Switch on Canon lens? I recently purchased a Canon 100-400 L IS Lens.There is a switch beside the AF-MF switch marked 1.8m-infinity logo, and 6.5m- infinity logo. Does anybody know...

raysass Loc: Brooklin, On, Canada.

I recently purchased a Canon 100-400 L IS Lens.There is a switch beside the AF-MF switch marked 1.8m-infinity logo, and 6.5m- infinity logo. Does anybody know what this means as the instruction sheet does not mention it? Thanks in advance. Ray.

busted_shutter

The 1.8m - Infinity and 6.5m - Infinity switch is a way of limiting the range of focus. This can help speed things up when you pick up the camera and get ready to shoot. Think of it as a "limiter" for the focusing mechanism...

raysass Loc: Brooklin, On, Canada.

busted_shutter wrote:

The 1.8m - Infinity and 6.5m - Infinity switch is a way of limiting the range of focus. This can help speed things up when you pick up the camera and get ready to shoot. Think of it as a "limiter" for the focusing mechanism...

Thanks for your response, so when should I change from 1.8m to 6.5m?

busted_shutter

When you're wanting a greater or lesser depth of field. That all depends on what and how you want to shoot the subject.

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

raysass wrote:

Thanks for your response, so when should I change from 1.8m to 6.5m?

R, as Busted said, it's a limiter.
It also speeds up focus, especially in poor light, when the lens will "hunt", for focus. If you are focusing on distant objects, more than 6.5 meters, if the lens hunts, it will hunt all the way from infinity and back to minimum focus. If the lens is set to the longer limit, the lens will hunt only from infinity to 6.5 meters and back to infinity, till it locks focus, thus speeding up the process.

But, DO remember that if you go to shoot a subject at less than 6.5 meters distance, the lens will NOT be able to focus, till you switch it to minimum focus.
I keep mine always to 1.8 meters. Unless it becomes problematic, I leave it on 1.8.
Enjoy your 100-400.
SS

JR1 Loc: Tavistock, Devon, UK

Read the instruction manual that came with it or download it

EstherP

raysass wrote:

I recently purchased a Canon 100-400 L IS Lens.There is a switch beside the AF-MF switch marked 1.8m-infinity logo, and 6.5m- infinity logo. Does anybody know what this means as the instruction sheet does not mention it? Thanks in advance. Ray.

Actually, the instruction sheet DOES mention it:
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/7/0300003647/02/ef100-400f45-56lisusm-im2-en.pdf
Page 5.
EstherP

raysass Loc: Brooklin, On, Canada.

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SharpShooter wrote:

R, as Busted said, it's a limiter. br It also spee... (show quote)

Thanks for your help. I haven't been able to get out and experiment with it yet due to the weather(I just got it yesterday). Dying to try my 1.4Tc with it to see if it focuses. Ray.

raysass Loc: Brooklin, On, Canada.

EstherP wrote:

Actually, the instruction sheet DOES mention it:
http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/7/0300003647/02/ef100-400f45-56lisusm-im2-en.pdf
Page 5.
EstherP

Thanks for that Esher.This is actually a manual that I didn't get. All I got was a instruction sheet showing how to attach the lens to the camera in ten different languages. That switch wasn't on the sheet.Thanks again. Ray.Happy Rememberence Day.Lest we forget.

raysass Loc: Brooklin, On, Canada.

busted_shutter wrote:

When you're wanting a greater or lesser depth of field. That all depends on what and how you want to shoot the subject.

Thanks again busted. Ray.

EstherP

raysass wrote:

Thanks for that Esher.This is actually a manual that I didn't get. All I got was a instruction sheet showing how to attach the lens to the camera in ten different languages. That switch wasn't on the sheet.Thanks again. Ray.Happy Rememberence Day.Lest we forget.

Yea, less and less paperwork with what we buy. Guess the manufacturers figure we're all smart enough and don't need the manual. OTOH, most, if not all manufacturers put their manuals on-line. If you Google on "<Brand> <model> manual" you'll quickly find what you want. I find this is often faster than going to the manufacturer's website and trying to locate it there.

Might be an idea for everyone, to do a manual search for every lens and/or camera you own, may get some surprises ;-)

You have a good Remembrance Day, too. My husband was in the Air Force for 32 years and when they showed a bit about the Highway of Heroes the other day, I could only think: There, but for the grace of God, I could have been standing.
Well, the ceremony in Ottawa is just starting, so I'll go and watch that. Then set up the camera on the sundeck, every year there is a fly-past with old (antique?) airplanes, and they fly right over our house. It could be raining by then, adding to the somberness of the day.
Esthr

SharpShooter Loc: NorCal

EstherP wrote:

Might be an idea for everyone, to do a manual search for every lens and/or camera you own, may get some surprises ;-)

Yes, the manufacturers are getting just like JR1, search, search, search !!!
SS

EstherP

SharpShooter wrote:

Yes, the manufacturers are getting just like JR1, search, search, search !!!
SS

I may not say it as often, but if I'd get just one dollar for every question I see that could easily have been answered with a quick search on Google or here on the Hog, it should not take me very long to save up enough for the new OMD-EM1 - with an extra lens or two....
EstherP

St3v3M Loc: 35,000 feet

Page 7 of your manual explains.

busted_shutter

raysass wrote:

Thanks again busted. Ray.

Welcome.

EstherPutter wrote:

I may not say it as often, but if I'd get just one dollar for every question I see that could easily have been answered with a quick search on Google or here on the Hog, it should not take me very long to save up enough for the new OMD-EM1 - with an extra lens or two....
EstherP

I did...lol....Google that is. Know Nikon, not Canon.