From Opus

EF 600mm f4 L IS USM

Lens Construction 17 elements in 13 groups Closest Focusing 5.5m Filter Attachment Size Drop-in 52mm Hood ET-160 Weight 5,300g Max Dia. x Length 168 x 456mm

Content and images originally posted by Andy Bright

[edit] Reviews

[edit] nigelblake's review

I spent a good while pondering whether I could justify the expense of this lens, at around �6500.00 it carries a hefty price tag, but I finally took the plunge and demolished my bank balance. Just like any �dream� item on ones shopping list it could be argued that owning such a lens is more about ego than good reason, I am sure that there are a good few of them around the world that never get used to their full potential.

Along with its sister 500mm IS this is one of the big white lenses that is seen at all sporting events, look out at the football and motor racing on TV and these will stand out like sore thumbs in the photographers enclosures, when you see the results it produces there is no question as to why! 

This lens has become a permanent fixture on my EOS 1Ds it delivers and some, the auto focus is instantaneous and has a full time manual over ride meaning that you can use AF and tweak focus to the most critical part of the subject, (usually the eye on birds). The wide f4 aperture has very shallow depth of field meaning that you can see it crack in and out of focus without any problem, there are few times when you will want to shoot at full aperture though, but even when using auto focus only, the clarity of viewfinder image means that you can hit the shutter confident of bitingly sharp results. Stopped down to the f8-f16 range this lens just cannot be rivalled, it is so sharp it will make you eyes bleed!

Image stabilising has two modes, and there is also a focus limiting switch covering three ranges, this is invaluable if your subject is at a set distance as it prevents the AF from hunting through its full range in low light, I use it when photographing highly mobile subjects like feeding waders, or birds at my feeding station.

Also there is a focus preset, very useful, recently when photographing a Kingfisher that uses the same perch on each visit, I preset focus on the perch, I could then carry on photographing other subjects, as soon as the Kingfisher arrived I activated the preset and there it was, spot-on sharp in the frame, without any wait, making the shot easy to get!

It is a big heavy lump of glass, do not expect to get to grips with it straight off, even with IS it is possible to get camera shake until you get used to using it, that said, once you have worked with it for a short while no other lens of this focal length will give such good results.

I have actually managed to get pin sharp flight shots with it whilst hand holding, in reality though you would do well to use beanbag or a good gimballed tripod head such as a Wimberley to get consistently sharp results. You will of course need a very substantial tripod, as it will weigh-in at an arm straining 8 kilos (17.5 pounds) with a camera attached.

When used on the 1Ds you can get AF with all 45 focus points even when using a 1.4X converter, but the system defaults to just the central focus point with the 2X, however I prefer to focus manually with the 2X as I have found that focus accuracy can very occasionally be slightly forward of the subject in lower lighting.

There is a drop-in filter drawer at the rear of the lens, which is also very useful, I fear though that this could be a weak point in the barrel of the lens that could break if the lens is badly handled or if it falls from an unsuitable tripod.

This is the lens of lenses, I have never before had such astonishingly crisp images, I think it could be that I will never have to buy another super tele, but I am sure Canon will at some point do even better, it will be a very tough job.

[edit] Pros

• It is awesome

[edit] Cons

• cost

[edit] Simon Mars's review

I saved a long time for this lens and felt quite ill when the order went in!

although I has read all the reviews about how big and heavy this lens was, I had no inclination of how big this thing really is.

There is no doubt using this thing is a real commitment. mine is called Ethel - it is just too much to be known as just a lens!

Ethel really needs to be surrounded with expensive toys to work properly. In my case a new tripod, head and rucksack (all expensive). Nothing I already owned was big enough or strong enough for Ethel.

Once I have carried Ethel 500m, with all the stuff she needs I really don\\\'t like her very much to be honest.

However, once she is set up on the tripod with a Kirk King Cobra head she is weightless and beautiful. A real joy to use. She exudes class and is awesome the way she silently snaps into focus.

When I get her home and look at the images, I really love her. Ethel and her sisters have a reputation for being the best lens in the world for birding and I can easily believe it.

You can spot an image taken through one of these lenses a mile off. The clarity, colour,contrast, bokeh. These lenses definitely have a signature.

In the real world many people can\\\'t afford them, but if you can - WOW!

[edit] Pros

• awesome quality

[edit] Cons

• awesome size
• weight and cost

[edit] Andy Bright's review

The lens comes in one of those new style travel cases, the CS60040, made of strong polycarbonate. Gone are the 'coffins' that big lenses used to arrive in, now we have smooth rounded edges and an altogether more modern look... even if you think that these new cases are a bit cheap in comparison.

The slip-on E-185 lens cover is standard fayre, always more time consuming to remove and attach than you would hope but thankfully it is not elasticated like some I have seen, that seem desparate to cling on to the the lens and snag on something.

Contrary to some reports, maybe earlier models, the tripod collar rotates very smoothly with indents at 90 degree intervals.

All the standard switching is laid out on the side of the lens. I would still rather have the focus memory recall as buttons rather than the twist ring and would be really nice to have control of focus memory recall via the camera, as a number of lens features can be controlled by a Canon pro body... just not focus memory recall.

In use the lens is pure magic, the I.S. allows you to get on with photography, not worry over vibration every moment.

Wide open it can produce razor sharp images, but stopping down takes it to another level. No real penalty in image quality nor AF speed when using a 1.4x teleconverter.

Using the Canon EFII 2x, there is a slight degradation but that is only in comparison to what it can achieve without. The results from the EFII 2x can be outstanding and professionally viable if you take care and realise that compression of the air between you and the subject is the real quality killer.

AF is not rapid with the 2x teleconverter on the 600mm with a Canon Pro body, but it is quite reliable. Do not expect quick focus lock when the AF system has to cover significant changes in distance.

More detailed review and photos here http://www.digiscoped.com/Canon600mm.html

[edit] Pros

• Sharp
• Image stabiliser

[edit] Cons

• Cost
• but there is a lot to these lenses