This particular model of 400mm offers the best balance of optics/features and price. The earlier 400mm f2.8 lenses were not that good optically. The later 400mm f2.8 lenses add image stabilizer but dont offer any extra subject movement stopping ability – although they are a welcome and worthy upgrade.

With its useful focal length, stunning optical quality, fast f2.8 aperture, fast AF and excellent build quality, the Canon EF 400mm f2.8L II lens can rightly claim the title of the Ultimate lens for wildlife photography for Canon users.

Please see my website for a very detailed review of this lens - http://wild-india.net/articles/canon-ef-400mm-f2-8l-ii-review/

Weight, lack of IS

The Canon 400mm f2.8L II is a lens of legendary optical quality.

In the pre-Nikon-AFs days, the Canon EF series of telephotos – 200mmf1.8L, 300mmf2.8L, 400mmf2.8L II and 600mmf4L – were known as the Four white lenses of the Apocalypse. These lenses destroyed every other super telephoto from the competition with their fast and silent USM and stunning optical quality.

Please see my website for a very detailed review of this lens - http://wild-india.net/articles/canon-ef-400mm-f2-8l-ii-review/

Customer Service

Never used

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Canon EF 600mm f4L

f 2.8! Sharp, contrasty, beautiful background blur. Focus preset helps capture MANY moments, focus limiters keep things quick - even faster AF than my 70-200 f/2.8 L!. Oh, and with a 1.4x converter on a 1D, this thing ROCKS for baseball!

Size, weight. It''s huge and difficult to lug around on a moped (imagine that!) while carrying other gear. Once I got used to it though, it only got bothersome after hours of holding it. The price is awfully steep for such a specialty lens, and for current digital cameras it''s a bit long for most circumstances. 300''s better for digital most of the time.

Saying this thing is BIG is an understatement. It took me a whole day to even get comfortable pulling it out of its case. When I did, though, I was amazed by its handling. Autofocus is lightning quick, and the images it produces are some of the sharpest, most pleasing I''ve seen. If you need long glass, this thing puts the 300 to shame.

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ef 300mm w/ 1.4x converter - about half the weight and not quite the sharpness.

THis lens is so sharp you could cut yourself, I use it principle for sport, however extremely usefull for doorsteps, and court sntaches, focussing is spot on, wide open I love it, with the 1.4 or 2x extender still works fantastically. I am now ditching my 300 F2.8, the 400 F2.8 and 200 F1.8 have made it redundant.

Very Very heavy, I have hand held it down to 1/125 on a DCS520 (makes it a 600 F2.8) but wouldn't want to hand hold it all through a football match. Hood Lugs keep coming loose, other than that none.

Cracking piece of kit, used all the time, and the case is ideal for sitting or standing on.

Customer Service

Never failed in action, never required customer service

Similar Products Used:

200mm F1.8, 300mm F2.8 500mm F4.5

It's sharp and fast. The focus preset and variable speed manual focusing are both great.

It's Heavy!

It's big, it's heavy, and there's nothing better for sports. I use the Mk.1 version, which I would give a rating of 4 because it's not as sharp as the 300 2.8. I haven't used the Mk. II, but I hear it's even sharper, so I would give it a 5. Value rating of 4 because it's so dadgum expensive

Customer Service

Canon Pro Service has excellent turn around time.

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None