Home Donate New Search Gallery Reviews How-To Books Links Workshops About Contact Canon 200-400mm f/4 L IS Canon 200-400mm f/4 L IS.(works on every Canon EOS SLR and DSLR, 52mm drop-in filters, 127.7 oz./3,620 g, 6.6'/2 m close focus, about $11,799). enlarge. My biggest source of support is when you use any of these links, especially this link directly to it at Adorama, when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. It helps me keep adding to this free website when you get yours through these links — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you buy elsewhere. Thanks for your support! Ken.
May 2013 More Canon Reviews Canon Lenses All Reviews
Introduction top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations More
This Canon 200-400mm f/4 IS is unique in having a built-in, hot-swappable 1.4x extender. This means that with a flick of a button you can pop-in the extender, without taking your eye from the the finder. 200-400mm is a weird and quite limited zoom range. Personally, I prefer the superior utility of the Canon 100-400mm, however if you need f/4 instead of f/5.6 at 400mm or need 560mm instead of 400mm, this is your lens. This 200-400mm is obviously a lens for full-time sports shooters, and is built to take the beating these guys belt out. Few people buy these for themselves; most are owned by news organizations or loaned-out by Canon at sports events.
Specifications top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations More
Name Canon calls this the CANON ZOOM LENS EF 200–400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4X. EF means "electronic focus," meaning that there is an autofocus motor in the lens itself. All Canon lenses since 1987 have been EF. L means only as expensive as L. USM means ring-type ultrasonic (silent) autofocus motor. Extender 1.4X means you merely have to move a lever to kick-in the extender, making this a 280-560mm f/5.6 lens.
Optics top 25 elements in 20 groups, including one rear filter. Fluorite crystal and UD glass, too. Kick-in the extender, and it has 33 elements in 24 groups, including one rear filter. Internal focusing. Multicoated, branded as "Optimized Super Spectra Coating."
Diaphragm top 9 curved blades.
Focal Length top 200-400mm or 280-560mm. On 1.3x Canon cameras it will see angles-of-view similar to what a 260-520mm (or 365-730mm) lens would see on a 35mm camera. On 1.6x Canon cameras it will see angles-of-view similar to what a 320-640mm (or 450-900mm) lens would see on a 35mm camera.
Angle of View (on 35mm and full-frame cameras) 12º - 6.1º diagonal. 8.8º - 4.5º diagonal, when extended.
Close Focus top 6.6 feet (2 meters), specified, from the image plane.
Top, Canon 200-400mm.
Focus Scale top Yes.
Infrared Focus Index top Yes.
Depth-of-Field Scale top No.
Size top Canon specifies 5.0" (128mm) diameter by 14.4" (366mm) long.
Weight top Canon specifies 127.7 oz. (8 pounds or 3,620 g.).
Caps top E-145C front cap. Standard EOS cap rear, included.
Filters top Drop-in 52mm filters. Use the 52II holder for screw-in 52mm filters. Use the WII holder for gelatine filters. The PL-C WII is a drop-in circular polarizer.
Case top Canon Lens Case for the 200-400mm. The hard case is included. It's also available as a replacement for $800.
Included top Lens with built-in 1.4x extender. Drop-In Gelatin Filter Holder 52 (WII) Lens Cap E-145C Lens Dust Cap E Lens Wide Strap B Monopod Mount Lens Hood ET-120 (WII) Lens Case 200-400 Strap for Hard Case Instruction Manual Canon Warranty
Announced as Development top 07 February 2011: Canon Inc. today announced the development of a new super-telephoto lens, the EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x, for use with all EOS SLR cameras. A prototype of the new lens will be exhibited at the CP+ tradeshow, held in Pacifico Yokohama, from February 9 - 12, 2011. The EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM EXTENDER l.4x is being developed as an L-series super-telephoto lens with an integrated 1.4x extender and high-performance Image Stabilizer technology. The new lens will offer exceptional flexibility by incorporating a built-in 1.4x extender that increases the maximum focal length to 560mm for sports and wildlife photography. High-quality images with high levels of resolution and contrast will be possible through the use of advanced optical materials such as fluorite crystal. The new lens will also include dust- and water-resistant construction designed for extended usage under harsh conditions.
Announced as Product top 14 May 2013.
Promised for Delivery top End of May 2013.
Canon Item Code top 5176B002.
Price, USA top 2013 May: $11,799.
Performance top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations More Sharpness should be extraordinary, as it always has been with all of Canon's ultratelephotos.
Compared top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations More Let's be honest: even if you gave me one of these, since I prefer to travel light, I'd never use it. I'd use the Canon 100-400mm instead because it's so much smaller, less than half the weight, focuses a bit closer, and most importantly, zooms as wide as 100mm, not 200mm.
Recommendations top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations More You people know who you are. This is a lens for a very narrow segment of people. Most of us shooting in the field where we have to carry this prefer the Canon 100-400mm, but if you don't have to carry it all day and have someone else providing the equipment, by all means this should be a spectacular lens. Just don't expect anything awesome when sighting through the finder; a 200-400mm zoom doesn't do very much as you zoom in and out, and it's only half as bright as 70-200mm f/2.8. If you've found all the time, effort and expense I put into researching and sharing all this, My biggest source of support is when you use any of these links, especially this link directly to it at Adorama, when you get anything, regardless of the country in which you live. It helps me keep adding to this free website when you get yours through these links — but I receive nothing for my efforts if you buy elsewhere. Thanks for your support! Ken.
More Information top Intro Specs Performance Compared Recommendations More Canon USA's page on the 200-400mm.
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