Canon 100-400 Zoom - not sharp

[Cutter]

Originally Posted by matt wilson

Beck H ...it does (it's not new at all)

I have just bought a new one, the one flake has mentioned seems only to be a different colour

[sdixon2380]

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. Cutter loved your photo of the robin great detail.
It turns out I need to pay more attention to setting up the lens, focussing more carefully etc. as a person at my local camera club borrowed my lens and took some really good photos........damn it!
I guess that 's good news really, practice practice and more practice.

[Cutter]

Originally Posted by sdixon2380

Thanks everyone for your comments and advice. Cutter loved your photo of the robin great detail.
It turns out I need to pay more attention to setting up the lens, focussing more carefully etc. as a person at my local camera club borrowed my lens and took some really good photos........damn it!
I guess that 's good news really, practice practice and more practice.

Yes i thought it was point and shoot (how wrong i was) but with help from people lke forseti and many others on this forum, my pictures are getting better. Good Luck

[Epsomsalt]

Hi All,

Not been here since the name change - so sorry for just catching up on this!

I have a 100-400L IS and it is a super sharp lens in the right hands. I have been using the lens since I bought it in 2008, mainly for Bird Photography. I previously had the canon 400mm F5.6L prime which many reckon to be a tad sharper - but I can't say I have noticed much 'actual' difference at all and the zoom is far more flexible, especially in terms of minimum focussing distance, flexibility to shoot wildlie . insects etc at shorter focal distance.

I think there are a few things I would suggest to get best results, based on my own experience with this lens:

1) Never use a protective filter on the lens - even the very best quality filters will dramatically reduce the lens sharpness - this is trus with most 'long' lenses.
2) Use Aperture Priority and either use a low 'f' number or increase ISO to make sure that your shutter speed is at least 1/400 second or faster
3) The results are consistently better if you can stop down - even to F6.3 / F7.2 is a notable improvement over F5.6
4) The lens has produced much better results for me when paired to my 40D than it did when paired to my 400D - probably because the 400D felt too small and I struggled to avoid camera shake.
5) Whenever possible shoot in Raw
6) Use IS mode 1 unless you are panning e.g. following a Bird in Flight when Mode 2 should be used. I do use a tripod from time to time but have never switched off the IS and have not suffered any issues.

Hope this helps.

Chris

[Cutter]

Originally Posted by Epsomsalt

Hi All,

Not been here since the name change - so sorry for just catching up on this!

I have a 100-400L IS and it is a super sharp lens in the right hands. I have been using the lens since I bought it in 2008, mainly for Bird Photography. I previously had the canon 400mm F5.6L prime which many reckon to be a tad sharper - but I can't say I have noticed much 'actual' difference at all and the zoom is far more flexible, especially in terms of minimum focussing distance, flexibility to shoot wildlie . insects etc at shorter focal distance.

I think there are a few things I would suggest to get best results, based on my own experience with this lens:

1) Never use a protective filter on the lens - even the very best quality filters will dramatically reduce the lens sharpness - this is trus with most 'long' lenses.
2) Use Aperture Priority and either use a low 'f' number or increase ISO to make sure that your shutter speed is at least 1/400 second or faster
3) The results are consistently better if you can stop down - even to F6.3 / F7.2 is a notable improvement over F5.6
4) The lens has produced much better results for me when paired to my 40D than it did when paired to my 400D - probably because the 400D felt too small and I struggled to avoid camera shake.
5) Whenever possible shoot in Raw
6) Use IS mode 1 unless you are panning e.g. following a Bird in Flight when Mode 2 should be used. I do use a tripod from time to time but have never switched off the IS and have not suffered any issues.

Hope this helps.

Chris

First welcome back chris, just a quick question, you say go to F6.3/F7.2 to get better results, so to achieve a ss of 1/400 at what iso setting would you go up to to be acceptable? I have a canon 50D
I am still getting to grips with my 100-400L mainly because of low light situations, can't wait till summer
Ps if you have some good shots will you point the way so I can see them ?

[anglefire]

I have the 400mm f5.6 as apposed to the 100-400 - and unless the light is really good, or I am panning (motorsport mostly) and want a slow shutter speed, I start with ISO400 and go up from there to get a decent shutter speed. I also mostly use it wide open (Which may be the main difference to the 100-400) and find it very sharp, with no appreciable increase in sharpness. (Though can help stopping down to improve DOF)

Whilst I would agree than 1/400" is the minimum that you should aim at, I have got many a sharp shot at much lower speeds. With IS on the 100-400, you should be able to shoot at 1/200" easily enough, with the right technique.

[matt wilson]

I find the 100 400 fine wide open and many tests confirm this .It does take some getting used to though .I often use the trick of firing with high speed continuous for around 3 frames too.

[Fusion09]

Technique is most often the problem when not getting sharp images with this lens, good technique and not just relying on the IS is a must.

[JeffCohen]

i to use the 400 f5.6 and agree 100%with anglefire the 400 prime can be used wide open and still get ultra sharp shots ,i use mine 99% of the time hand held for wildlife and i can't find anything to beat it .seen the 1/400 in use and it looks bulky in comparison

[Epsomsalt]

Here is a picture of a Greater Spotted woodpecker taken this afternoon at Bough Beech, Kent - ISO 400 1/1000 - lens stopped down to F11 at 400mm:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/sho...8/limit/recent

Also a Blue Tit at weirwood Reservoir, East Sussex, also today same ISO 400 but slower shutter speed of 1/160 due to lower light - lens wide open at F5.6 (later in the day) - Both shots were handheld:
http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/sho...9/limit/recent