Which 400-ish zoom for Canon 80D? My wife and I visit national parks often and want to be prepared in the field for both landscape and wildlife. So, two camera bodies with lenses...

binsjohn

My wife and I visit national parks often and want to be prepared in the field for both landscape and wildlife. So, two camera bodies with lenses attached to save time and keep the junk out the bodies. My "main" camera is a Fuji X-T2 with either the 18-135 or 10-24, depending on the subject. For wildlife I now use a Sigma 150-600 Contemporary. It's a great lens and I've good success with it. However, it's a monster to carry around, so I'm considering going smaller without sacrificing too much tele power. Suggestions?

CO

Both Sigma and Tamron have new 100-400mm lenses out. I recently read test reviews where they did a comparison of the two lenses. One of the reviews was in NPhoto (Nikon's magazine). The other was in one of the British photography magazines - I forgot which one. This was at a Barnes & Noble bookstore. If you have a Barnes & Noble or Books A Million in your area, I would go over there to see if they have those magazines. Both lenses were extremely close to each other in terms of performance and image quality. The Tamron weighs about 1000 grams, the Sigma about 1100 grams. I want to rent the Tamron to try it out.

Another option would be Tamron's new 18-400mm lens for APS-C cameras.

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

I use a Canon EF 100-400 4.5-5.6L II with an EF 1.4 III teleconverter on my 80D. If cost is not an issue then get the best there is for your Canon body. No other manufacturers lens can match its build and image quality.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

rmorrison1116 wrote:

I use a Canon EF 100-400 4.5-5.6L II with an EF 1.4 III teleconverter on my 80D. If cost is not an issue then get the best there is for your Canon body. No other manufacturers lens can match its build and image quality.

👍👍 The Canon 100-400L MKII is an excellent lens with an added advantage of a very close focusing distance. Not inexpensive, but best in class.

Architect1776 Loc: In my mind

binsjohn wrote:

My wife and I visit national parks often and want ... (show quote)

If you want the best 100-400mm available in any mount for quality of build and image quality and speed of focus there is no peer to the Canon 100-400mm L MII at any price.
It is also surprisingly light for the build quality being virtually all metal compared to the plastic ones from other makers.
Get it and it will be the last one you get.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

Yes I have the 100-400L mk2 (had mk1 before) and a 1.4x III. Used on a 7DII and now my 5DIV and 80D. Great combo. But fairly expensive. The Tamron 100-400 would be my pick as an alternate-because it has an optional tripod collar. Lens and collar less than $1000. The Canon comes with a collar built into it, you can remove the foot for hand holding-but I screw on a cheap little pistol grip for hand holding.

Tamron with collar at msrp less than $1000 and lighter than the Canon, but the Canon has the edge in IQ. Add Tamron's 1.4x for $150-200.

Canon msrp $2199 but you can usually find it for less, esp at the Canon store when they have refurbished ones. Canon 1.4x III msrp $426, also less when on sale or Canon Refurbished. You could also look for a refurbished or used mk1. Not quite as good as the mk2 but a very good lens.

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

robertjerl wrote:

Yes I have the 100-400L mk2 (had mk1 before) and a... (show quote)

👍👍 You can find a gently used 100-400 MKI in the $1,000 range and a used EF 1.4X MKII TC in the $200 range. Not quite the ne plus ultra performance of the MKII and MKIII Ex, but hard to beat the IQ, AF and durability for $1,200 for the pair.

John N Loc: HP14 3QF Stokenchurch, UK

Canon 100-400 'L' or as an alternative (subject to bucks and hands) try the 70-300 'L' zoom supplemented with their basic 400 'L' prime.

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

TriX wrote:

👍👍 You can find a gently used 100-400 MKI in the $1,000 range and a used EF 1.4X MKII TC in the $200 range. Not quite the ne plus ultra performance of the MKII and MKIII Ex, but hard to beat the IQ, AF and durability for $1,200 for the pair.

If the OP, decides to go with the Canon 100-400 L MII, then the only 1.4x to buy is the MIII. Do not combine the 100-400 L MII with the 1.4x MII because they're a mis-match for the Auto Focus function.

docshark Loc: Millersville, PA

I was in the same predicament as you are. I have a Canon 80D and all my long lenses got to be a pain to carry around all day. I went with the new Tamron 18-400mmm. It solved all my problems. Check it out.
-Doc

TriX Loc: Raleigh, NC

Shutterbug1697 wrote:

If the OP, decides to go with the Canon 100-400 L MII, then the only 1.4x to buy is the MIII. Do not combine the 100-400 L MII with the 1.4x MII because they're a mis-match for the Auto Focus function.

I am suggesting the 100-400L MKI (NOT the MKII) combined with the 1.4x MKII extender as a lower cost alternative if the OP cannot budget the MKII lens and MKIII extender. I use this combination regularly and it works quite well as long as it’s used with a body that will AF at f8.

sabrejet

I think I read the Sony 100-400mm was better than the Canon.

mrtaxi Loc: Old Westbury NY, Fort Lauderdale, FL

I also love the quality of my Canon EF 100-400 4.5-5.6L II sometimes with an EF 1.4 III teleconverter on my canon 5D3,5D4 or 5DS. I keep my sigma contemporary 150-600 on Tripod with gimbal Mount - i have hand held this but it’s big! As a lighter alternative but shorter reach I have a canon 70-300 f/4-5.6L USM that I normally pair with my 70D because the Are both so much lighter than the canon FF’s and the 70D crop sensor results to about 105-450mm. It will not take the converter

Shutterbug1697 Loc: Northeast

TriX wrote:

I am suggesting the 100-400L MKI (NOT the MKII) combined with the 1.4x MKII extender as a lower cost alternative if the OP cannot budget the MKII lens and MKIII extender. I use this combination regularly and it works quite well as long as it’s used with a body that will AF at f8.

The first word in my post was "IF".

I wanted to let the OP know that the Canon 100-400 L MII Lens should not be mated with the Canon 1.4x MII tele-converter.

I've read where inexperienced photographers tried to save money and bought the earlier version of the tele-converter to pair it with the newer version of the lens and have had nothing but auto focusing problems as a result of their budget minded purchase.

Gampa

If price is not an issue ... the Canon 100 - 400L IS II can’t be beat.