[Geats]

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone on this forum had managed to get one of Canon latest 600/4 lenses, if so any feedback on comparisons when using on a full frame or cropped frame camera appreciated, such as a 5DMk3 and a 7D
Cheers Wayne

[Andy Bright]

Originally Posted by Geats

Hi everyone, I was wondering if anyone on this forum had managed to get one of Canon latest 600/4 lenses, if so any feedback on comparisons when using on a full frame or cropped frame camera appreciated, such as a 5DMk3 and a 7D
Cheers Wayne

There's a review (actually a detailed comparison between old and new version) here
http://www.dougbrownphotography.com/...i-has-arrived/

They still seem rare as hens' teeth.

[George London]

Wayne,

Not direct answer to your question but this is another good review...

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

Cheers George

[mikenott]

Originally Posted by Andy Bright

They still seem rare as hens' teeth.

Well. I do have one of the 600 isii's . The only problem is that all this rain has made using it in good conditions nearly impossible. I also probably over-egged the changes in my mind and expected a massive change compared to my old 500 f4.

As a lens on its own, it is very, very good. My issue has been over the use of extenders and also issues with seemingly variable AF quality on a 1DIV.

I really was expecting good IQ with the 2xIII, but it did not meet my expectations for long range shots. Fine for reasonably close with better edge IQ (as per the review in the last post), but I was expecting a bigger improvement with an isII lens with a III extender. I had the 1D, 600isII, 1.4III and 2xIII focus calibration checked by Canon and also used the FoCal software to double check that the MFA was OK afterwards and it was. With the 1.4x III it is very good and I have started to use the 1.4 as my standard kit. To be honest. a cropped 1.4III image is as good as an uncropped 2xIII image (to me).

An issue which has given me more grief is that on the limited opportunities I have had (on not-so-bad weather days) seem to have involved test shots of birds on top of posts or on overhead wires where the bird is only a bit bigger than the centre point AF square. Even with the bird in the centre, consecutive shots can be in/out of focus. When in focus - very good, but I am frustrated with the inconsistency. THIS MAY BE ME AND NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LENS/CAMERA. But I am questioning my understanding of auto focus on the 1D and it may/may not involve the lens - I just don't know.

These are my thoughts and opinions and I am very happy with the 600 overall. Just need consistency in AF!

Any opinions/views on the AF issue welcome

Michael.

P.S. I bought the 1D1V in between selling the 500 and getting the 600, which was a gap of nearly a year.

[Andy Bright]

Originally Posted by mikenott

Well. I do have one of the 600 isii's . The only problem is that all this rain has made using it in good conditions nearly impossible. I also probably over-egged the changes in my mind and expected a massive change compared to my old 500 f4.

As a lens on its own, it is very, very good. My issue has been over the use of extenders and also issues with seemingly variable AF quality on a 1DIV.

I really was expecting good IQ with the 2xIII, but it did not meet my expectations for long range shots. Fine for reasonably close with better edge IQ (as per the review in the last post), but I was expecting a bigger improvement with an isII lens with a III extender. I had the 1D, 600isII, 1.4III and 2xIII focus calibration checked by Canon and also used the FoCal software to double check that the MFA was OK afterwards and it was. With the 1.4x III it is very good and I have started to use the 1.4 as my standard kit. To be honest. a cropped 1.4III image is as good as an uncropped 2xIII image (to me).

An issue which has given me more grief is that on the limited opportunities I have had (on not-so-bad weather days) seem to have involved test shots of birds on top of posts or on overhead wires where the bird is only a bit bigger than the centre point AF square. Even with the bird in the centre, consecutive shots can be in/out of focus. When in focus - very good, but I am frustrated with the inconsistency. THIS MAY BE ME AND NOTHING TO DO WITH THE LENS/CAMERA. But I am questioning my understanding of auto focus on the 1D and it may/may not involve the lens - I just don't know.

These are my thoughts and opinions and I am very happy with the 600 overall. Just need consistency in AF!

Any opinions/views on the AF issue welcome

Michael.

P.S. I bought the 1D1V in between selling the 500 and getting the 600, which was a gap of nearly a year.

Thanks for the frank mini review...as Doug Brown found in his comparison tests between new and old, there's next to no difference in the central part of the image, and the edge performance is all a bit redundant with a tc on.

It seems the big factors are the weight reduction, which is fairly dramatic, and the extra I.S. ability...and both of these are fairly irrelevant with the lens plonked on a tripod. Lowered MFD is a boon though.
I did notice that it is actually a tad longer than the older version... which may cause issues for hand luggage, as the old one only just scraped in with hood reversed.

Can't help with the AF issue, sadly. I've been playing with the 5D MkIII today with the 600 + 1.4x, AIS focus seems teriffic. Bit of a bummer about no f8 AF, though only rarely will I use the 2x, and then I often used MF anyway. Never had a non 1D before... bit of a shock to the system

cheers
Andy

[Geats]

Can't help with the AF issue, sadly. I've been playing with the 5D MkIII today with the 600 + 1.4x, AIS focus seems teriffic. Bit of a bummer about no f8 AF, though only rarely will I use the 2x, and then I often used MF anyway. Never had a non 1D before... bit of a shock to the system

cheers
Andy[/quote]

I've not really had the chance to use my 600 mk2 as yet, the weather for one and nothing really out there to get me excited into using it!
The main reason I have bought this lens is the extra focal length in addition to the weight compared to the first version it's replacing, in addition to that I vowed for the time being after buying the 1dmk3 a few years back, what piece of junk that was! And Canon's inability to resolve the issues that I had with it I wouldn't buy another pro camera! So I use the 7d and the 5dmk2 currently and I’m happy with them both apart from the noise issues over 400 iso on the 7d so my point is I’m unable to use any of my camera's in autofocus when using the 2x mk3 converter but I never used it when I had a pro body anyway as the quality was never that good back then when I had a 500mm f4, mainly due to the slow autofocus and "hunting" but I did come up with a few settings that worked from time to time, I found it was mainly to do with the climate rather than anything else, I was always under the impression when changing my converters to the mk3's that they were optical only slightly better as far as the 1.4 goes and better overall as the 2x goes but the significant developments are due to how they communicate with the camera bodies as the converters themselves have cpu's rather than a pass through so everything is speeded up thus helping the AF system functions but I may have got that wrong..

"Note that the Canon USA press release does not specifically say that the series III extenders would deliver better image quality (though features were added that could) - but that they would deliver better AF performance. Although the AF improvement will not result in better than the optical capability of the lens-plus-extender combination, better AF performance does indeed deliver better image quality overall.

Also note that Canon Europe CPN has stated "To get the best out of the new lenses and the Mark III extenders photographers must ensure they attach the extender to the lens first, before attaching the whole unit to the camera. This ensures that the combined lens information is transmitted correctly to provide the optimum image quality and focus performance."

Everything about the lens has to better what would the point be in replacing it? I tried the 300mk2 with a 2x converter at the bird fair in 2011 and it seemed incrediable in all aspects, clarity and sharpeness but it maybe down to that particular day etc, who knows, every days different as we know, maybe a case of when we have to use the 2x to suck it and see, so many variations to consider at that focal length especially using cropped camera bodies and supports, only time will tell but the good thing is it will be far cheaper to replace a converter than a lens!!

cheers Wayne

[Dave Williams]

Originally Posted by Geats

Everything about the lens has to better what would the point be in replacing it?
cheers Wayne

Not so I don't think Wayne. The lens might weigh a bit less, and have a closer focal point but in my opinion that doesn't make it a more attractive option than the Mk1 lens because the price isn't an improvement by any means !
You can't get sharper than sharp so the IQ is not going to be any better IMO.
Canon have to keep selling new products just like everyone else in the manufacturing business so they have to look for anything that will encourage new buyers in to the market and existing owners to upgrade.The price point on the new lens is such a significant increase that I think it will put off all but the pro users and the most serious and wealthy amateurs.
The downside is that second hand lenses coming on to the market will probably remain as rare as hens teeth.
It's a good time to consider buying Nikon too. For virtually the same price as the new Canon 600mm you can get a new Nikon 600 ( which weighs in with similar specs to the Canon MK1 version) and get a D4 to go with it. That would give you 11 focus points at f8, and better low light images than anything Canon can currently offer.
Food for thought ! cheers Dave

[mikenott]

Ok. I feel nervous about posting my own pictures, but here are a couple taken over the last couple of days with the 600 isIi , 1.4 II and either a &D or 1D Iv (the corn bunting is the 1D). Distance 20-30 metres minimum. I am getting to really appreciate the quality of this lens :-) Still have lots of duds and need to understand why but.....

Michael.

[jalethbridge]

Originally Posted by mikenott

Ok. I feel nervous about posting my own pictures, but here are a couple taken over the last couple of days with the 600 isIi , 1.4 II and either a &D or 1D Iv (the corn bunting is the 1D). Distance 20-30 metres minimum. I am getting to really appreciate the quality of this lens :-) Still have lots of duds and need to understand why but.....

Michael.

Hi Mike
A brave move indeed, but I always feel that getting other people to get picky over my photos is a great way to change thinking and improve. So.....
Uploading or processing must have done something funny to them - I note the files are very small. The lens surely has got to be be capable of better than what we can see here. The Whitethroat is hugely noisy (what ISO on 7D?) and not really sharp, and the Corn Bunt, whilst there is less noise (which I attribute to 1D4 being streets ahead of 7D) is decidedly soft, especially the head!! I've opened them and looked at them at the max res you posted, but they still look funny. What do they look like on your screen before you posted them here? Have you got a flickr stream where we can see the real ones.
On another forum I'm on some guy posted a 1dx + 600mm mk2 of a Bluebird in flight that blew your socks off! I'll see if i can post a link or whether its members only.
Jonathan

[Dave Williams]

If those shots you have posted of such a small subject were 30 metres away I think you might be expecting too much from your lens Mike.
I would think they are a pretty big crop ? cheers Dave

[GYRob]

Birds that size could do with been 20 ft away not 20 mts it just to far for such a small bird other than a record shot as you carnt get the detail morso at high ISOs
Rob.

[Hor Kee]

A question for Micheal @ mikenott: How useful have you found IS Mode 3 when your lens is tripod-mounted, especially when the tripod head is not tightened fully and when following erratically-moving birds?

[jtwood]

Hi Mike
Even at that distance these shots are very noisy I would have a look at your settings ISO to high also if possible you should check the actual distance you were from the bird it could be a lot more than you think. I have the old Canon 600mm and a 1D3 and I would be looking for better results at 20-30 meters than you have here.
It would be worth taking the new lens out to the local park and give t a trial on the ducks. I am sure the new lens will give you lots of great pics just give it time
Regards and good luck Jim

[postcardcv]

I would also expect better at that sort of distance but suspect that the birds might well have been much further away. Personally I find judging distance to birds very difficult and normally greatly underestimate (it seems that most people do). Out of interest Mike what tripod and head are you using? Given the weight and focal length of the set up a good tripod will make a huge difference.

[Chris Upson]

Just sold my 500 f/4 lens and replaced it with the new 600f/4,which will be used in all types of weather/lighting conditions.
First impressions it is so light for the size of it,the IS makes less noise and the AF is faster than my old lens.
The first two days that i have been out with it have been bright and it performed well with my 1D 1v attached to it.