Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM

DSLR camera lenses are very unique compared to other accessories because some of them have an extremely long lifespan because of a lasting standard. Even lenses that were sold more than a decade ago continue to be sold today because these lenses still remain compatible with the latest film bodies and full-frame sensors. The materials that make up these lenses are variable and they considerably affect the overall image quality in a positive way. The Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM is a great example of this and while it uses an old design, it is still a highly impressive super telephoto zoom lens.

Design & Construction

The overall look of the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens looks like it blends with the other white-colored lenses but the zoom design uses the older push-pull form where you need to grab one ring and rotate it to control the focus. You can zoom the lens by pulling or pushing it. Modern lenses these days do not have this feature so this is a clear candidate if you really prefer this feature.

The other thing that you need to deal with is the weight of this lens which is a bit over 3 pounds although it is a bit lighter than most other super telephoto zoom lenses. You still need to have some good upper arm strength if you want to carry a camera with this lens for long periods of time. You also need to know that the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens is one of the first lenses to use image stabilization and it was very basic during the time of its introduction so you need to be steady when snapping shots.

Once you accepted the old features, you should have no other problems with the rest of the design and construction because the build is very solid and that is important for a pricey lens like this. It is very rugged and quite compact but just remember that it is not dust-sealed.

Features & Specifications

The sharpness of the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens is pretty good but it is not consistence in different apertures and focal lengths. Keep the focal length between 100mm and 135 at f/8 or go for 300mm at f/11. If you do not mind some softness on the corners, you can also try 200mm. 400mm introduces software across the frame. The nice thing about this aging lens is that the sharpness still remains good when used on a full-frame.

Chromatic aberration resistance is excellent with the worst results at 100mm and it is still handled well when you compare to other lenses. It disappears almost entirely when you zoom in to the 200mm to 300mm range. It comes back when you max out at 400mm but it isn’t as bad as the 100mm especially if you stick to larger apertures. You can get even better results if you use it with a full-frame sensor.

The Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens continues its high value by dealing with both vignetting and distortion very well. You’ll have a very difficult time detecting darker corners when you mount it on a sub-frame sensor when you set the focal length to 100mm while putting the aperture at its widest. Once you go to greater focal lengths, you won’t see any shading at all. It is more noticeable when using a full-frame but it is still not bad overall. Going to distortion, 100mm is the ideal and pincushion distortion slightly builds up when increasing the focal length. But even combined with the barrel distortion, you will barely notice it unless you look at the image very closely. The distortion is more exaggerated on a full-frame but still below the severe levels.

Bottom Line

When you will combine all of the strengths and weaknesses of the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens you will pretty much get a mixed bag but with some adjustments on your part, the lens still has a lot of potential especially since the price goes for about $1,500. The image stabilization and autofocus performance are quite primitive and the zooming capabilities take some time to get used to if you are new to lenses but the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens really delivers on overall image quality.

Average User Rating:
Actual User Reviews:
• “I’ve only had this lens for a few days and I will say it has impressed me. It does have drawbacks, needs lots of light and is somewhat heavy. I would not like to carry all day,but for my need it isn’t a problem. I have a couple of photos on display taken the first day I purchased the lens . It was a very overcast day and I think they turned out reasonable for the weather. My test at home when the sun popped out were outstanding. As for the push and pull adjustment I see no problem with it. I think with a little more experience it will be a very good purchase for my budget. I know there are higher quality lens but price becomes an issue,when you are a amateur hobbyist like I am. I would recommend for any one who likes to take wildlife photos. The 5 star rating is for the money and quality it is a very good lens!” – G.F.Thomas (USA)

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• “I bought this lens recently. At first I thought it was heavy, but once I got used to it, I decided that it was heavy due to quality. It is a big lens, and the tripod mount is very useful, especially for balance.

You can’t but notice the quality of this lens. The IS function is very useful.

Combine this lens with the 2x Extender, and you’ve effectively got a 800mm lens.

For anyone looking for a zoom lens, this is one to seriously consider. For sport, the IS function is brilliant, for wildlife. Well, I can go on and on about how good this lens is. Bottom line – well worth buying.” – P.Walsh (USA)

• “I spent several months debating on which lens to get. I was looking at the Canon 70-300mm, the Canon 70-200 f/4, Canon 70-200 f/2.8 IS, and the Canon 100-400 f/4-5.6 USM IS.

I have a tenancy of having buyer’s remorse. I tend to want something other then what I bought. Most people looking at buying an “L” are experienced amateurs or professionals, so most should know that every Canon lens comes with a compromise. You can never have it all.

This lens is not flawless but the results make up for some of the quirks. For one this lens is heavy. It is like having a boat anchor hanging from your neck. Another quirk is the zoom. The barrel extends out to basically double the overall lens length. It makes you feel like you are private investigator spying on people and attracts that type of attention.

Now some people have complained that their copy was soft at the full 400mm. However I must have got a good copy as my lens is extremely sharp all the way from 100-400mm.

Another thing to keep in mind; this is an outdoor lens especially with the f/4-5.6 stops. Low light shooting can be done but you will need a strong heavy-duty tripod to support the weight of the lens. It could be used for portraits but that really isn’t the intention of this lens. The IS does help some, but shooting under a 300 shutter speed hand held is hard to get clear photos because of the weight and the length of the lens. Also I feel the auto focus is slow. The USM is quiet. The IS activating is loud. And the last quirk is a 1.8-meter (5’11″) minimum focal length.

The reach of the lens is deceiving. When looking through the viewfinder on the camera it doesn’t feel like it has that much reach. However after taking the shot and then reviewing it later on the computer you see that 400mm is more then you thought at the time of the shot. You will see amazing detail.

Bottom line, this lens is excellent. I would highly recommend. The sharpness, clarity, and reach of the lens make it worth the money, and minor quirks.

This is truly one of the few products I have bought and haven’t even had 1 second of buyer’s remorse.” – E.M.Price (CA,USA)

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