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What is Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM used for? Any good for birds photography?

limvo05
Rising Star

Hi All,

 

Can someone please let me know what Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM is used for? Can it be used for Birds and Wildlife Photography?

 

Thanks.

54 REPLIES 54

" I am missing too many capture opportunities with the 800,..."

 

I don't have any experience with any 800mil lens but I do with my 600mm Canon.  I now have the big Siggy S which is almost a twin to the Canon in weight, both big and heavy.  It's probably why I never minded the weight of the S over the C.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!

Thanks Ernie and I don't think there is much difference in the framing/following issues between the 600 and 800 so you would do as well with the 800 as you do with 600. The 800 grabs focus very quickly but it still depends upon the operator to put the focus point on the subject before it decides to fly elsewhere 😞

 

I noticed a bid difference in shooting HS football when I switched between 300 and 400 2.8 glass, with the 300 the majority of the time there is enough open space that cropping is your friend.  The 400 2.8 produces incredible images but there is far less margin for error with the smaller field of view making it easy to lose a critical part of a player or play.  With the 300, I can carry on a conversation with one of the coaches while shooting a game but the 400 requires my full attention.

 

When I first tried shooting high school football with the 400 f2.8 I am really glad that I shot the pre-game warmup because the first few minutes were not good as I adjusted from the 300.  After a few minutes I became comfortable with it but I probably felt like my daughter did driving the pickup a couple of weeks ago.  We went out to get fuel for the tractor and I had her drive it back home on the country roads.  Going from the svelte Cadillac ATS to a 3/4 ton crew cab diesel pickup was intimidating for her and she told me she felt like she was captaining an aircraft carrier and having trouble seeing the road over the hood.  But after a couple of miles she adjusted to it pretty well, more quickly than I do to longer glass 🙂 

 

At some point I will get her behind the wheel of the Corvette Z06 but she is highly intimidated by that snarling beast which is a good thing.  When I took delivery at the Corvette museum during the first full year of Z06 production, the unofficial count was two dozen totaled on the initial drive home from the dealership.  Other than dropping a great white on your toes there isn't much real danger with a big telephoto lens.

 

Rodger

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

That is one dream collection of toys you got there. Let me know if you ever want to part with them.

Those was from roughly 70 feet away and crops were ~20% of the total sensor area.  With birds, even with an 800 mm lens severe cropping is usually needed.

 

I am still trying to get a feel for how well this lens accepts a 1.4X because weather conditions and lighting haven't made for many photo opportunities.  This is with the EF 800 plus 1.4X at about 50 feet.  I shot it at 1/320 with a monopod with the image stabilizer on and the IS definitely did its job.  But a better test will be getting some better lighting and having it mounted on the big tripod.

 

Rodger

 

AS0I5539.JPG

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

That last is a really nice shot, Rodger.  Getting details on the small songbirds is a mild art form.

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"The right mouse button is your friend."

Thanks Wadizzle, this lens has a lot more to provide than what I am getting out of it yet as I figure out the tricks of using it.  As a bonus, learning with this lens will make the 400 seem much easier to manage when shooting fast moving sports. 

 

Rodger

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

I'd say you are learning!  Smiley Happy  Nice shots.

EB
EOS 1DX and 1D Mk IV and less lenses then before!


@wq9nsc wrote:

Thanks Wadizzle, this lens has a lot more to provide than what I am getting out of it yet as I figure out the tricks of using it.  As a bonus, learning with this lens will make the 400 seem much easier to manage when shooting fast moving sports. 

 

Rodger


Eh, probably all you need it a spotting scope.

--------------------------------------------------------
"The right mouse button is your friend."

Waddizzle,

 

A spotting scope would definitely be a good addition but reaction time is what I have to improve. I have too many sharply focused shots of where a bird was just milliseconds before and several more with tail feathers just exiting the scene.

 

One would think after shooting a bunch of fast moving volleyball games that reaction time wouldn't be an issue but birds are even less predictable than volleyball players.  They also like playing psychological games with me.  While I was trying to capture some birds at the feeder while using the EF 800 on a monopod, a little Nuthatch landed on the lens hood and stared at me.  Later that day, the pheasant I had been trying to photograph decided to show up in my pasture and as soon as I came back out with the camera he headed into cover along the creek making lots of noise but refusing to show himself until well after sundown. 

 

Rodger

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

Rodger,

 

Some birds do like to play games.  I had a red wing blackbird who would keep landing 15-20 feet away.  But, he would take when I pointed the lens, and land 15-20 feet behind me.  This happened like 5-6 times, until it finally let me take a whole series of photos.

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"The right mouse button is your friend."
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