Canon 100 X 400 4.5 5.6 L IS 11 USM + 1.4 Mark 11 Extender - Focusing Isues

[Rsharman]

I have just bought this lense to use with my 7d Mark 11 camera and am experiencing problems with focusing at 60/70 yards at 400 with extender. I use AI Servo for birds in flight. F8 - 11. Speed between 500 and 3200. IS0 Auto max 3200. Tracking case 1. It seems to be better at slow rather than fast speeds! Pretty good up to 40 yards using One Shot Mode. I use Centre spot or Extended Cross - can't expand further using using extender. Have not changed Microadjustments. I shoot hand held - birds in flight don't stay still! Have tried all 3 stablizer settings. I have been quite experenced and had good results up to now using my 300mm prime lense. I purchases the 100 X 400 with Extender to obtain better reach as I am missing some shots - very disappointed so far!!Any advice would be most welcome. Thanks in advance.

Richard Sharman

[diverhank]

I agree with ebiggs...from the photos you showed, there are nothing wrong with any of the pictures...Imho, the 100-400 is never meant to be used with an extender.  I never use mine after trying a couple times. I get better results with a Tamron 150-600 when I need the 600 end.  You can't always believe in the glowing reviews guys write about how good the 100-400 is with the extender...beats the Sigma and Tamron 150-600 etc... I have both. I know different. It's not bad but it's not great.  The diminished focusing speed is very annoying.

Some guys might be more than ecstatic to have one of your "bad" pictures and write glowing review about it...but to you and me...not so much...I've learned to take reviews with a grain of salt (a big grain at that).  Even with pictures -   Anecdotal evidence is laughable...I can always have one or two pictures that will blow the socks off everyone for just about any lens...

Having recently owned this lens (1 year)...in its native 100-400mm, I think the 100-400 II is unbeatable...love that lens.

Oh another thing I've learned is not to bother with things out of reach...got to get close for good shots...it's that simple.

[ebiggs1]

Man did you nail that post.  I could not have written it better.

"You can't always believe in the glowing reviews guys write about how good ...(insert lens model of your choice here!)

[Waddizzle]

I think the problem is your extender.  It sounds like you know what you're doing.  When using the extender, your AF point selection is reduced to just the center point, or the center plus the cross, which do not actually track, but only  serve to "expand" the center point's coverage area.

I say set the extender aside.  I'm not sure if the Mark II extender works with the 100-400 Mark II.  I'm almost certain that you need the Mark III extender for that lens.  

[Rsharman]

Thanks for your reply - my mistake it is the Mark 111 Extender I am using!!

[shanneba]

I would suggest you try setting the focus macro adjustment.

I use Reikan FoCal. I believe you can get it from B&H.

Use adjustment by lens as the setting.

Adjust the lens alone and also do an adjustment with the lens / extender.

Your camera will adjust at both ends of the zoom range.

When shooting in the "middle" focal length ranges the camera will use the two adjustments and compesate for the middle focal lengths.

Your camera will store infor for the lens only and the lens with extender seperately.

[JosephKarpinski]

I have the Canon 100-400mm II with the Canon 1.4x Extender III on a Canon 80D.

Quick, sharp at 896mm with 27 AF points at f8.

Great combination for wildlife.

Like it so much, I never take the 1,4x Extender off.

Think Canon tuned the latest releases: Canon 80D, Canon 100-400mm II, and the 1.4x Extender III

for performance and image quality.

On a Canon 7D Mark II only one AF point, and just ok results.

More missed out-of-focused images and sluggish AF at f/8

[TTMartin]

Are you using AIServo or One Shot, you mention both. For subjects that move or MAY move (wildlife) use AIServo.

[JosephKarpinski]

Use AIServo