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| Canon EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS II zoom lens? |
Now that the eagerly awaited EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens has been out for one year, attention has turned to Canon's other venerable lens, the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS. This is my other favorite zoom in Canon's 'L' lens lineup. You can read my review of this lens here.
Unfortunately, the lens is showing its age. Released in 1998, it quickly became a staple in my photography bag for wildlife photo shoots. The lens is perfect for mobility and handholding. Although not a fast lens, its versatility and great zoom range more than offset the other shortcomings. The replacement lens has been spotted out in field tests and may be slightly faster (f/4) on the short end (100mm). The current lens is one of Canon's best selling zooms and there may be plenty of inventory around the world. Some are suggesting Canon may be holding off the announcement to see how well the new EF 200-400mm f/4 lens sells.
I find that not to be a plausible scenario. The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x is an expensive ($11,799) niche lens. Not too many photographers will opt to buy this lens unless they have a specific need for it and have the funds to do so. I own this piece of amazing glass but the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II lens is also on my list because the two lenses serve very different purpose.
As my readers know, I prefer to travel light and handhold my equipment while on photo shoots. The EF 200-400mm lens will be on the tripod or monopod most of the time while the EF 100-400mm II lens will offer me unmatched mobility and versatility. Cannot wait to get my hands on this replacement lens. Nikon announced their 80-400mm f/4.5-5.6 AF-S zoom lens to great excitement last year. Canon will respond and may announce the EF 100-400mm II in early September, in time for the Photokina Show in mid September in Cologne, Germany. I expect the list price will be just below $3,000, similar to the EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L IS lens. The push/pull design will be replaced by a zoom ring. Keep checking back for the latest information and you can see my works on MichaelDanielHo.com
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