Best 80-400mm & 100-400mm Lenses Compared

 

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July 2019   Better Pictures   Canon   Nikon   Sony   Fuji   LEICA   All Reviews

 

 
  Canon 100-400mm L IS II Nikon 80-400mm Sony 100-400mm Tamron 100-400mm
Stabilized?
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
f/max, short end
f/4.5
f/4.5
f/4.5
f/4.5
f/max, long end
f/5.6
f/5.6
f/5.6
f/6.3
Introduced
2014
2013
2017
2017
AF Speed
Instant

Fast

Fast
Pretty Fast
Close Focus
2.75'/0.84m

5.7'/1.75m

3.2'/1m
4.9'/1.5m
Repro Ratio

1:3.2

0.31×

1:5.7

0.18×

1:2.86

0.35×

1:3.6

0.28×

Manual Focus
Direct mechanical
Direct mechanical
electronic
Direct mechanical
Instant Manual Override?
Direct mechanical
Direct mechanical
not usually
Direct mechanical
Filter Threads
Metal, 77mm
plastic, 77mm
plastic, 77mm
plastic, 67mm
Sharpness

Excellent

Excellent

Excellent

Very Good

Distortion  
Fluorite Elements?
One
none
none
none
AF Lock Buttons
none
none
Three
none
Build Quality
Made in
Japan
Japan
Japan
China
Tripod Collar included included included optional 
Weight, actual measured, no collar

54.7 oz.

1,550g

55.1 oz.

1,563g

49.1 oz.

1,393g

39.9 oz.

1,132g

Price, 7/2018
Price, 7/2019

 

Summary

The Canon 100-400L IS II is by far the best lens here, with the best optics, very best mechanics, the closest focusing — and it's the second from the least expensive! If you shoot Canon, this lens is clearly superior in performance and price.

The Nikon 80-400 VR also has superb optics, but is built only to consumer standards, doesn't focus very close, and is the most expensive lens here.

The Sony 100-400 GM OSS has no real manual focus; only an electronic encoder ring which rarely gives manual override, isn't built anywhere near as well as the Canon 100-400L IS II, and is the most expensive lens here. It has great optics and autofocus, but you're paying a hefty price premium for the novelty of mirrorless.

The Tamron 100-400 VC is the lowest performer here, but not by much, and it costs only a fraction of any of the other lenses and weighs less, too. It takes essentially the same pictures as the others, so it's a great choice if you're not a full-time pro shooter and price is important to you. It performs 90% as well as the others for only 42% to 32% of the price! For the thousands of dollars you'll save I doubt you'd notice, unless of course you're shooting it every day. See also Is It Worth It.

 

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01 July 2019, 07 July 2018