Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens Imported

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

I've been using this lens for a couple weeks now, and have been able to get some super sharp photos of birds and animals. For best results, I've had to rely on shutter speeds between 1/500 and 1/1000 second when shooting handheld. Slower speeds with tripod or braced also give good results.

With lens and camera, everthing weighs around 10 lbs, which does get heavy after a while, but is to be expected with this large a lens. I was able to walk around Zoo Atlanta for 5 hours taking handheld photos without any problem.

I've tried using the Canon 2X converter with decent (but not great) results.

The "lens cap" is a bit clumsy, but for the most part I use the sun hood in the field and leave the lens cap in the car.

Comes with a very rugged case.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Everything you have probably already heard about this lens is true. It's lighter than the previous version, the latest image stabilization is fantastic, the image quality is stellar, and you pretty much have the best optic of this focal length on the planet when you purchase this lens. Yes, the cost is a killer, but if you are serious about certain kinds of photography (I photograph birds) then there really are not many choices when it comes to great birding lenses. This is one of them. It should last a long time and if current trends are any indication, you may end up being able to sell it for close to what you paid for it years down the road. So look at it as in investment.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

fast focus, pictures are tack sharp, best if used with a 1x4 convertor.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

I have rented the 500mm f/4 version I and owned a 100-400mm for many years before finally breaking down and buying the 500mm f/4 II. Of course it's tack sharp and a pleasure to use. Here's some additional comments to add to the other reviews:
* Bokeh is very good. Much, much better than the 100-400, which often produces double-blades of grass for slightly-out-of-focus distances.
* The fit and finish are really good and much better than the 500mm version I.
* The lens hood weighs nothing and slides on and off easily.
* The lens cap is much smaller and much nicer than the strange thing they shipped with the original 500mm.
* The knob to loosen the lens collar so you can rotate between portrait and landscape is easy to use and rotating the lens feels like your dealing with a fine piece of precision machinery. Delightful.
* The Image Stabilization drifts more than I would have expected in Mode 1. Sitting on a tripod the lens wanders less than my 100-400, but I don't think you'll be taking any 1/30 or longer pictures with it. Otherwise the IS works well. 4 stops? I don't think so. Good IS? Yes.
* The case is AWESOME! It is rugged, has spaces for the 1.4X and 2X TCs, has 2 handles and feet on 3 sides so you can carry it 2 different ways and store it any way you want.
* There are several accessories I recommend: A Think-tank Airport Accelerator case for easier travel in the car with the lens attached to the camera, a Wimberly mount for your tripod, the Canon 1.4X TC III, the 52mm drop-in circular polarizer for shooting birds on water and a Really Right Stuff Arca-Swiss replacement foot. I also own the Canon 2X teleconverter but don't find it that useful. Air turbulence and tripod shake (I use a Gitzo series 3) are such that you'll rarely get more resolution than with the 1.4X TC.
* While lighter than its predecessor, this lens is still heavy. I've done a little hand-holding but practically this just isn't a desirable way to use this lens. Don't plan on hand-holding.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Keep your 500 f4 IS model. This new model is not worth upgrading at all .I have the orginal and used the new is2 model.first of all most pros will tell you to turn off Is when on a tripod.so why would you upgrade for that. Also canon made the the lens lighter so this means that the tube is thinner that houses the lens. Also this lens is not balanced as well as the IS model.the cost of the IS model wasn [$] ow the new model is over[$] is this worth it. This is how canon can raise there price make it lighter by thinning the wall of the tub and saying it is sharper. Keep your IS model it is a lot more rugged and stronger and just as sharp ,while shooting through less glass and the cool down time between glass is better.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Very happy with this lens as I already had a 500mm lens. This one is light enough to hand hold alhough I try to use the tripod. Fast focus.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

If I could give this 10 stars I would. I finally was in a position to purchase a super tele and tried the old 500 f4 IS. Problem is the used price is creeping up as nobody want to get rid of them. So I bit the bullet knowing this lens is one I will be buried with.
The weight savings is amazing. I handhold all day with no real issues. And the IS mode 3 is incredible. Putting the 1.4x Extender III makes very little difference IQ-wise. Focusing with the extender occasionally hunts or doesn't want to even try but that is when the focus is so far out it cant even decide or when the subject/background doesn't have enough contrast.
Pull the extender off and it may be the fastest focusing lens I have. That's saying something as I also have the 24-70 2.8L USM II and 70-200 f2.8L USMII. It's more like my 50 f1.4!!
Being able to shoot wide open is a joy. Low light isn't a problem to get crisp images.
If you are in need of a super tele, and have the means...this is THE lens to get.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

The new 500 f/4 EF IS II USM is a marked upgrade on the version 1 of this lens, which I owned. It is noticibly lighter to hold and feels well balanced. It is sharper in the corners than the old version, and the image stabilization is noticibly better to me. Shooting birds as small objects in the field of view the focus also seems better to me, faster and more accurate. With a professional series body the mount on the lens is too far back on the lens and a foot such as that offered by Really Right Stuff works better to balance the rig on a gimbal head. The case is a monster and built like a tank. The new lens hood is an improvement but does not fit over a Lens Coat. This my favorite birds lens ever.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Simply put, this is THE lens for bird / wildlife photography. As a petite female, I previously shied away from the "Big Glass" due to the weight issues. Canon has taken that excuse away. This lens is more than manageable, and the results are just awesome. The controls are intuitive and easily accessible. Sharpness is incredibly consistent and I'm delighted at the quickness of the Autofocus. It easily is the sharpest and fastest of any of the lenses I currently own.I've actually captured images of some shy subjects previously impossible without the working distance of this lens! I can't think of any Con, except that I want to use it ALL the time !

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

After waiting 10 months for the unit to arrive I can only say it was worth the wait. I shoot wildlife and in the 2 weeks that I have the unit I have taken over 2,500 bird shots some at 500mm and some with the Canon 2x extender III and they are as sharp as can be. Some of the shots taken were so far away I would watch for a bird to land, I could not see the landed bird with my naked eye but scanned thru the lens and have taken beautiful shots.
The weight is not bad and I have captured some hand held shots and they are fine, but I would not want to do this for a long time.
I wish it were not so expensive but one gets what one pays for and this lens is clearly worth the price.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Admittedly, I've not owned a EF super telephoto lens before getting my 500 f4L IS II lens, but I do have a FD 500 f4.5L that I lugged all over Alaska, and this new lens is light years ahead. Before getting this new 500 I thought no other lens could meet, or beat my 70-200 f2.8L IS II EF lens, but this 500 does! I've used it on one of Canon 7Ds, and on my 5D III cameras, and the AF is incredibly fast and accurate, and it is tack sharp. This super-tele is also light weight and I'm amazed at being able to hand hold it and get fabulous images as a result. I'm now in the process of re-doing several decades of images I had on slide film, and I'm loving every minute of it. Of course, the cost of this lens is mind numbing, and that's its only detractor, albeit a considerable one at that.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

I've been using this lens for a couple weeks now, and have been able to get some super sharp photos of birds and animals. For best results, I've had to rely on shutter speeds between 1/500 and 1/1000 second when shooting handheld. Slower speeds with tripod or braced also give good results.

With lens and camera, everthing weighs around 10 lbs, which does get heavy after a while, but is to be expected with this large a lens. I was able to walk around Zoo Atlanta for 5 hours taking handheld photos without any problem.

I've tried using the Canon 2X converter with decent (but not great) results.

The "lens cap" is a bit clumsy, but for the most part I use the sun hood in the field and leave the lens cap in the car.

Comes with a very rugged case.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Everything you have probably already heard about this lens is true. It's lighter than the previous version, the latest image stabilization is fantastic, the image quality is stellar, and you pretty much have the best optic of this focal length on the planet when you purchase this lens. Yes, the cost is a killer, but if you are serious about certain kinds of photography (I photograph birds) then there really are not many choices when it comes to great birding lenses. This is one of them. It should last a long time and if current trends are any indication, you may end up being able to sell it for close to what you paid for it years down the road. So look at it as in investment.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

fast focus, pictures are tack sharp, best if used with a 1x4 convertor.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

I have rented the 500mm f/4 version I and owned a 100-400mm for many years before finally breaking down and buying the 500mm f/4 II. Of course it's tack sharp and a pleasure to use. Here's some additional comments to add to the other reviews:
* Bokeh is very good. Much, much better than the 100-400, which often produces double-blades of grass for slightly-out-of-focus distances.
* The fit and finish are really good and much better than the 500mm version I.
* The lens hood weighs nothing and slides on and off easily.
* The lens cap is much smaller and much nicer than the strange thing they shipped with the original 500mm.
* The knob to loosen the lens collar so you can rotate between portrait and landscape is easy to use and rotating the lens feels like your dealing with a fine piece of precision machinery. Delightful.
* The Image Stabilization drifts more than I would have expected in Mode 1. Sitting on a tripod the lens wanders less than my 100-400, but I don't think you'll be taking any 1/30 or longer pictures with it. Otherwise the IS works well. 4 stops? I don't think so. Good IS? Yes.
* The case is AWESOME! It is rugged, has spaces for the 1.4X and 2X TCs, has 2 handles and feet on 3 sides so you can carry it 2 different ways and store it any way you want.
* There are several accessories I recommend: A Think-tank Airport Accelerator case for easier travel in the car with the lens attached to the camera, a Wimberly mount for your tripod, the Canon 1.4X TC III, the 52mm drop-in circular polarizer for shooting birds on water and a Really Right Stuff Arca-Swiss replacement foot. I also own the Canon 2X teleconverter but don't find it that useful. Air turbulence and tripod shake (I use a Gitzo series 3) are such that you'll rarely get more resolution than with the 1.4X TC.
* While lighter than its predecessor, this lens is still heavy. I've done a little hand-holding but practically this just isn't a desirable way to use this lens. Don't plan on hand-holding.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Keep your 500 f4 IS model. This new model is not worth upgrading at all .I have the orginal and used the new is2 model.first of all most pros will tell you to turn off Is when on a tripod.so why would you upgrade for that. Also canon made the the lens lighter so this means that the tube is thinner that houses the lens. Also this lens is not balanced as well as the IS model.the cost of the IS model wasn [$] ow the new model is over[$] is this worth it. This is how canon can raise there price make it lighter by thinning the wall of the tub and saying it is sharper. Keep your IS model it is a lot more rugged and stronger and just as sharp ,while shooting through less glass and the cool down time between glass is better.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Very happy with this lens as I already had a 500mm lens. This one is light enough to hand hold alhough I try to use the tripod. Fast focus.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

If I could give this 10 stars I would. I finally was in a position to purchase a super tele and tried the old 500 f4 IS. Problem is the used price is creeping up as nobody want to get rid of them. So I bit the bullet knowing this lens is one I will be buried with.
The weight savings is amazing. I handhold all day with no real issues. And the IS mode 3 is incredible. Putting the 1.4x Extender III makes very little difference IQ-wise. Focusing with the extender occasionally hunts or doesn't want to even try but that is when the focus is so far out it cant even decide or when the subject/background doesn't have enough contrast.
Pull the extender off and it may be the fastest focusing lens I have. That's saying something as I also have the 24-70 2.8L USM II and 70-200 f2.8L USMII. It's more like my 50 f1.4!!
Being able to shoot wide open is a joy. Low light isn't a problem to get crisp images.
If you are in need of a super tele, and have the means...this is THE lens to get.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

The new 500 f/4 EF IS II USM is a marked upgrade on the version 1 of this lens, which I owned. It is noticibly lighter to hold and feels well balanced. It is sharper in the corners than the old version, and the image stabilization is noticibly better to me. Shooting birds as small objects in the field of view the focus also seems better to me, faster and more accurate. With a professional series body the mount on the lens is too far back on the lens and a foot such as that offered by Really Right Stuff works better to balance the rig on a gimbal head. The case is a monster and built like a tank. The new lens hood is an improvement but does not fit over a Lens Coat. This my favorite birds lens ever.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Simply put, this is THE lens for bird / wildlife photography. As a petite female, I previously shied away from the "Big Glass" due to the weight issues. Canon has taken that excuse away. This lens is more than manageable, and the results are just awesome. The controls are intuitive and easily accessible. Sharpness is incredibly consistent and I'm delighted at the quickness of the Autofocus. It easily is the sharpest and fastest of any of the lenses I currently own.I've actually captured images of some shy subjects previously impossible without the working distance of this lens! I can't think of any Con, except that I want to use it ALL the time !

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

After waiting 10 months for the unit to arrive I can only say it was worth the wait. I shoot wildlife and in the 2 weeks that I have the unit I have taken over 2,500 bird shots some at 500mm and some with the Canon 2x extender III and they are as sharp as can be. Some of the shots taken were so far away I would watch for a bird to land, I could not see the landed bird with my naked eye but scanned thru the lens and have taken beautiful shots.
The weight is not bad and I have captured some hand held shots and they are fine, but I would not want to do this for a long time.
I wish it were not so expensive but one gets what one pays for and this lens is clearly worth the price.

Comments about Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM Lens:

Admittedly, I've not owned a EF super telephoto lens before getting my 500 f4L IS II lens, but I do have a FD 500 f4.5L that I lugged all over Alaska, and this new lens is light years ahead. Before getting this new 500 I thought no other lens could meet, or beat my 70-200 f2.8L IS II EF lens, but this 500 does! I've used it on one of Canon 7Ds, and on my 5D III cameras, and the AF is incredibly fast and accurate, and it is tack sharp. This super-tele is also light weight and I'm amazed at being able to hand hold it and get fabulous images as a result. I'm now in the process of re-doing several decades of images I had on slide film, and I'm loving every minute of it. Of course, the cost of this lens is mind numbing, and that's its only detractor, albeit a considerable one at that.