Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

This lens is heavy, large and well, repeat WELL, worth carrying around. Autofocus is quick. Quality is excellent. Some have commented that long lenses are like looking through a drinking straw. I don't find the narrow field of view that extreme but still need practice in quick and accurate aim.

I do wish the 800 would autofocus with a 1.4 extender but that does offer some practice in long-neglected manual focus skills.

The Kata TLB-800 PL Lens Backpack has already proven itself excellent in getting the lens and camera to the scene of the action.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I use this lens for wildlife exclusivly. The sharpness of this lens still surprises me. It may only be f5.6, but with my 1DMkIV I can shoot in very low light and get amazing results. In fact I see more detail in the images when I download them than I see when I'm shooting.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

JUST AWESOME!!!!!!! This lens will get you as close as you want. Very sharp, clear and heavy.You can hand hold it for 2 maybe 3 shots and thats it.[...] I've had the lens for 2 weeks and plan to go out bird watching at the local santuary. I wish Canon would include the 52mm drop in screw filter holder in the purchase. Now with the current situation in Japan because of the devistation this piece is on national back order with no indication of when production will start up.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

Bought for wildlife photography. Mounts easily on my monopod or gimbel. Tack sharp, fast focusing. Also using it to produce Giga-pan like panoramas.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

Use for wildlife shooting.

This lens "gets you out there".. Then you have the 1.4 and 2.0 extender for the next State !!!

I have the 500mm too and been using both. They are truly a joy to handle. I am 75 and "NO" I can't hand hold ..but sure can mount them fast on a tripod.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

We use the lens mainly for bird photography. We are still learning how to use this lens. The issue we have is how to take tack sharp images at a higher rate. Huge magnification comes with this lens, but a cost of easy vibration. Any tiny vibration from the camera, the tripod and your hands would be magnified enormously. Thus blurry image results. You would think the image is sharp, but not until you blow it up 100% on your screen to find out it is not tack sharp.

If the image is blurry, it is operator's error. When the image is tack sharp, the detail is just out of this world. I shoot raw and there is no in-camera adjustments for color, sharpness, and so forth. In its raw format, the image is incredibly sharp, extremely detailed, and its color rich and vibrant.

What can I say? One of the excellent super telephoto lens that Canon has ever made so far. I even go so far as to say it is the sharpest super telephone lens that Canon makes.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

super fast, super sharp and so much lighter than the 600 I also own.

As a bird photographer this lens paired with a Canon 1D Mk IV is simply as good as it gets. Sure its expensive but you super telephoto lens ever made period

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I use this lens for wildlife especially birds. Week one I captured tack sharp images of an osprey catching a bird and carrying it off in flight. Beats a 600mm with extender any day.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

Far exceeds my expectations. Largest lens I have ever owned. I have been a little apprehensive about getting it out of its case in public. Huge lens - gets lots of comments from strangers. Fast focus, easy to get used to. Once you get used to the 19 feet focus minimum, it is absolutely a pleasure to use. Like the 1.4x and 2x extender capabilities.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

Almost weighs as much as my 500. Super sharp and fast focus. Very quiet image stabilization. Highly recommended if you need that extra reach.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I am an advanced amateur using this lens primarily for bird photography. I will also use it for general wildlife and occasional sports photography. Coupled with my Canon EOS-1Ds Mark III body I can capture images of birds that I previously only could dream about. Incredible image sharpness astounds me. I have just recently received the new 1.4xTC III and 2xTC III and can't wait to try those with the 800/5.6. While many reviewers have mentioned the weight as an issue I don't have any complaints when I use my gimbal head and a sturdy carbon fiber tripod. That being said, I do notice a little shoulder fatigue if I carry the rig around for very long treks. Otherwise, the images that I can create with the "pulling power" of the 800mm focal length more than soothe the minor discomfort. If you are really into birding I strongly recommend this lens and the new third generation teleconverters. It's almost like having your own little Hubble telescope.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

There is no doubt that sometimes you just need the reach.....and this expensive lens does it....

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I use this long lens for photojournalism. In good lighting with one or two subjects in frame this lens produces outstanding images. It's weight and size are more like a 500mm, I do not hand hold the lens but will use it with a monopod and not just a tripod. Very fast IS also.. more so then canon's other super telephoto's.
I can't say much bad about this lens other then I get nervous traveling with it because of it's value, but I never leave it home when I go on assignment..When everyone else is shooting with a 600mm the images shot at a distance are just a bit more crisp with the 800.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I have the Canon ef300 f2.8L and even with a 2x teleconverter wanted longer reach for bird photography. Was going to sell the 300 but have decided to keep it for the time being.
I have only shot a few test photos with the 800 so far but it blows my mind how I can hand hold and still get sharp images at long distance even with the 1.4x teleconverter.
I can't wait to get out into the field.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I sold my 600 to move to the 800 before an African safari and I am very happy that I did. Great lens. I used it with my Canon 1D Mark IV and it is combo that works wonderfully for wildlife!

The 5.6 aperture was not such a loss since I can use higher ISOs with the Mark IV

It is sharp and focusing is very fast though I have only used it with the one body.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

Ok, The best, yep I shot this lens and must say it is.

Long and sharp, I only shoot it at 5.6. Birds, bikes, cars only

with this lens. Opens up all new worlds and images to sell.

Can't rent it, shoot with it for 5 years and then sell it for 15% lost,

unreal for any lens! Go long!

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

I think this lends is the best lems for wildlife, especially for birds. Ultra sharp quality is amazing. I think much more better than EF600mmF4IS. Because EF800mm is light weight. It is great advantage in the field.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

Before I bought this lens, I used EF500mm/f4.0 and took photos of birds.
Recently I take photos of a kind of Raptores, falcon, with this lens.
I feel amazing sharpness of this lens: EF800mm.
But I am having a hard time to catch a falcon frying at speed on the finder, so I have to improve my
skill.
Now, I want to buy a good camera platform, but unfortunately, it is so expensive that I cannnot get it
easily.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

No regret in buying as i am getting sharp pictures with greater details.The only drawback is that it hunt when lighting is poor and slightly more difficult in looking for the subject as it has narrower field of view.

Comments about Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM Autofocus Lens:

There are very few material things in life that evoke a true sense of new discovery, and open new doors that were once closed.

This lens is one of them.

Since purchasing this lens, I've experimented with winter bird photography in Anchorage where I live. The results are nothing short of stunning. I cannot wait to use this lens more extensively on the various bird and animal subjects that grace the landscape in Alaska where I am privileged to live.

The combination of relatively light weight, long focal length, and excellent optics are the obvious strengths of this lens.

The most obvious drawback of this lens is the high cost. Someone considering this lens who might be new to use of a supertelephoto would also need to factor in the cost of the best possible tripod and gimbal head since optimal use of this lens really requires such accessories.

The f/5.6 of the lens brings with it the "baggage" that one needs to crank up the iso at times in order to get fast shutter speeds but with advanced camera bodies this is still ok. Also, when using extenders it places limits on auto exposure.

Being new to use of a supertelephoto lens, It was also of note to me that quickly "finding" and focusing on your intended subject -- especially small birds -- is going to require newly honed skills.

I'm already dreaming of all the great places I can go to use this lens. What a great "side effect" of making such a purchase...