Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens USA
- Price: $1,614.00
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The first EF lens with a zoom range from 100mm to 400mm, the EF 100-400mm f/4.5- 5.6L IS USM lens offers high resolution, superb contrast, neutral color balance, and Canon's original built-in Image Stabilizer function. High zoom magnification is achieved by means of a 6-group configuration with 5 movable groups. Fluorite and Super UD glass completely eliminate secondary spectrum for superb color rendition. Autofocusing is fast and silent with Canon's ring USM, and AF speed is further enhanced through an advanced, lightweight rear focusing design that incorporates a floating element for consistent image quality at all focusing distances from 5.9' to infinity. This lens is also equipped with a dual-mode Image Stabilizer suitable for panning as well as stationary subjects. With full-time manual focus, one-touch zooming with a wide grip, and a special ring that permits adjustment of zooming friction, this is a lens that's extremely easy to use, and ideal for a wide variety of applications including nature, wildlife, sports, and documentary photography.
- Floating internal lens element & rear-group focusing
- Fluorite & ultra-low dispersion lens elements
- Tripod collar
Go To
| Performance | |
|---|---|
| Focal Length | 100 - 400 mm |
| Aperture |
Maximum: f/4.5 - 5.6 Minimum: f/32 - 40 |
| Camera Mount Type | Canon EF |
| Format Compatibility |
35mm Film / Full-Frame Digital Sensor Canon (APS-C) |
| Angle of View | 24° - 6° |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 5.9' (1.80 m) |
| Magnification | 0.2x |
| Maximum Reproduction Ratio | 1:5 |
| Groups/Elements | 14/17 |
| Diaphragm Blades | 5 |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | Yes |
| Autofocus | Yes |
| Tripod Collar | Yes |
| Physical | |
|---|---|
| Filter Thread | 77 mm |
| Dimensions (DxL) | Approx. 3.6 x 7.4" (9.14 x 18.80 cm) |
| Weight | 3.04 lb (1.38 kg) |
REVIEW SNAPSHOT®
by PowerReviews(based on 735 reviews)
Ratings Distribution
98%
of respondents would recommend this to a friend.
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus (650)
- Strong construction (530)
- Durable (413)
- Consistent output (405)
- Rugged (335)
Cons
- Heavy (395)
- Poor in low light (64)
- Lens creep (50)
- Slow focus (28)
- Blurry focus (7)
Best Uses
- Sports/action (448)
- Wildlife photos (370)
- Wildlife (240)
- Landscape/scenery (190)
- General purpose (78)
- Reviewer Profile:
- Photo enthusiast (246), Enthusiast (160), Semi-pro photographer (109), Semi-professional (74), Casual photographer (35)
- Was this a gift?:
- No (257), Yes (23)
Most Liked Positive Review
Really Great Lens for Wildlife
This remarkable Canon lens has been around for more than ten years but it has by no means been superceded by newer models in many respects.
A few claim the autofocus is n...Read complete review
This remarkable Canon lens has been around for more than ten years but it has by no means been superceded by newer models in many respects.
A few claim the autofocus is not always accurate or the maximum aperture is "only" f/5.6, or the "pump action" zoom is outmoded, but I would point out the following;
The autofocus is fine although it is worth remembering that at the closest focus distance (less than 2 metres) with the lens at 400mm, the depth of field at f/5.6 is barely one centimetre. That is true for any similar lens - if there was one. If in the fraction of a second after focusing one rocks forwards or backwards even a tiny amount then it will need refocusing –not a fault of the lens, it just needs practice.
Even at f/16 the depth of field is only about 3cms so for close wildlife pictures (birds etc) there seems little point in having a lens faster than f/5.6. Claims that small apertures require undesirably slow shutter speeds do not apply once one realises how fast the ISO rating can be raised and still get very good pictures. (On a full frame camera ISO6400 is still excellent). Additionally the IS will allow quite slow speeds anyway if the creature is more or less stationary.
For hand held shots (using IS) this pump action zoom turns out to be ideal as the majority of the not inconsiderable lens weight is supported by the left hand which does not want to have to keep letting go and regripping to operate a more conventional twist zoom. So often when on the move with wildlife there is not time to set up a tripod, even if you have brought one, where a twist zoom might be considered more conventional.
Additionally the closest focus distance even at 400mm is just under 2 metres. Most fixed focus lenses of 400mm or even 300mm have longer closest focus distances, some much longer and many much more expensive.
I find that the lens produces very high definition pictures. Maybe with a wheelbarrow load of very expensive long prime lens one might achieve very slight improvement at full aperture but as I have said this is of little use in most wildlife pictures where a bit more depth of field is needed.
These things all help to make this 100-400mm zoom lens highly desirable.
VS
Most Liked Negative Review
Disappointed For the Price
As a professional, I usually shoot landscapes but I have recently started to get more into wildlife. After much research, I pulled the trigger and bought this.
Right out of t...Read complete review
As a professional, I usually shoot landscapes but I have recently started to get more into wildlife. After much research, I pulled the trigger and bought this.
Right out of the box the lens feels well built and heavy. I was surprised at the size of the lens. It is smaller then the 70-200mm f/2.8 when zoomed out and only looks truely impressive in size with the lens cap on. It it not weathered sealed so using it in damp or dusty environments is out (which was not a problem for me).
The f/5.6 at the 400 end is not fast but is not overly slow either. A monopod or tripod is required to get shots in shadow or overcast situations. Unless using a flash, even wide open with IS on, don't think about using this indoors. Images looked sharp at 25% but at 100% lens blur could be seen even with IS on. Pixel peepers will be even more disappointed - but again this is not an indoor lens at f/4-f/5.6. If you do use this indoors without a flash, you will need a tripod and a stationary subject.
Overall the optical quality was not impressive. My copy didn't suffer from bad chromatic aberration or purple fringing but there was some vignetting zoomed in. Since it is a telephoto, I didn't see any barrel distortion.
The resolution and sharpness, however, left much to be desired. While shooting in bright noon sunlight photos taken at all focal lengths were not tack sharp. (I realize that every person has their own perspective of what tack sharp is and some will say what I call soft to be tack sharp. So let me help: I define tack sharp as the ability to see the black parts of a dragon fly's wings or individual pieces (quills) of a bird's feathers with little to no blur on them - this lens certainty does not produce sharpness to that level especially at 400mm)
It seemed that 200mm was the sharpest falling off slightly to 300mm. At 300mm or more the lens got softer and was softest at 400mm. The softness of the lens was the biggest disappointment. It was much softer then my cheaper 300mm non-canon non-IS lens. Even stopped down to f/8 (which seemed to be the sweet spot for my copy) the images were still much too blurry for professional printing or sale.
While shooting some sharpness tests to determine the quality of my copy, I noticed that even when setup under bright light on a tripod and using the same settings, the lens seemed to have an 80% fail rate for usable sharp images. Only two out of ten images I shot were acceptably sharp and all the others suffered from softness - often badly. This was an unacceptable failure rate for me.
The IS is noisy and jittery which is to be expected since this lens uses Canon's first generation Image Stabilization system developed back in the 1980's. I found that on my copy I was only able to get mildly acceptable results at one f-stop lower... not the 2 or 3 they advertise. I found the IS function useless unless I was to hand hold the lens at 100mm in bright noon nunlight. Besides no one should be handholding a 400mm lens if they want sharp images anyway.
The lens performed much better with IS off and on a monopod thus I found the IS function to be a waste and not worth the extra money for the feature.
On positive notes the focus was fast and the lens was comfortable on a monopod. Tracking BIF (birds in flight) was easy and I did get some amazing shots (although they were still too soft for the price of the lens). The lens hood was nice as well but it would have looked better white.
I did notice that like all white L glass, there is an issue with scaring wildlife and I did on several occasion, not being able to get as close as I could with my black lenses. (They do sell lens covers for this but they still will not hide 60% of the white parts when zoomed in since this is a push / pull design.)
All in all I found the build quality to be good but the optical resolution (sharpness) to be much to soft for my needs. I also didn't need the 100-200 range and didn't find the Image Stabilization to be useful since a tripod or monopod will result in sharper, more professional images. I ended up returning this lens based on the softness issues.
I have decided to either go for the 400mm f/5.6L prime or save up for the 500mm prime. The 400mm is actually cheaper then this lens by a couple hundred bucks and it is the same wide open aperture. The 400mm prime does not have IS but again I didn't find it helpful. Additionally as a prime, the 400 should be sharper then the 100-400 and research I have done on the lens suggest that it in fact is.
I would have kept this lens if it had been $500 less but this lens had too many negatives to justify the price.
I am checking that "I am not recommending this to a friend" but here is a side not to that:
If you are just using this lens for a hobby and will not be selling your photos and need the extra 100-200mm range then this lens might make sense to you. But if you are a professional looking to get extra reach and also demand sharpness, save up and go with the 500mm or 400mm f/2.8 or save some money and get the 400mm f/5.6 prime.
REVIEWS
Reviewed by 735 customers
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Displaying reviews 1-20
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Pros
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
The image quality is exactly what you can expect from an L series Canon lens. It´s fast and sharp, but has issues in lowlight. If you are shooting sports in a bright day you will be amazed with this lens. but if you shoot at night in a stadium you will probably be dissapointed. I wanted to buy the 2.8 L series lens from Canon but the difference in price was too much.
If you don't want to spend several grands on a telephoto lens, this is your choice.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Images shared by Jose Luis
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- You may also flag this review
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Night Photography
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I am amateur wild-life photographer.. This lens is good for Wildlife and Long Distance Night Photography. On half frame Canon DSLR 400 mm works as 640 mm.. which makes it easy to capture birds keeping enough distance. Sharpness is quite good and focusing I found quick even on my 500D/T1i. I tried IS ON and OFF in same light conditions and it works quite good, although handheld shots look difficult considering weight of the lens and you should plan to purchase at least Monopod for effectively using this lens..
I started with Sigma 170-500 6-7 years back and wanted something better, sharper and quick. I found this lens good value for money. Kind of middle way between Sigma's and Tamron's and Fast Canon lenses like 400m F4's etc..
Only issue I thought was - It has Metal body so it gets very cold if you are carrying it say in your cars boot space..which is not heated..and then if you take it out and use.. due to warmth it accumulates moisture..so need to be stored always with silica pouches ..just as a precaution..
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
Use this lens for wildlife photograph and very happy with it.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
- Heavy
- Lens Creep
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
-I mainly use this for wildlife
-It has a fast auto focus enabling the capture of moving animals at a distance and the 400mm is an excellent zoom
-Excellent resolution up to 350mm, there is a very slight degradation of image quality 350-400mm, only noticable under a zoomed review on the computer
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I chose the Canon 100-400 to tote around while birding (photography being secondary to why I'm out in the field) and while it's a phenomenally useful lens, especially for birds in flight, it is inconveniently heavy and a tad awkward when zoomed-out to 400.
Some have noted that they were unimpressed with the sharpness of this lens, but I disagree. Images display very fine detail and little if any chromatic aberration or distortion.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
Great Lens....
Pros
- Durable
- Fast accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Lens cap is cheap
Best Uses
- Weddings/Events
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I have been wanting this lens for some time and was not disappointed when it arrived. It has a really fast, almost silent focus and is sharp as a tack. It is heavy but when extended, it gives me the ability to grip the lens out in front of my body and in that position it is easily handled. The IS does a great job of helping me with my camera shake.
It comes with this fantastic lens case that I will probably never use. The only down side is the fairly cheap lens hood. Shame Canon didn't swap their efforts on the lens hood/lens case.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I have not had much time to work with this lens yet, but based on what I have been able to do I feel that it will be very useful and will offer much better resolution than the 70-300 IS Canon lens I currently own. The sales team at B & H were very helpful and I am sure that I will not be sorry that I own this lens. We have a lot of wildlife on the lake that we live on and I cannot wait to get out and try it! The only con that I can see at this time is that it is much larger and heavier than I am used to, but that is to be expected.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I had my eye on this lens for quite a while, but hadn't bought it since I couldn't justify it for "work" uses. But now that I have it, I am so glad I got it. I am using it primarily for wildlife and family sporting events. It gives me the reach that my 70-200 just can't provide. It is heavy, but my tripod helps out with that.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I held off purchasing this lens for quite some time due to the weight and I've read some reviews about the lens not being that sharp. However, I decided to take the plunge and purchase the lens and I am 100% happy.The lens is used with a Canon 7D. I have a F4 70-200L which is a beautifully sharp lens. The 100-400 is not as sharp, but then again, I am hand holding and it is quite a bit heavier than the 70-200. I still think the IMQ is great and the veratility of the lens is amazing. I've taken some great bird and zoo shots. This lens does not disappoint. I am as happy with this lens as I am with the 70-200L and so glad that I purchased the 100-400. I had also considered the 300mm L and the 400mm L and I am glad that I went with this one due to its versatility.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Rugged
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I'm a terrible photographer, but I love trying to get pictures of exotic birds. I'd been using an old, non-image-stabilized Canon 80-300 lens made for a film Rebel. It didn't work well with the Canon 20D body. I rented this lens for a trip to Trinidad and got some lovely shots in spite of myself. I don't deserve this lens, but maybe now that I own it, I'll learn to use it and my camera better. I was just off crutches from a broken ankle, but managed to horse this thing around everywhere I went. It's heavy-ish, but worth the effort. It doesn't fit into the large fanny pack I use to carry all my camera stuff, so it made another thing hanging from my shoulders and neck when not on the camera. I didn't have a tripod, but the image stabilization worked so well that most of my hand-held shots were in focus.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Bottom Line Yes, I would recommend this to a friend
Images shared by bad birder
Male Silverbill
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- You may also flag this review
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Nice Bokeh
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I recently used this lens to shoot my boys surfing in Costa Rica. The waves break pretty far out so the 400mm reach was a must. The pictures are stunning and sharp. I was even able to crop in very close and still maintain good quality.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Not tack sharp
- Tricky DOF
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
Enthusiastic non-professional. Photoshop is my life. I sent the first copy of this lens back, B&H really stands behind their transactiions, (cudos). The first one would not autofocus, what shots I got were soft as yogurt... the second one is much better. It is not quite as sharp as the 70-200 f/2.8L it shares my bag with, but it is close enough to be a keeper. I like to shoot without a tripod, but this one seems to like some added stablility. Monopod seems to do the job.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
i love this lens for shooting sports and over all scenery. it has an amazing zoom to capture anything within a good distants. it's not a super light lens so carrying it around could be a problem
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Easily Interchangeable
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
It only took me 2 years to get this lens. Read plenty of reviews and knew it I had to get it...so here Im. I use it for my son's hockey games and must say pictures are coming out terrific. It took me a while to get used to the new pull/push system to zoom in and out, but after a few practice shots it doesn't bother me at all.Don't have very technical data on it as Im rather a recreational photographer then pro.Lens has great zoom capability and it doesn't look any slower in comparison to my other 24-105mm L series Lens. Basically my photo kit includes new T3i, 24-105mm and 100-400mm lens, can't wait the get one of the speedlite flash.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Poor in Low Light
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
This lens allows me to use my favorite focal length 100-mm and quickly zoom to 400-mm to photograph details.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
Cons
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I've been using this lens for wildlife. I'm totally satisfied.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
Pros
- Durable
- Easily Interchangeable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
Great for getting those long distance shots I just could not get before with my other lenses. It is a little heavy for hand held shots.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Image quality
- Rugged
- Strong Construction
- Versatile lens
Cons
- Heavy
- Slow Focus
Best Uses
- Sports/Action
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I am an amateur wildlife photographer. I had been using a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM since I started shooting. I wish I had bought this lens years sooner. The image quality is much better than my old lens and it's nice to have the extra 100mm reach. The autofocus isn't quite as quick as some of the fixed L lenses I have tried but the versatility of the zoom is worth the trade-off for me. The lens is a bit heavy to handhold for long periods of time but I am getting used to the weight. I would highly recommend this lens.
- Was this a gift?:
- Yes
Pros
- Consistent Output
- Durable
- Fast / accurate auto-focus
- Strong Construction
Cons
- Heavy
Best Uses
- Landscape/Scenery
- Wildlife Photos
Comments about Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Lens:
I use it mainly for bird photography, but I have used it also for tight portraits and landscapes.
It is really a fantastic lens, with a fast focus and incredbly vivid colors and contrast.
At first I was a bit worried about the push-pull zoom mechanism, but it was very easy to get used to. And now it seems second nature for me.
The only downside of the lens is its weight: it is kind of hard to handhold it for a long time.
- Was this a gift?:
- No
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What's in the Box
- 77mm Snap-On Lens Cap
- Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
- ET-83C Lens Hood
- Tripod Collar
- LZ1324 Lens Case
- 1-Year Warranty
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