, is one of my favorite combination equipment for handheld, wildlife photography.
The Series II lens is equipped with the latest IS technology, with a 4 stop compensation and 3 IS Modes, a feature shared only by the other Series II Super Telephoto lenses.
- Mode 1 is designed for stationary subjects
- Mode 2 is designed for panning, allowing a linearly-moving subject to be tracked
- Mode 3 detects panning but IS activates only at the moment when the shutter releases
This new Series II telephoto lens features gapless dual-layer diffractive optical elements for improved diffraction efficiency with reduced flare. They are arranged with a large-diameter ground aspheric lens and a UD lens for unparalleled sharpness and clarity. New coatings help to reduce ghosting and ensure excellent color balance, while reducing fingerprints on the front and rear of the lens. A new 9-blade circular aperture provides beautiful bokeh.
The tripod collar is now permanently attached to the lens. It has a very small foot and even with a lens plate attached, it is rather difficult to carry the lens by grabbing on to the foot, especially if one has large hands. The most annoying thing about Canon's Super Telephoto lenses is their factory lens cap and the EF 400mm DO II is no exception. The cap is 'cumbersome' and does not do a great job in protecting the glass. I always substitute it with the
Don Zeck lens cap. The DZ caps are on all my Canon Super Telephoto lenses.
With the improved Image Stabilization system and material of the new lens, the weight has increased by about 5.3 oz / 160 g. The dimension is almost identical to the old lens and it is extremely well built and has a familiar feel in my hands. The 400D lens case is slightly redesigned and feels lighter. The handle on top of the old 400B case is gone, replaced by a side handle on the right.
I have taken the lens out for a quick birding trip. Mounted the Canon EF 2.0x Series III extender and used it on the EOS-1D Mk IV camera. All shots were taken with f/8 aperture. Some shots are from very far away (Osprey and Snowy Egret). The others are from moderate distance. The lens' IQ is impressive and much sharper than the Series I especially with the 2.0x extender mounted.
It is nothing less than amazing when paired with the EOS-1D Mk IV and EF 1.4x and EF 2.0x extenders, I have a handheld package with about 520mm to 1,040mm focal length to work with and not get tired even after a full day of wildlife photography. I have also tried the lens with the EOS-7D Mk II but recommend using only the EF 1.4x on it. The EOS-7D Mk II autofocusing ability is less than desirable with f/8. It is slow and I have lost crucial wildlife shots trying to AF with that aperture. Read my 7D2 review for details.
I have just returned from a photo shoot down in the Southern Oceans. The weather was windy, cool and sometimes misty. The EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II performed flawlessly. It is a joy to use especially on handheld photography. I get to move around quickly following the wildlife without the bulk and weight of the
EF 200-400mm f/4L IS . Of course, the drawback is I have to use my feet a lot to get closer or further from the action whereas the EF 200-400mm is a zoom lens with a built-in extender. The DO's sharpness improved dramatically with a little stepping down. I will give it additional field testing in Asia.
Just back from
India. The weather was was too hot by Indian standard but the conditions were extremely dusty and bumpy on the jeeps. Put the EF 400mm DO II through some though field tests and it came through with flying colors.
Back from my latest shoot in Costa Rica. It rained often and the weather super humid. This DO lens is a joy to use with or without a tripod.. AF was fast and accurate, even under heavy rain and cloud forest lighting conditions. Used it with the
EOS-7D Mk II ,
EOS-1D Mk IV and
EOS-1D X cameras. This is my favorite Super Telephoto lens in my inventory. It is a real pleasure to be able to handhold a 400mm Super Telephoto lens all day and get incomparable mobility to follow the wildlife action. You can see more of my works on
MichaelDanielHo.com
