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100-400 4.5-5.6 L IS lens ?

Started Oct 30, 2013 | Questions thread
artistguy Senior Member • Posts: 1,175
Re: 100-400 4.5-5.6 L IS lens ?
2

Having owned both at the same time new in 2009, I would say the 400 5.6L was far sharper and quicker to AF, and less of a dust collector. Of course the 100-400 has the flexibility, but if it's small wildlife you're photographing such as birds at feeders I'd choose the 400 every time. In the end I decided neither where fast enough and I couldn't afford the jump to anything faster and longer.
The problem with both these lenses is getting enough shutter speed at decent iso to capture a sharp image of moving objects without noise.

If you're selling your work or have plenty of spare cash then getting the very best availible and is worth buying newer (proven) upgrades of the same lens, but then you could probably afford the faster bigger lenses anyway if that's the case. Personally, I wouldn't go to the hassle and expense of changing one 100-400 for another just to maybe gain a small increase in sharpness that might all come down to post processing anyway.

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Panasonic FZ1000 Sony a7R Canon EOS 7D Mark II Canon EF 35mm F2.0 Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM +7 more
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