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135-400mm INTERNAL zoom or new 100-400mm, your choice?

Started Nov 12, 2014 | Polls thread
Lemming51
Lemming51 Forum Pro • Posts: 15,278
Re: 135-400mm INTERNAL zoom or new 100-400mm, your choice?

I'll be buying a new Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II which extends when zoomed, but if given the choice I would have preferred a lighter internal zoom design, similar to the non-extending 70-200mm f/4, even if the zoom range was lower.

An internal zoom would probably have to have a shorter zoom range, 135-400mm or 150-400mm but would almost certainly be slightly lighter, and perhaps lighter again with a less complex optical formula; the 70-200 f2.8 & f4 are rather different in that regard. Additionally it shouldn't suffer zoom creep with age and would perhaps be slightly more robust, and of course not extend when zooming. So different set of design compromises, which I have made a stab at below, and made up a new weight-focused 300mm prime for prime lovers.

Humor me, assuming the same: optical quality; rapid internal focus; min focus distance; image stabilization; removable tripod mount and aperture range, would you prefer:

?? On what do you base your assumption that internal zoom design would be smaller/lighter? Extending old EF 70-210 f/4 is smaller and lighter than internal zoom EF 70-200 f/4L USM. -- Unapologetic Canon Apologist
 Lemming51's gear list:Lemming51's gear list
Canon EOS 40D Canon EF 50mm F1.8 II Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM +5 more
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