Canon 100-400 f4/f5.6 IS Zoom

[lost in the woods]

Hi
I HAVE OWNED ONE OF THESE LENSES FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME AND MINE IS PIN SHARP THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE HAD IS THE I.S. FAILED ABOUT £180.00 TO PUT RIGHT. I HAVE HAD WORK PUBLISHED IN A FEW MAGAZINES USING THIS LENS PLUS A2 PRINTS MADE FOR EXHIBITIONS.YOU MAY HAVE A LENS THAT IS NOT UP TO SCRATCH. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SEEN 2 PIECES OF IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT PRODUCE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RESULTS ONE WAS JUST BETTER THAN THE OTHER. NIKON,CANON AND OTHER MANAFACTURERS SEEM TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. ANOTHER PROBLEM MAY BE YOU HOLDING THE LENS IF YOU ARE USING AN A.P.S. SIZED SENSOR YOUR 400mm END BECOMES 640mm LONG THE I.S. ON THESE LENSES IS RATED AT 2 STOPS SO A SPEED OF 1/160 OF A SECOND SHOULD BE USED PLEASE NOTE SUBJECT MOVEMENT COULD ALSO BE CAUSING YOU A PROBLEM TRY LENS ON A TRIPOD WITH I.S. SWITCHED OFF ON A NON MOVING ITEM WITH PLENTY OF DETAIL.
REGARDS
LOST IN THE WOODS

[GerryNick2]

Originally Posted by lost in the woods

Hi
I HAVE OWNED ONE OF THESE LENSES FOR A CONSIDERABLE TIME AND MINE IS PIN SHARP THE ONLY PROBLEM I HAVE HAD IS THE I.S. FAILED ABOUT £180.00 TO PUT RIGHT. I HAVE HAD WORK PUBLISHED IN A FEW MAGAZINES USING THIS LENS PLUS A2 PRINTS MADE FOR EXHIBITIONS.YOU MAY HAVE A LENS THAT IS NOT UP TO SCRATCH. OVER THE YEARS I HAVE SEEN 2 PIECES OF IDENTICAL EQUIPMENT PRODUCE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT RESULTS ONE WAS JUST BETTER THAN THE OTHER. NIKON,CANON AND OTHER MANAFACTURERS SEEM TO HAVE THESE PROBLEMS. ANOTHER PROBLEM MAY BE YOU HOLDING THE LENS IF YOU ARE USING AN A.P.S. SIZED SENSOR YOUR 400mm END BECOMES 640mm LONG THE I.S. ON THESE LENSES IS RATED AT 2 STOPS SO A SPEED OF 1/160 OF A SECOND SHOULD BE USED PLEASE NOTE SUBJECT MOVEMENT COULD ALSO BE CAUSING YOU A PROBLEM TRY LENS ON A TRIPOD WITH I.S. SWITCHED OFF ON A NON MOVING ITEM WITH PLENTY OF DETAIL.
REGARDS
LOST IN THE WOODS

Thanks for that Lost In the Woods

Spent a few hours Saturday putting the lense through its paces. Managed to get some slightly better images. I think the problem at the moment is the poor lighting conditions is making it difficult to carry out a proper assessment.

Would welcome comments on this slightly cropped image, the camera was a Canon 30D, shooting distance 14 feet, ISO400, 200mm, f5, 1/125sec, tripod mounted, IS off, no flash.

Given these shooting conditions is this the level of sharpness and detail you would expect to see from this lense. Perhaps I am just expecting too much in the circumstances and need to wait for better lighting before coming to any conclusions.

Gerry

[Boddie]

Send it back under warranty

I sent mine back and it came back within 10 days.

It will be given the works and come back with a more solid feel to it.

I love mine and reckon its sharp as a tack but I did have an expert give it the once over in the UK rather than it be off a production line, possibly on a Friday afternoon.

[GerryNick2]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Send it back under warranty

I sent mine back and it came back within 10 days.

It will be given the works and come back with a more solid feel to it.

I love mine and reckon its sharp as a tack but I did have an expert give it the once over in the UK rather than it be off a production line, possibly on a Friday afternoon.

Well I finally run out of patience and the lens is back with Canon for re-calibration.

Be interesting to see if there is any improvement when it comes back.

Gerry

[Jon]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

Hi All


Canon 30D, handheld, 100-400mm + Canon 1.4 tc, ISO200, 560mm, f8, 1/100sec, no flash. Shot from approx. 30 feet
Gerry

Have I red this correctly 560mm hand held 1/100 sec if so I would say little short of miraculous - well done!
Jon

[Boddie]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

Well I finally run out of patience and the lens is back with Canon for re-calibration.

Be interesting to see if there is any improvement when it comes back.

Gerry

Good for you mate. I am sure we will meet sometime soon at one of the meets so we can do a like for like test, as have the same kit.

Andrew

[willing to learn]

Originally Posted by GerryNick2

Well I finally run out of patience and the lens is back with Canon for re-calibration.

Be interesting to see if there is any improvement when it comes back.

Gerry

Hope it soon gets sorted Gerry, which I am sure it will.
Regards
Colin

[GerryNick2]

Originally Posted by Jon

Have I red this correctly 560mm hand held 1/100 sec if so I would say little short of miraculous - well done!
Jon

Hi Jon

Yes you did read correctly, I too was quite surprised by the result.

Gerry

[mh68]

I hope the lens comes back to your satisfaction Gerry. Theres nothing worse than having doubts about an item of gear, you tend to use it with less conviction than you would if you were 100% confident with it.

Mark H

[glsammy]

Originally Posted by mh68

I hope the lens comes back to your satisfaction Gerry. Theres nothing worse than having doubts about an item of gear, you tend to use it with less conviction than you would if you were 100% confident with it.

Mark H

It's this point that's causing me to pause before I order my lens. My usual overseas supplier hasn't got them in stock and I'm wary of using anyone else, due to Sigma's strict rules on doing repairs.
I may simply have to accept I've got to pay the full UK price.