EF 200-400mm f/4L IS - Best Wildlife Lens

[MichaelDanielHo]

This revolutionary and versatile wildlife lens has been released. I have taken delivery now and have written a preliminary review of this production lens. Once I have put it through a few wildlife photo shoots, I will write a more detailed review. This lens is a wildlife photographer's dream when used with the EOS-1D X camera. Take a look at my review below. Keep checking back.  MichaelDanielHo.com

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Lens Review

Canon EOS-1D X Camera Review

[MichaelDanielHo]

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@Artistlin wrote:

MichaelDanielHo: Your last post is interesting since in previous posts you spoke very highly of the lens. Any idea what was different?

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No piece of equipment or photographer can function 100%, all the time. It was a cloudy, dreary, colorless day and this particular bird was very far away. I wanted to try out the EOS-7D with the EF 200-400mm for far away birds. That morning, I did not have breakfast and had to hike a bit to get there so fatigue may have played a role in it. I am not the type of photographer who will blame my equipment first before analyzing the complete situation. Like I said, in this outing, the far away shots were not good but the closer one were fine.  I would not pay too much heed to one trip. The big test is when I go on my Svalbard photo shoot in early July. There will be plenty of opportunities to put the lens to field use but so far I am still impressed by the overall performance of the EF 200-400mm. http://MichaelDanielHo.com 

[MichaelDanielHo]

Just came back from Svalbard in the high Arctic on a wildlife photo shoot. Weather was wide ranging, from below freezing and light snow to warm, sunny days. Brought the EOS-1D X and the EOS-1D Mk IV cameras with the EF 200-400mm f/4L and the EF 400mm DO IS lenses. All performed flawless under severe field conditions although the EF 200-400mm was rather useless and cumbersome in a bouncy zodiac but on land, it performed superbly. You can read a synopsis of my trip below. High Arctic photo shoot  Visit my website to see many more images from the trip. MichaelDanielHo.com

[CanonUser]

Stunning images from your Arctic photo shoot on your website. I'd love to be there. Not surprisingly, the EF 200-400mm f/4 lens is not the best gear on a moving platform. It is a rather heavy lens but your photos showed the perofrmance is hard to beat when on solid ground.

[MichaelDanielHo]

It is not easy to handhold the EF 200-400mm f/4L lens but for a short burst of bird-in-flight shots, it's doable. This is the Arctic Tern flying in the high Arctic that I recently photographed. Visit my website to see more wildlife shots from the high Arctic. http://MichaelDanielHo.com 

[MichaelDanielHo]

I am in SE Alaska on a wildlife photo shoot with the EOS-1D X, EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x lens and other Canon gear. Thursday was an eventful day I will remember for a while. The day started with light rain and very low clouds and heavy fog. We had to fly to Admiralty Island on a Dehavilland Beaver DHC-2 float plane. This plane was introduced in 1947 and was definitely a lot older than the young pilot. On top of that, the visibility was almost non existent . . . . Read the rest of the story below and visit my website for more photos taken with the above equipment.

http://blog.michaeldanielho.com/2013/08/wildlife-photography-bears-and-whales_8.html

[Artistlin]

I was in southeastern Alaska recently as well and rented the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4X lens for some wildlife shooting. I was not disappointed in the least, I came home with many fantastic shots of grizzlies (what I had gone up to shoot). My only personal issue was the weight of the lens almost precluded that it be mounted on a tripod for me to use effectively.

[Artistlin]

Hee hee...I have a similar shot of cubs...see my post!

[MichaelDanielHo]

Alright, you started it. Dueling Canines on the tundra. Don't you just love watching and photographing bears? Visit my website to see more Bear photography. http://MichaelDanielHo.com

[CanonUser]

Wow, what a shot. Amazing photography from an amazing lens. Love the photos on your website and the review of the lens. Apparently EISA agrees.

[Artistlin]

Dang, now I have to go out and shoot some more bears...not and unhappy thought.