Review on Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens - Lens Only for Improved SEO by Gabriel Salleh

Let me preface this post by saying that buying over $1700 is not a drop in the bucket for me and I had to sell a few pieces of equipment to make it work. This lens replaces the 70-200mm f/4L (no IS) and 300mm f/4L (no IS, yes, one from 1992). I wanted something with really good range and great image stabilization. About 6 years ago I rented a Mark I, a two-stroke version of this lens, so I could cover Air Force One and Obama's arrival in San Francisco for my website. I was impressed with the range but the images were a bit soft compared to other really good L lenses I've had and used. I've argued long and hard about getting this lens or the 70-200mm f/2.8L IS Mark II+. 1.4x III and chose this lens. First of all, I didn't want to mess with a teleconverter. Also, I knew I would be shooting a lot at 400mm and the quality of the 1.4x III at 70-200 falls a bit behind compared to this new 100-400L. To save a few hundred bucks, I bought it used - something I'd recommend people do if the site has a third-party return policy like Revain does. Here's what I like: 1) The picture quality is fantastic. From 100 to 400 throughout the range, contrast and color are excellent 2) Sharpness at height, even at 400mm and wide open. I'm just blown away by how good the open port performance is. 3) Image stabilization is fantastic and really essential for handheld shooting at 400mm. I'm pretty sure it's good up to 4 stops as advertised as I can get sharp images at 1/10s and almost every time at 1/20s for a stationary subject at 400mm. Familiarize yourself with the different modes and how they work so that stabilization is most effective. 4) Possibility of macro photography. You can focus to about 1 meter (3 feet) which means you can get great close-up shots. 5) bokeh. Fantastic separation and bokeh quality. What I'm not interested in: 1) Tripod base. Difficult to get in and out of. Once I even chipped the paint trying to push it off when stuck. Since then I've learned not to overtighten the wheel. 2) weight. Yes, I knew what I was getting into when I bought this monster. Make sure you have a good strap. I use the Black Rapid RS-7 which helps my shoulders and neck a lot. 3) Lens slider. The zoom lock mechanism is good but not perfect. It's also not comfortable to use, so I don't use it half the time, but the lens still creeps. I believe this is equally my fault and Canon's fault. Mine for not using it, hers for not making it easy to use. All in all, this is a damn good lens. There are a few things that are better for sheer image quality and versatility. Expensive? Yes. Its worth it? You bet!