| This is one of the most versatile lenses we have ever used. However it has as many haters as it has lovers. The push-pull zoom mechanism has long been accused of sucking in dust. Acquiring the unfortunate nick-name of the dust-pump. Personally we have never had a problem with any of ours. In fact we have used it to photograph Willetts and Sanderlings walking along the sand in Clearwater Florida with a Canon 5D. The 5D does not have the vibrating sensor cleaner yet dust has never been a problem.
It is highly capable of producing amazingly sharp images. After all it is part of the Canon famed L glass collection so quality would be expected. We have tested this model on birds, trains, aircraft and even a speeding baseball. We've taken it out in -25C and +30C and it has performed wonderfully.
For those that are unfamiliar with the push-pull zoom, you might find it difficult to give up once you have tried it. It's very quick and convenient and you don't have to dislocate your wrist in fast moving situations.
Canon suggests that the lens is compatible with the 1.4x and 2.0x extenders. This may be so from a technical perspective, but we do not recommend it. We have found the quality degradation to be terrible with the 1.4x and unusable with the 2.0x.
It's a great lens that covers a healthy range and regardless of the situation it will bag you a lot of keepers. Not as sharp at the 400mm end as our f2.8 prime, but then again at $50.00 for a weekend you can't go wrong.
Resources
CANON EF 100-400 f4.5-5.6 L IS USM - An honest review at FredMiranda.
Dimensions without hood: 5.0 inch wide x 9.9 inch long Weight: 5.6lbs / 2.55kg
|
