buy a Telephoto Prime lens.
For my next lens, I wanted to try out a Prime Telephoto lens, and that is where I found out about Canon L series lenses. I saw 2 lenses, and did the math (what I wanted). It was either the 300mm f/4 L IS USM, or the 400mm f/5.6 one. Since I really wanted light, and knew that I will be more likely to miss my subject with the 400mm, I decided to go for the 300, plus it was cheaper. The 300mm got me in to Prime Telephoto lenses, so I wanted to go for a more modern one. However, I WANTED one, but knew I didn't NEED one so I held back, and the 300mm is a darn good lens! So instead, I bought a Canon EF 14mm f/2.8 L II USM lens for more Landscape stuff, and another kindd of photography I am yet to try properly. I bought that second hand too for a good price.
I then found a good deal on the Canon EOS 250D on SLRHut, where it was sold in a bundle, with a load of cheap stuff which I will not moan about because some of it is interesting, and it certainly didn't cost me as much as if I bought them all separately. That Maxxtek (I think it's another name for Samyang or some other company) 500mm Preset lens is super-cheap, but I find it quite interesting, not had a lens like that before!
Since then I have been saving my money up, looking around for another Prime Telephoto lens with a wider aperture, because I was getting a bit tired of having to go to open places, when I have got woods outside the house with Nuthatch, Woodpecker, and a few Jay. So I looked around, and found a Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS II USM on WexPhoto. They posted photos of it, showing the cosmetic wear, and it did look bad but they assured me the optics and the lens functions were fine. But I waited for months watching it, and they finally reduced its price so I got the lens, and it does not look as bad as the photos, which is fine for me.
The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS II USM seems to work well with the Canon EOS 250D. Someone had a bit of a go at me on Facebook for having such a setup, telling me the lens was not being used fully. Well duhh I know that, it is an APS-C sensor! XD
I am keeping the Canon 300mm, it is still a phenominal lens in my opinion!
Thanks for sharing your journey too. I would love the 400mm 2.8, I think it might be ideal for me
@@PaulMiguelPhotography You're welcome! :D
I just wish Canon did an EF 300mm f/4 L IS II USM for higher magnification spec.
Paul, I have Canon 400mm F/5.6L. I wonder does it make sense upgrade to Canon 100-400L version 2 on Canon 7Dii body? Thanks.
Great question. In my opinion is not much of a difference. 100-400 I think is slightly faster, slightly sharper. If you like the flexibility of the zoom then upgrade. For me I would rather have the fixed 400mm.. but I'm in a minority there!
My question is if the R5 is what they say it will be, will you be switching to mirrorless at some point? I am a Canon user too, but I was just looking at a clip of Sony A9's bird images, simply put they were at another level. I think disregard whether is Sony or Canon, inevitably we will have to migrate to mirrorless in the end.
Totally understand you. I don't worry too much about it for now. The EOS-R sounded reasonable but I don't think the auto-focus is as good. Yes, the R5 might finally bring Canon up to speed. I'm sure we will all end up mirror-less unless they show to be less reliable and not durable enough in the long run. Sony A9 does seem impressive.
Hey paul, how are you ? I was wondering I have a canon 50D and I just bought a 300mm f4 with a 1.4x extender, what was the biggest challenge with that combo ? I'm a hobbyist, but I'm really wanting to become semi professional, I was hoping I could do that with this set up i just mentioned. Anyways thanks for your time :)
I literally used that exact combo years ago! Focus will be slower with extender - and you will need to recompose as you can only use centre focus point. Just learn the limitations - with this combo you can still take great pics.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography thank you very much, love you work and videos by the way keep up the great work :) thank you for being so helpful.
Considering a 500mm f4 gen1 on FF 6d or the 100-400? Gahhh brain🤯
Really tough Matthew! 500mm is great for hide work. 100-400 great for walk-about and it's not too bad with extenders.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography yeah I was thinking either a 1.4 and lose an Fstop or maybe pair it with the 7Dmk2 100-400 because most photos I take are on the move definitely
Hi, did u always go for new camera body? Any suggestion for getting used canon body
I have brought a number of used camera bodies. Rarely had a problem. There's so many bodies out there - just depends what you are after.. and budget.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography i am not a pro. I have 77d which is not weathersealed. I am in london, hence looking for something suiting in rain/snow and with good fps as i am interested in bird photography.
Just got the canon R6 which lens would be good ? Or should I wait for the 100-500 RF lens?
I don't know much about that equipment I'm afraid.
Paul Miguel Photography don’t Fear. Trust in God. Google this. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. Where will you spend Eternity? Our lives are a vapor that appears for a little then vanishes away.
in 2022, you can get the 500mm for $2500. is it still worth it? canon has stopped servicing them. i wish i had the $ for the M2, but don't :(.
It's a great question. Canon don't service the mark 1 any more, not sure about mark ii. In terms of price I think you're getting a great lens, good focus and excellent image quality. But if it breaks down you are probably stuffed. Difficult decision.
You bought the MK2 yet?
No, I don't worry too much for now. My next purchase will be a major one, so got to get it right..
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Speaking of major, I ended up selling my EF 600 f4 MK2 for a 500 MK2 lol.
I am still unable to understand how an owel flies at night without light
400 5.6 do not support x2 extender ... F11,2 ? :D
I'm not sure - I have never tried it but yes I think you are right
Hi Paul...So would you still go for the 400mm f/5.6 over the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM 'L' 'ii' lens for a complete novice like me?? Confused here...Secondhand they seem about the same price?? £600... This lens would be used on a Canon 70d
Very good question Pete! I can't specifically recommend what lens you should go for but.. I think the zoom is maybe slightly sharper and faster focusing. It's also a little heavier than the fixed lens. I think most people would probably benefit more using the zoom, but personally I tried it and just didn't like the weight distribution when carrying, or the fact that I would have to lock and unlock the zoom. I just prefer handling one 'element', - totally personal preference!
There's no doubting the 100mm-400mm is one of the best Canon lenses in that range - and much better than the mark i version.
The 100-400mm can focus much much closer than the 400mm. Definitely go for the 100-400mm ii.
That’s a good point. I forgot that. Absolutely right about the minimum focusing distance, in fact some people use it for butterflies..
The Canon EF 100-400mm mark II is a £2200 lens, I really doubt you'll find it second-hand for under £1000. Most of the used ones I've seen were about £1500. The mark I is a lot cheaper but nowhere near as good.
Hi Paul. Hope all is well with you. Firstly, Thank you for your videos, found every video to be informative. I have a question with regards to the 400mm f/5.6 prime and 100-400 zoom.
At 400mm, do you think 100-400 is sharper than prime?
After seeing the sample pictures taken at 400mm focal length from both lenses, I personally find 400mm prime to be very sharp and a much blurry/ smooth background than 100-400. I have a 5D IV body, I am looking to buy a telephoto lens, your opinion would really help. Thanks again, Sagar
Hi Sagar
Are you looking at the Mk1 100-400 or the latest Mk2 version. The Mk2 will be a better buy than the Mk1 which I have and love. The Mk1 hates filters and doesn't play well with tele-converters. The Mk2 has addressed those issues.
The Mk1 is on par with the 400/5.6, the Mk2 surpasses it.
Good advice. I just tried the 100-400mm mk2 for one day - I felt it was a little faster and sharper than my 400mm fixed.
@@cerealkiller4248 Hi, Thank you for the response. I am looking at the Mark II version. Since I have a full-frame body, I want my pictures to be as sharp as possible in case if I have to crop the image. I had the opportunity to see files taken from both the lenses. 100-400mm Mkii at 400mm did not have the same results as the 400mm prime (sharpness, especially the background blur). I want sharp images with a clean blurry background. Please note the same pictures were compared for both the lenses.
I saw Paul's images taken on his 400mm prime in his videos, it was very sharp as well.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography Thank you Paul.
@@66696sagar Hi again. Just remember the 1-4 has image stabilisation, the prime doesn't. In fact, the lack of stabilization is perhaps the only criticism you could level at the 400/5.6, apart from that its optically superb, light and super fast to focus.
The Image Stabilisation in the Mk2 makes it a better buy now, the Mk1 only had 2 stops versus 4 ( I think it's 4 ) stops in the new lens which makes hand holding far more practical.
Many people are using the Canon 1.4x TC with this set up and are getting superb results, IQ and focus speeds aren't affected by the TC.
Edit.
A clean background can be obtained by choosing your shots backdrop, a small bird in a hedge will probably have a messy backdrop, but if you can wait until the bird perches on top of the hedge ( yes I know not always possible or practical ) if there's distance behind it, the background will be less distracting. As for blur, remember, being closer to the subject at 400mm will help with blurring the background. Your own feeding station can resolve both these issues, as you can control both parameters.
I think you made your money back for that 300mm f/4. 20 years? wow!
Haha! Yeah..
I think I woud sell them all and just get a 400mm 2.8 version 2 or 3 and a couple of extenders ;-)
I have a Canon EF 400mm f/2.8 L IS II USM, and I can tell you a few things about it vs the Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS USM:
Yes, the 400mm Mk II is a much more modern lens.
Yes, it has a wider aperture which apparently can let in x2 the amount of light than the 300mm.
It also has I think a 4-stop Image Stabilizer, Preset Focus, Power Focus (which is useful for video) and a IS mode that only stabilizes when the photo is being taken (useful for erratic flying birds).
But...
The 400mm Mk II is at least x3 heavier (which I don't really care about).
It is a Prime lens, so you are at more risk of subject being too close for certain shots. I do wildlife photography and have seen many people suffer from this, one of the reasons why I went for a 400mm instead of a 500mm.
The 300mm f/4 can focus much closer, and at the minimum focus distance, the subject will be even larger on the sensor than the 400mm at its closest focus distance. 400mm Mk II is x0.17, 300mm f/4 does x0.24.
That is why I am planning on keeping my 300mm f/4. :D
@@TheModernMusicsucks maybe you should try the 400mm 2.8 version 3? Costs an arm and a leg but it's a beast, it's also just under 3kg! I agree on the size issue, that's why i went for the 300mm f/2.8 IS version 2, which I use along with the 100-400II, this one can focus as near as 90cm at 400mm!
I think you're probably right!
It's a kilo
There's not much weight to it
Are you on Instagram??
Hi Kushal. I don't use instagram, no.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography You should really consider it, even poor quality photos like mine receive a good amount of attention on there
1:30 who cares how a lens looks anyways, it shows the lens has with stood the test of time if you ask me.
It's true. Amazing how long those lenses can last.
Not everyone's a millionaire sir.
No, including me.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography You have a £8000 lens though
No I don’t.
@@PaulMiguelPhotography 500mm f/4 is £8K
@@frostybe3r he got a used copy of the original mark i
The Canon EOS 5D is not a film camera, maybe you were talking about the Canon EOS 5 :)