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

Started Nov 12, 2014 | Polls
jamie8848
jamie8848 Junior Member • Posts: 47
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:

 jamie8848's gear list:jamie8848's gear list
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EF 15mm f/2.8 Fisheye Canon EF 24mm f/1.4L II USM Canon Extender EF 1.4x III Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM +5 more
POLL
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II - $2,199 - 1.59kg / 3.5 lb
36.4% 4  votes
Canon EF 135-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS internal zoom - $2,199 - 1.25kg / 2.75 lb
45.5% 5  votes
new prime Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS (4 stop) II - $1,599 - 0.99kg / 2.2 lb
18.2% 2  votes
  Show results
Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6L IS II
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Howard
Howard Senior Member • Posts: 1,885
What's the point?
2

One doesn't even exist.

-- hide signature --

Howard
cameras: 5DII, 70D
lenses: 17-40 f/4 USM L, 24-70 f/4 IS USM L, 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 IS USM L, 24 f/3.5 TSE L, 35 f/2, 50 f/1.4 USM, 100 f/2.8 IS USM Macro L, 300 f/2.8 IS USM II, 430 EX II, 270 EX II, EF 1.4x TC III, EF 2x TC III, Kenko Pro 300 1.4x TC
personal website: http://www.travelerathome.com
blog: http://travelerathome.wordpress.com

 Howard's gear list:Howard's gear list
Canon EOS 5D Mark II Sony a6000 Canon EOS 7D Mark II Canon EF 50mm F1.4 USM Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM +7 more
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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