Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens - White
Average customer rating
4.6
(75 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 75 reviews
5 Stars
55
4 Stars
15
3 Stars
3
2 Stars
2
1 Star
0
93%of customers recommend this product.
(
67 out of
72)
Customer Reviews for Canon - EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens - White
Customer Rating
5
Best Zoom Tele on the Market!
on November 27, 2008
Posted by: Theo
from S.E. La.
I bought this "super zoom telephoto" lens with my 1st SLR purchase, the Canon D-Rebel! My first shoot was a USAF Thunderbirds Airshow and It is hard to describe the confidence and quality of performance I obtained with this wonderful piece of glass...WOW! That was 4 years ago and to this day, I still, "Love This Lens" !
Fast and Quiet with superb Color and Focus, the 100-400 has allowed me to capture spectacular scenic, action and nature photography. The only improvements I'd like to see could be a little faster glass with a higher stop IS, but in this design (which I Love), it might not be possible. I've rented the 400mm f/5.6 L prime and find it a tad sharper, but that is to be expected. The 100-400 is Still Sharp and performs admirably!!!
Complimenting this, my walk around is the 24-105 f/4 L IS and on the short end, 17-40 f/4L...what a Great Trio set for the investment. I've researched long and hard and haven't found any to be better. Great job, Canon!!!
Pros: Superior build quality, Fast auto-focus, excellent focal range, great color rendention, quiet and reliable is, push\pull zoom-love it!, very manageable with the canon 30d
Cons: Semi-sharp images
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Great Lens, IS Flawed?
on February 18, 2009
Posted by: Robert
from San Francisco
I recall my first shots with this lens were in the jungles of Peru, and the macro shots astounded me. In the 5 years since, I have never been without the lens. The versatility of the lens is so great, I find myself with it on a city walk about. I did experience some of the much talked about softness in focus, along with many spot on shots, in better light. The reach is incredible and 400mm with a 1.6 kick from my 40D I can reach amazing places.
On the downside, in my lens there has always been a shift in field upon initiation of the IS. Annoying at best, and, after 5 years of great experiences with this lens, the image stabilization gave out. I am now looking at repair or replace.
I recommend the lens, and actually feel my IS issue to be an anomaly. I will buy this lens again.
Pros: solid lens.
Cons: Semi-sharp images, image stabil flawed - ultimately failed., low light challenges require high iso.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Still a winner!
on October 25, 2015
Posted by: SportsPics
from OR
I bought this to replace my 400 f/5.6L for high school field sports (soccer, lacrosse, baseball, etc). I loved the image quality from the 400 prime but needed a zoom. At first I was hesitant about the old design 100-400 but man, oh man, does it perform. I always shoot wide open. My copy is sharp at 100mm and really sharp at 400. Yes, I know various on-line sites show that this lens is a bit soft here & there by the actual results I'm getting under actual field use shows this lens to be a great performer. AF is spot-on under all conditions with my 5D III body.
I gave it 4 stars only because it has obvious limits compared to the newer mark II version. Still, those "limitations" are only because the new version has improved, not because this lens is really lacking.
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
This lens needs to be learned.
on May 8, 2012
Posted by: Aspdauk
from Northwest Montana
I called Canon after I had this lens for about 5 months. I was complaining of soft images. Tech support asked me to submit some random images as some of mine appeared sharp and some soft.
I learned two things. This lens is incredible if you learn what settings to shoot your particular lense.
I found out several things. on a Canon 7D if you can shoot live mode zoom with a tripod and remote shutter release and manual focus with IS off this lens can produce stunning results. Incredible results.
I also learned on one shot auto focus and spot metering If you set the lens to AF and focus the lens past infinity before you touch the shutter button to focus the images on my lens turn out incredibly sharp.
Also my 100-400 lens is perfect at F8 to F16...and just short of 400mm.
I shoot aperture priority all the time now to bring out the best in an incredible lens.
Play with your lens...I think there are very few bad copies. I think a lot of us don't take the time to learn our particular lens. By the way...I took a friend out with a much less expensive 70-300 non L lens out and within 3 hours he had tack sharp images...Aperture first...focal length second...shutter to get the shot. Try it. I think you may be surprised.
I learned two things. This lens is incredible if you learn what settings to shoot your particular lense.
I found out several things. on a Canon 7D if you can shoot live mode zoom with a tripod and remote shutter release and manual focus with IS off this lens can produce stunning results. Incredible results.
I also learned on one shot auto focus and spot metering If you set the lens to AF and focus the lens past infinity before you touch the shutter button to focus the images on my lens turn out incredibly sharp.
Also my 100-400 lens is perfect at F8 to F16...and just short of 400mm.
I shoot aperture priority all the time now to bring out the best in an incredible lens.
Play with your lens...I think there are very few bad copies. I think a lot of us don't take the time to learn our particular lens. By the way...I took a friend out with a much less expensive 70-300 non L lens out and within 3 hours he had tack sharp images...Aperture first...focal length second...shutter to get the shot. Try it. I think you may be surprised.
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Amazing L lens
on February 9, 2010
Posted by: Doctor
from Athens
I bought this lens about three months ago and i must admit that it's amazing. I have the excellent 70-200 f/2.8 IS too, but i wanted more reach so i added this to my collection. What can i say... Excellent in all aspects!!! Super fast AF, excellent IS, sharp like a razor even wide open, only minor vignietting and only wide open, amazing contrast... I can go on and on...... The only thing i would ad to this lens, is the newer 4stop IS.
If you can afford it, just go out there and buy it. The only better lenses, i guess, are the fixed focal length monsters...
If you can afford it, just go out there and buy it. The only better lenses, i guess, are the fixed focal length monsters...
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, excellent is
Cons: none
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
4
Don't give up
on May 3, 2012
Posted by: Anonymous
from Northern Ca
Nature photographer. At first seemed to work fine. Began to shoot all out with distance and started to see much ghosting. Sent it back to canon. Everything checked out. Suggested a more quality uv filter. Shot without filter, same problem. Sent back again with camera. Facility was irvine, ca. They suggested sending it to New York corporate. After full review they told me there was an issue with the glass and sent me a brand new lens. Nothing but happy with lens now. Tack sharp is what I expect now and get it enough for me to be totally satisfied. Great bokeh and colors are always rendered to pop. Good experience with warranty facilities.
Pros: great value
Cons: test lense carefully
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great Lens
on March 26, 2009
Posted by: perdu
from Houston, TX
Very sharp through to 400mm. Outstanding sharpness from f/6.3. Push pull is very convenient. Gen 1 IS works perfectly and has saved many of my images. Excellent value for what you get. Highly recommended.
Pros: Super-sharp images, Superior build quality, is
Cons: a little heavy
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
the workhorse
on February 10, 2011
Posted by: garlec
from Oregon
I've had this lens about two years. I shoot birds, people at a distance, animals, and use it for macros from 6 feet or more. It's on my 5dMkII 90% of the time. I wish it was faster than f/5.6 at 400mm but the images are superb and I don't hesitate to shoot wide open aperture. If there's enough light to keep ISO below about 6000, the grain is not objectionable to me but I never enlarge beyond 8x10. I've used it in the dust of Africa and Egypt and the humidity of the Amazon. It's called the "dust pump" because the push pull operation can work dust into the interior. It's been cleaned twice by Canon in the last couple of years when it developed internal dust spots. It's tough but I always carry it with the lens shield in place. After awhile you learn which distance setting you need for fast operation and the IS is superb. I can sometimes get sharp images at 1/30 sec at 400mm but normally use speed priority at 1/500 to ensure sharpness. My best lens of about 9 different Canon lenses. The length with lens shield is an attention getter--wished it wasn't quite so obtrusive, especially with 1.4 or 2x extenders. I never use tripod with this lens.
Pros: Fast auto-focus, Superior build quality, Super-sharp images, superb fast is, worth the money
Cons: f/5.6 is slow, af is slow with 1.4 xtender, long heavy
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com