The answer is not a very straight forward one. I did quite a bit of research before I choose the lens that suits my requirement. You can find a brief comparison (or the options I had) of super telephoto lenses under $1500 for bird photography here. I am writing this after nearly 10 months of using this lens. I am convinced now that my decision was right.
I choose Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS USM over Canon 400mm f/5.6L USM prime (mostly for IS) and over Canon 300mm f/4L IS USM + 1.4x TC combo (for flexibility of zoom). I had considered Sigma 150-500mm OS and couple of other Sigma lenses as well.
I decided on Canon 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM after considering the hand holding ease, price, Image Stabilization (IS), flexibility, sharpness and image quality.
Image Quality
From my experience, Image quality of all these three ‘L’ lenses are very much the same. Though they say prime is better, in the field under practical circumstances, it doesn’t make noticeable difference (unless used with a teleconverter# perhaps).
I decided against Sigma 150-500 because (i) it is much heavier and (ii) the image quality at 500mm was not better than Canon 400mm prime or 100-400mm @ 400mm extrapolated to 500mm. Also, aperture at f/6.3 of Sigma at 500mm is a factor to consider.
Sharpness
Sharpness of the lens varies from copy to copy (one 400 prime might be sharper than another 400 prime, and it’s very much possible to have a copy of 100-400 sharper than 400 prime). It depends on the copy you get.
The sharpness difference could possibly be for the test freaks and/or professional reviewers, who put the lenses on a sturdy tripod with IS off and focus on a test pattern to judge the sharpness. Even basic post-processing will diminish the subtle difference in sharpness among the 3 lenses, considering that all the 3 lens copies are the best (or sharpest).
Sharpness also depends on the AF capability of your camera body. So for all practical purposes, in field, sharpness of all these three lenses are the same.
Ease of hand holding
Since I photograph mostly hand held, Image Stabilization (IS) and ease of hand holding was an important factor. 400 prime is much lighter than 100-400 or 300 + 1.4x TC. But lack of IS doesn’t give as sharp an image at 1/150s-1/200s (yes, I don’t have a very sturdy hand). Also, the locations I photograph birds don’t have very good lighting all through the year. I have experienced that carrying a tripod, when on foot, for a reach of 400mm will scary away birds.
So, the choice was between 100-400 and 300 f/4 + 1.4x TC for IS.
Price
The price difference between the two (100-400 and 300 + TC) is not very significant (but 400 prime is cheaper).
Flexibility
Although I predominantly photograph birds, I photograph mammals as well. I cannot afford another specialized lens such as 70-200mm f/2.8L for mammals.
On my last weekend trip to Bandipur, tigress Gowri came out right next to the jeep I was in. I pulled back the zoom from 400mm to about 150 or 200mm and fitted her in the frame. A few minutes earlier, I had stretched it to 400mm for photographing a pair of Streak Throated Woodpeckers.
Flexibility of 100-400 out weighs that of 300 f/4 + 1.4x TC combo (or even 400mm prime). I shoot mammals as well as birds. So, having a flexible zoom was more important. Also, it’s possible to compose some good landscape images at 100mm.
In my opinion, Canon 100-400mm IS USM without doubt is ‘the best wildlife lens’.
If you want to photograph only birds then 300 f/4 + 1.4x TC might be a better choice with some reservations*.
* Reservations:
400 prime comes cheaper and has faster AF than 300 + TC. If you are shooting in good lighting conditions most of the time, it makes sense to buy the 400 prime. IS doesn’t play big role in good lighting conditions. Also, if you have shelled out a lot of money on a good DLSR with better noise performance at higher ISO, you don’t need to think of IS.
Having IS is of no use if you are after birds in flight. 400 prime is proven to be the best for BIF.
I was initially tilted towards 400mm prime, for it’s supposedly faster AF and better IQ. But when I tried out 100-400 and 400mm prime on a 1D MIII (with and without tripod) at Canon Image Lounge, I was more impressed with the zoom.
# With Teleconverters, Prime lenses are known to perform better wrt auto focus, and also give better image quality with a TC. Canon 400mm prime lens when used with a 1.4x TC and taped pins on a non-pro Canon body is known to perform better than 100-400 with a TC and taped pins. I’d exclude more details on this in the current post. If anyone interested, i’ll write more with an update.
Hope you make a choice that’s suitable for you.
Here I present a few photographs, definitely not the best this lens can produce but a good indicative of its capabilities in terms of Image quality, Sharpness, Colors and Contrast, and AF capability.
Here’s an image of a Blue-capped Rock Thrush (at Kgudi / BR Hills) that I shot hand held, with support of jeep, at 1/13 second shutter speed on Canon 450D and 100-400mm IS lens. This shows the use of IS and low light AF performance of this lens.
This image of a juvenile Brahminy Kite trying to catch a fish at Hesarghatta Lake. Image captured at a reasonably faster shutter speed of 1/160s, shows the capability of AF for in flight shots.
Finally, an image of Ashy Crowned Sparrow Lark at Hesarghatta Lake. Aperture f/8 and shutter speed of 1/640s. I don’t have to say more.
Looks like a nice lens from your images.
These are definitely not the best of the images this lens can produce.
Simply superb bird pictures…What a nice find for google word “Palak Paneer”. Good informative post on Canon lens…made a quick scroll on you site..amazing captures…all your pictures have therapeutic effect…too good…. :)
Thanks. Glad you liked it!
Woah!!!
Kite’s picture is stunning man!!!
I remember being there for the third pic..Gee!!!
And someone called themselves “not a good photographer, blah, blah and blah……” in the recent past.. .. do you know anything about it? :P ;)
I still maintain that. Will explain on my ‘photography workshop for profit’ :P
Dude!!! You could have waited some days … I am still pondering over 300mm F/4 + TC or 100-400mm ….
Think before you make a mistake :P
Didn’t you see mammal photographs? Check: https://howyoudoin.wordpress.com/2010/04/05/tigers-of-bandhavgarh/
wow! simply loved the Brahminy Kite in flight pic.
Dear Mr Sandeep
I have gone through your article .
It is done very well and at present I have a Canon EOS T1i (500D) camera and purchased a 150-500 Sigma lens.I was thinking about the 100mm extra( which also turned out as an extrapolation of 400mm to 500mm) I shall get with a Sigma and the saving of Rs30,000 in price ( I got my lens for 50k).I had one Canon 70-300 IS USM lens and I never thought that a Sigma can really weigh this much ( During test/trial you never feel it but when you move on with the lens on it turns out as lead). I will not say I have been cheated but it is my wrong choice that led to my purchase.
I have been sincerely advised at the time of my purchase to go for the 100-400lens and I even today regret my decision!I do like to take pictures without a tripod ( I have one)and the lens + Camera combined weight is a real factor when you are on a long trip especially if it is on foot.
So any one going for a tele lens should think 100 times before decision.
With regards
Yours sincerely
Sivakumar V K
Sivakumar,
I’m glad you agree on my review. With 500mm lens, people generally don’t walk around. It is used for wait and shoot style. Typically it’s 500mm f/4 lenses used perhaps with a 1.4x TC.
But 500mm @ f/6.3 doesn’t give you such flexibility.
Don’t worry much. Work with what you have. For getting good images, one has to sit and wait, anticipate and approach birds. In good lighting, i’m sure Sigma lens also produces great images.
Totally agree with Sivakumar I am using canon 450D with sigma 150-500mm , canon 55-250 IS but I found sigma 150-500mm is much heavier on foot shoot and at 500mm sharpness doesnt come. The sigma 150-500mm is useless without tripod, hand held shooting with lens not possible,if u are going for mammals and bird shooting both than canon 100-400 IS is best(gone through lot of images).Now I am planning to get a Canon 100-400 IS whenever my budget allows me. Sandeep could u suggest me that should I buy the second hand or the new one and any best shop for canon100-400 IS.
Regards
Narendra Malik
Upgrade from 55-250 to 150-500 definitely makes you feel like you are carry a rock. It takes a while to get used to heavier lenses. Instead of tripod, use a monopod perhaps.
Whether to go for a used lens or a new one is a tricky question. Few years of usage doesn’t deteriorate these ‘L’ lenses. They are built very well. If you find a good used lens for a good price, it is worth considering. Where as new lens is a new lens. It’s a personal choice to make.
About the shop, I bought it through a friend from US. Didn’t get a chance to try out before I bought. Just hoped I get a good copy. In India, i’m not very sure. In US, you can check BHphotovideo, Adorama. They have a used equipment section too. And ya, there’s amazon always.
Hi Sandeep
just wanted to drop by and say thank you for the recommendation for Adorama Camera, which is very much appreciated.
BTW, I’m only an email away for advice concerning any order from Adorama Camera, or for after-sales support: helen.oster@adoramacamera.com
Helen Oster
Adorama Camera Customer Service Ambassador
http://helenoster.blogspot.com
dear sandeepji i am very happy after reading your thougts thinking and action about
CANON 100-40 f4-5.6 is lense. I am a sale executive by profession and photography is my hobby. At present i have canon 40d with 17-85 4-5.6 is usm lense and quite satisfied with the performance of the camera and lens both. Now i am thinking for a lense which can provide me the flexibility of zoom, optics quality , image sharpness and image stabilization . After reading your blog i am very keen to get canon 100-400 lens but in Indian market this lense is very costly. So i will wait for some more time to purchse canon 100-400. Onece again thanks for your information about canon 100-400 which is really very usefull.
regards
lokesh.
Sandeep, thanks so much for the info. I am switching to Canon
from Sony and am considering the 100-400mm for Nature Photography.
When I googled the lens I saw a synapsis of your blog and it mentioned
taping off the pins on the TC for auto focus. Do you still need to do this
using a canon 1.4 on a 7D? Just wondering.
Beautiful images from this lens. Thank you so much for posting them.
Makes me more comfortable about buying this lens.
Do you have any recommendations for a backup camera body for the
7D. I have seen good reports on the 40D and the image quality is on
par or even exceeds the 7D from what test images I’ve seen on various
sites.
Thanks for any input.
lyn
Hi Lyn,
Yes, AFAIK you need to tape the pins on 7D for auto focus with a teleconverter. Only on 1D bodies, AF will work when aperture is f/8.
As a back up body, 40D is good. You can consider 50D as well, 40D is already a old model. Besides, some international photography competitions have raised the minimum image resolution to 10MP for entering. Not a major issue, but you’d want to keep it in mind.
Thank you for the reply, Sandeep, and the information. I was under the
impression that although the 50D had video and more pixels the image
quality was not quite as impressive as the 40D due to Canon using the same
sensor. I look into the 50D further.
Thanks and again. Great blog.
I have canoon 100-400 and not professional photographer but love photography. Request some good trick to take nice wild life picture. last time was in Masai Mara but due to have 18-135 lense could not have nice pictures.
Thanks Sandeep. You cleared my mind. I will soon upgrade from 70-300 IS USM.
Hi Sandeep,
Thanks for the details comparison & i have seen your photos on INW. Very grt pictures. I moved to 100-400 on my 500d/T1I. I have got the lens from Amazon. However i am facing some issues & mostly because of me & not lens. I am lacking:
– Contrast
– Images are shaky even at good shutter 1/200 etc.
– Not much sharpness
I have used 55-250 earlier for 2 years & i know i have quite good hands so i have got good sharp photos on above shutter speed. you can see my photos on INW for comparison (Yogesh Puranik).
Can you just suggest what would be the issue, it is almost 2-3 months now I am using this lens but still not a single good photo & mostly some issue with either me or make..
Yogesh,
1/200 is not a great shutter speed for handheld. You’ll need at least 1/400s to 1/500s for something decent. It takes practice to get sharp images at slower shutter speeds. Rule of thumb is 1/focal-length is the shutter speed you need. For 400mm, it’s 1/400s.
Use support of car/jeep window, bean bag, monopod or tripod. It will greatly improve the sharpness. Lighting conditions matter a lot to get good contrast. It’s only 2-3 months, wait for another 3-4 months before thinking it’s issue with lens.
Hi Sandeep,
Awesome pictures! I was a click away from ordering the 100-400L, but am torn between the 70-200L F2.8 + TC. The dilemma is that i go for nature photography approx twice a year for which the 100-400 is excellent. But with the 70-200L + TC i can have a great fast lens for portraits (Candids of my daughter playing etc) and also with the TC be able to get great wildlife pics.
I use a Canon 7D with an 18-200 Lens which is quite basic, hence the tilt towards the 70-200L.
The question here is that will there be any quality loss with the TC.
Look forward to your comments.
Cheers,
K
I have used Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS II and Canon 2x TC EF III once on a field trip for wildlife, on a 7D body. I honestly didn’t expect it, but it was abysmally bad. To me, auto focus is critical for wildlife and needs to be quick. But this combination was sluggish and slow. Needless to say, on the same trip i used 100-400 on the same body and performed remarkably well.
But 70-200 f/2.8 by itself is an incredible lens. Will definitely suit your needs and do much better than 18-200. You can use it for mammals photography too without TC. But in my opinion, it’s not a good idea to use it with 2X TC.
Kunal, I have owned the 100-400 and don’t personally care
for the push/pull zoom. i used the 1.4x II on it and the image
quality really downgraded on this particular lens. I also used
the 1.4xII on the 70-200 F/4 IS and used that setup for over a
year then switched to the 70-300 L IS with a Kenko 1.4x DGX
Pro plus and it works great.
I am genuinely grateful to the holder of this site who has shared this fantastic article at at this
place.