Canon 800mm is it worth it? I have been considering biting the high caliber bullet and purchasing a Canon 800mm lens. I now have the legendary 100-400ii lens with the 1.4x and 2x...

COHappyHiker

I have been considering biting the high caliber bullet and purchasing a Canon 800mm lens. I now have the legendary 100-400ii lens with the 1.4x and 2x extenders. The 2x extender with my 5Div (or even with my 1DXii) won't autofocus and it loses a lot of light, so it isn't great for shooting in low light situations (such as flying birds at dawn). Is it worth it?

rmorrison1116 Loc: Near Valley Forge, Pennsylvania

If you own and shoot with a 5D mk IV and a 1DX mk II then you shouldn't really be asking this question because you already know the answer.

COHappyHiker

Ya, you're probably right! I just need that extra little nudge.

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

At f/5.6 and your 5DIV, you can only extend by the 1.4x before you lose autofocus. The 500L and 600L f/4 options will retain auto focus with both the 1.4x and 2x options. If these extended lenses won't get you close enough, crop the image from there. And when you get into the $$,$$$ cost of these lenses, consider too the 400 f/2.8L IS II that is in the same price range and noticeably sharper than the two f/4 primes.

Consider too the size and weight of every candidate. Do you have the ability to cart any of these candidates to your intended shooting locations? I have a backpack that can hold the 500L but can't be closed for the longer / larger 600. These lenses typically need a tripod, adding weight to what you have to carry making how you carry them an important consideration.

COHappyHiker

Excellent considerations - thank you! I didn't know that the extenders would still work with the 500 and 600.

COHappyHiker

CHG Canon - will the extenders autofocus work with the 400 f/2.8 L IS II (both the 1.4 and 2)?

bleirer

COHappyHiker wrote:

I have been considering biting the high caliber bullet and purchasing a Canon 800mm lens. I now have the legendary 100-400ii lens with the 1.4x and 2x extenders. The 2x extender with my 5Div (or even with my 1DXii) won't autofocus and it loses a lot of light, so it isn't great for shooting in low light situations (such as flying birds at dawn). Is it worth it?

You could get that rumored 83 megapixel mirrorless next summer, might be $4k. It will surely autofocus at f11, then save the other 8k for other toys. Other than that I've never touched a $12k lens, maybe I've seen them on TV. Would it have to be 6 times better than your current gear to be 'worth it? Or if you are a pro, would you sell that much more because the lens is so much better?

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

COHappyHiker wrote:

CHG Canon - will the extenders autofocus work with the 400 f/2.8 L IS II (both the 1.4 and 2)?

I didn't mean both extenders mounted together (lens + 1.4 + 2) for any of these configurations, if that's what you meant.

Or, if you just meant 1.4x at 1-stop making an 560mm f/4 IS lens or 2x at 2-stop making an 800 f/5.6 IS lens, yes that was what I meant by referencing the extenders with the 400 f/2.8L.

My 5DIII can AF at f/8, but only the expanded center for 5 points. Your 5DIV doesn't have this limitation to the center point nor does the 1DXII. The older 1DX is also limited to the center 'expanded'. For my 5DIII, I prefer the size and weight and extending options with all-over AF points provided by the 300 f/2.8L IS II.

Canon's newer cameras give a variety of options / configurations when considering these various Great Whites and the series III extenders.

COHappyHiker

Thank you - good points! I have books published books with my photography, but they are forensic laboratory photographs - I haven't tried to sell my wildlife/scenery photographs. Obviously, I don't need these lenses to shoot in a laboratory!

COHappyHiker

CHG Canon - I wasn't referring to mounting the two extenders together. Thanks again for the info!

CHG_CANON Loc: the Windy City

COHappyHiker wrote:

Thank you - good points! I have books published books with my photography, but they are forensic laboratory photographs - I haven't tried to sell my wildlife/scenery photographs. Obviously, I don't need these lenses to shoot in a laboratory!

You can rent any / all candidates from LensRentals.com and other sites. These are unbelievable tools that take some getting used to, if you've never physically handled one.

COHappyHiker

Thank you!

will47 Loc: Indianapolis, IN

I've got the 500mm EF L and a lens that size does take some getting used to.
add a tripod, even carbon fiber, and you better be able to hump it or be somewhere you can park close. They are not light. Regis, who is on UHH, says he uses a Canon 300mm w/2x ext. and gets marvelous pics. A while back he posted a pic of what he uses. You ought to look him up. Nothing at all wrong with what he posts. It also helps to live in an area where those lenses can be useful. Not every place is good for 500mm, 600mm, or 800mm lenses.

robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

COHappyHiker wrote:

I have been considering biting the high caliber bullet and purchasing a Canon 800mm lens. I now have the legendary 100-400ii lens with the 1.4x and 2x extenders. The 2x extender with my 5Div (or even with my 1DXii) won't autofocus and it loses a lot of light, so it isn't great for shooting in low light situations (such as flying birds at dawn). Is it worth it?

The 100-400L II and 2x becomes an f/11 - the EOS R mirrorless does AF at f/11.

That body is a lot less than the 800 mm, but the 800 mm would probably get better IQ.
Just win a major lottery and buy both.

COHappyHiker

Win a lottery! There's a concept!!!