Canon EF 600mm F4 USM (NON IS)

[PaulW]

just wondering if anyone has any views on the above lense?

cheers
Paul

[Colin Key]

This is a beast of a thing Paul and is unusable without a a very sturdy (Gitzo) tripod and a gimbal-type (Wimberley) head, both of which are very expensive. Hand-holding this lens, especially for BIF shots, is impossible.

I have read on photographic forums that although this lens does work on a DSLR it was made as a "film" lens and is not at ease in the digital world (the same has also been said of the 600 f/4 IS which I suspect will be discontinued now that the 800 f/5.6 has emerged and is considerably lighter than the 600).

If your query stems from the fact that you have found a second-hand one for sale I would advise you if at all possible to try and meet up with the seller and test the lens on your own camera body - I certainly would not buy it "blind". I think that the going rate for this lens in good condition is about £2,500 or less.

For a bit more cash a 300mm f/2.8 and a x1.4TC would be a much better bet, especially if you are using a 1D series body, and this lens will hold its re-sale value very well. Unfortunately, this is not really the time to be buying new Canon gear - prices of everything coming out of Japan have gone through the roof due to the strength of the Yen.

Try Googling "Canon 600mm f/4 non-IS" (if you haven't already so) and you will find a lot of info.

Colin

[PaulW]

thanks Colin

is that with or without IS and it will go with a 1D mkii that I now have!

what about the EF400mm f2.8L USM II ? :err:

cheers
Paul

[Colin Key]

thanks Colin

is that with or without IS and it will go with a 1D mkii that I now have!

what about the EF400mm f2.8L USM II ? :err:

cheers
Paul

Paul,

If you are referring to the 300mm f/2.8 then yes, it does have IS and is a wonderful lens which takes both a x1.4 or a x2.0TC very well indeed. It is also light enough to use as a "walkabout" lens.

There has been a recent thread on Birdforum about this lens:

http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=143026

I have been in the field with one of the contributors to that thread, Mike Nesbitt, who was using the 300 /2.8 + x2.0TC on a 1DMkIIn; we were shooting the same birds (I was using a non-IS 400 f/5.6 + x1.4TC on a 1DMk3) and I found some of his results very impressive (there is a link to his PBase gallery in the thread). It is a lens which I might buy in the near future.

The 400 f/2.8 is not generally highly regarded as a birding lens, and it is HUGE (there is also a thread on the Canon section of Birdforum about this lens: http://www.birdforum.net/showthread.php?t=147035 ). Many birders are now considering the 400mm f/4 DO lens which is much lighter, but I have not seen any results from it which would sell it to me.

At the end of the day I still think that, if money is no object, the 500mm f/4 IS (which I do own) on a 1D series body is the best combo for birding, and it takes a x1.4TC very well giving a FL of 700mm.

I was about to "pull the trigger" on the new 800mm f/5.6 at the end of last year when the price was £7,900 (I would have traded-in my 500 f/4) but there was no stock with my U.K. supplier (and there still isn't). The cost is now £11,000 or thereabouts but still not available, and the Canon RRP is £15,000!!!

Colin

P.S. I do not wish to publicise Birdforum, but it is worth dipping into the Canon gear forum; there are a load of useless chumps posting total ...., but also a few people who really know what they are talking about :ohdear:.

[darrenjhughes]

Paul
I totally agree with Colin,But you do have do bear in mind that Colin takes most of his photos in fantastic light not what we get here.so the IS will be a must in the UK.If you go to www.chog.org.uk and have a look at any of the photos by Alan Hayden these were taken with said 400 is 2.8 lens

[Colin Key]

.If you go to www.chog.org.uk and have a look at any of the photos by Alan Hayden these were taken with said 400 is 2.8 lens

Darren,

I have seen Alan's photos before, and they are very good, but at the size at which they are published (for the web) it is difficult to assess just how good they are from a technical point of view.

Colin :smile:

[PaulW]

thanks for this chaps, the BF stuff was very informative and I think I'll go down the EF300 IS route plus a tc or two almost giving me 3 types of lense in one go!!

cheers
Paul

[Colin Key]

...... I think I'll go down the EF300 IS route .......

cheers
Paul

But it has to be the 300 f/2.8, NOT the 300 f/4, which is a totally different lens which does not like TCs and from which I have seen very few (if any) good bird images.

Colin

[PaulW]

well I am now the proud owner (or at least I will be in a few days) of a Canon EF300mm 2.8 IS, I hope you appreciate the heavy weight of responsibility that is now on your shoulders Colin!! :ohdear::laugh:

:beer:
Paul

[Colin Key]

Congratulations Paul, I am sure you will be pleased with your new lens and I look forward to seeing some of your images.

If you have also gone for both the 1.4 and 2.0 TCs you have a nice set-up there with the 420mm and fast AF being excellent for BIF and the 600mm giving you great "reach" for general bird photography.

Colin :beer:

[maccacracker]

I thought I'd add to this debate after a long gap.
I bought one last month and have had a few outings with it.
My 400mm L lens was fine in bright conditions but hopeless when cloudy, I had to up the ISO so far to get any shutter speed that digital noise was awful.
I sold it and got a mint 2nd hand 600mm L f4 non-is with box and lens cap for a good price.
It's massive and heavy but you kind of get used to it. I've carried it using the tripod collar but the wrist gets sore after a while so I've just bought a Lowepro 600 aw to put it on my back.
It sits well on my sturdy old aluminium Manfrotto tripod and QR plate on a very sturdy ballhead, there's no ball flop with care. I'm waiting for a Manfrotto 393 in any case which will be easier to use.
Results are so much better. Virtually every shot is sharp or thereabouts so many more keepers than before. Shots translate well to photo editing because they're sharp to begin with.
Yes, life is a risk so I don't know about repairs etc but then none of my other lenses ever had a major problem so I'll keep my fingers crossed on that.
A great buy so far. I know I'm still learning.