Is the 500/4 IS L USM going to make me happy? (1 Viewer)

Used lens, 500/4 IS L USM, from reputable dealer, condition: as new.

I told the dealer I wanted him to call me if he ever got his hands on a used 500/4 version 2, but that doesnt seem to happend too often...

I cant afford a new 500/4 version 2 yet. Spent my "camera-stuff-savings" (i.e. the savings account the mrs doesnt know about) on a 1dx. This used 500/4 version 1 is however within budget.

What to do what to do?

Any of you guys shooting the 500/4 verison 1? Are you happy with it?

I have the 100-400 II that is really portable and nice. But Id love some more range from time to time.

Ultra fast responses highly appreciated! Im guessing dealer will have to put the lens out for sale very soon (this far he is holding it for me).

I had the 500mm and 600mm Mk1 lenses and sold them to fund a Mk2 500.
I bought the 600 before the 500 and bought the later for taking on holiday as the 600 is too big and heavy for most charter flights.
I was sold on the MK 2 because it is hand holdable whereas the 500Mk 1 wasn't. That's why I chose it over the 600mmMk2 which weighs the same as the 500mm Mk1.
I still miss that extra reach of the 600 and if you buy a 500 you will probably still wonder if you should have bought a 600mm but the 600Mk1 is very, very heavy.
From an IQ point of view I don't think there is much difference between the 500mk 1 and Mk2. I think that the lighter weight of the MK2 is achieved by using less glass too so it might not be so robust but it hasn't been an issue for me.
Remember though, if you haven't got one you'll need a suitable tripod and head and you will probably want to add both 1.4 and 2.0 TC's ( the latter subject to which camera body you have).

Overall though, yes grab the lens while you can, you won't regret it.

Dave Williams said:

I had the 500mm and 600mm Mk1 lenses and sold them to fund a Mk2 500.
I bought the 600 before the 500 and bought the later for taking on holiday as the 600 is too big and heavy for most charter flights.
I was sold on the MK 2 because it is hand holdable whereas the 500Mk 1 wasn't. That's why I chose it over the 600mmMk2 which weighs the same as the 500mm Mk1.
I still miss that extra reach of the 600 and if you buy a 500 you will probably still wonder if you should have bought a 600mm but the 600Mk1 is very, very heavy.
From an IQ point of view I don't think there is much difference between the 500mk 1 and Mk2. I think that the lighter weight of the MK2 is achieved by using less glass too so it might not be so robust but it hasn't been an issue for me.
Remember though, if you haven't got one you'll need a suitable tripod and head and you will probably want to add both 1.4 and 2.0 TC's ( the latter subject to which camera body you have).

Overall though, yes grab the lens while you can, you won't regret it.

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Thank you for your thoughts on this Dave!

I am using a ff-camera, so will probably need a tc. I have the 1.4 III, but guessing the 2.0 III also will get decent results with the 500/4.

Its the handholding that makes me worry. I think, if I cant handhold it - I might as well go for a used 600 because on a tripod, I wont be carrying it around too much anyway.

This is very tough. Have a friend here in Sweden that uses a 500/4 version I alot, and he tends to carry it day in and out and handholnd it most of the time. Not sure Im up for that though...

Im also thinking, that if I get the opportunity to upgrade to the latest 500/4 later on, Im probably not going to lose too much money on the used 500/4 version 1, as the 500/4 (old version also) seem to keep their value nicely.

Tough decision!

I presume the FF camera is a 1D or 5D3 so you can AF at F8 ?
The 600mm is considerably heavier than the 500, it's a brute! It's weight and volume present problems for air transport too. The extra 20 % reach though is very attractive.I have a friend who has a 600mm Mk1 and a 300mm f2.8 MK1 and he seems to use the 300 plus a TC just as often as the 600 as the latter is so heavy to carry very far.
The 500 is a compromise but isn't everything ! Even if you can't hand hold for more than a few seconds you still have to carry the lens around and the weight saving is a big benefit.

Dave Williams said:

I presume the FF camera is a 1D or 5D3 so you can AF at F8 ?
The 600mm is considerably heavier than the 500, it's a brute! It's weight and volume present problems for air transport too. The extra 20 % reach though is very attractive.I have a friend who has a 600mm Mk1 and a 300mm f2.8 MK1 and he seems to use the 300 plus a TC just as often as the 600 as the latter is so heavy to carry very far.
The 500 is a compromise but isn't everything ! Even if you can't hand hold for more than a few seconds you still have to carry the lens around and the weight saving is a big benefit.

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Yes, it's a 1dx so af at 8 is OK. Started with a 7d, then 7d2 (with focus issues), moved to 5d3 without focus issues but fps-issues... and landed on a 1dx. The 1dx made me happy but low on dollars lol.

OK on the 600 mark i. Sound like that is not the way to go for me... The new 300/2.8 also comes into play making decisions even worse. Roy here on the forum (whose opinion I very much respect: guess why I have had the 7d+400/5.6 and then the 5d3...) seems to rate the new 300/2.8 highly combined with a 1.4x.

Gaargh. Very tough. Maybe I should sell the 100-400 ii. I love that lens, but guess it will be collecting dust in the closet if I get the 300/2.8 or 500/4.

Tough tough decisions.

Thanks alot for your input. Ill get back with my thoughts if I decide to go for the 500/4i.

The 500 f4 is is a stunning lens. I had one for several years ad really enjoyed it. Upgraded to the 600 isII to get a bit more reach and better IS/auto focussing and maximise benefits of 1.4 and 2x III extenders. But those are marginal improvements over the image quality on the 500 f4 (in my opinion). Depending on price, it looks like a good buy for you. It is a hefty bit of kit, but can be hand held by an average strength person, but a tripod/gimbal makes life a lot easier. I regularly carried mine a couple of miles, but beyond that it can be heavy - but I did convert the lens foot to arca swiss and bought a Kirk Enterprises arca swiss carrying handle making it MUCH easier to carry safely. I am not sure I could do the same with a 600 IS but it depends on your strength/stamina.The f8 issue is probably more important in theory than in practice, but having both a 1.4x and a 2x I found I used the 1.4x 98% of the time. I used a 1DIV with my 500 and got some really good results and I guess I have fond memories of the 500 for that reason. Bought it second hand (5 years old), used it for 3 years and then sold it to a mate of mine for £3250 with a cracked hood and it is still going strong. I am continually reminded of what a good lens it is by its new owner!

Michael.

mikenott said:

The 500 f4 is is a stunning lens. I had one for several years ad really enjoyed it. Upgraded to the 600 isII to get a bit more reach and better IS/auto focussing and maximise benefits of 1.4 and 2x III extenders. But those are marginal improvements over the image quality on the 500 f4 (in my opinion). Depending on price, it looks like a good buy for you. It is a hefty bit of kit, but can be hand held by an average strength person, but a tripod/gimbal makes life a lot easier. I regularly carried mine a couple of miles, but beyond that it can be heavy - but I did convert the lens foot to arca swiss and bought a Kirk Enterprises arca swiss carrying handle making it MUCH easier to carry safely. I am not sure I could do the same with a 600 IS but it depends on your strength/stamina.The f8 issue is probably more important in theory than in practice, but having both a 1.4x and a 2x I found I used the 1.4x 98% of the time. I used a 1DIV with my 500 and got some really good results and I guess I have fond memories of the 500 for that reason. Bought it second hand (5 years old), used it for 3 years and then sold it to a mate of mine for £3250 with a cracked hood and it is still going strong. I am continually reminded of what a good lens it is by its new owner!

Michael.

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Thanks alot Michael! Your story makes the 500/4 (old) look like a great buy. I am guessing Im having well above average strength in the soon to be 40 years old league, so maybe handholding for short periods of time will be OK. However, strong or not, I have a crappy back that makes me curse a lot - so Im more worried about carrying it. That makes a good case for aiming at the 300/2.8 or the newer 500/4 maybe.

I think Ill go for this 2nd hand 500/4. And if its too big, hopefully I can sell it without losing a lot.

Thanks for your thought in this matter!

recreationalbirding said:

Thanks alot Michael! Your story makes the 500/4 (old) look like a great buy. I am guessing Im having well above average strength in the soon to be 40 years old league, so maybe handholding for short periods of time will be OK. However, strong or not, I have a crappy back that makes me curse a lot - so Im more worried about carrying it. That makes a good case for aiming at the 300/2.8 or the newer 500/4 maybe.

I think Ill go for this 2nd hand 500/4. And if its too big, hopefully I can sell it without losing a lot.

Thanks for your thought in this matter!

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I also have a 300f2.8 and it doesn't get nearly as much use as it use to since I bought the 1DX. A maximum 600mm on a FF body often falls a bit short. You can choose 500,700 or 1000 with the 500mm and TC's.
I would buy the 500mm Mk1 and start aiming to upgrade to the MK11 as soon as cash allows.
Have fun !

I agree with Dave Williams above! Just be cautious about how much a "small" incremental increase will cost you!

To carry it around you may like to look at this if you have a bad back. Makes carrying much easier AND SECURE. This is the SGH-1. There is also a newer SGH-2 which has an open ended handle which I have not tried but I would be more nervous of it slipping than with the closed handle. Personal choice I guess. http://beta.kirkphoto.com/Kirk_Super_Grip_Handle.html

I had a mk1 500mm for about 6 years and sold it for a £400 profit, so the big lenses do keep their price. Now got a mk2, to my mind far superior to the mk1, lighter, sharper and will take a mk3 2X converter where as with the mk1 I sold my 2X as it produced such soft pics. Use it with a 5D3.

I upgraded from a Sigma to a second hand Mk 1 IS. It's a stunning lens and I love it - I normally shoot with a tripod and a Gimbal head, and occasionally a Monopod.

Good luck if you take the plunge!!

Graham

HI mate

I believe that a 300mm with or without converters is pretty short, unless you're working from a hide. It's still not easy with 500mm or 600mm especially if you are in the field.

I can only sing praises of the 500/4L IS (mark I). Been the proud owner of one for just about four years now and seriously, I VERY RARELY use a shorter lens. I flogged off my 300/4L IS on E-bay later as it was sitting in a draw for years. A 70-200/2.8 is all I need on a boat to shoot albatross etc, but still take the 500/4L IS for tighter shots. I bought a replacement foot from Kirk Enterprises that is an arca swiss plate as well in the base. Very cool and the foot doubles as a carry handle while I walk around.

I am 43 and not really that strong but I can hand hold all day. I can use the 600/4L IS MkI the same, all day, but I do feel my shoulders for a few days afterwards. For my style of shooting a tripod is way too useless and can get very good images hand holding even with a EF 2x MKII converter at under 1/200th! When I use a tripod (about 10% of my shooting) I have a carbon fiber tripod with a Wimberley MkII gimbal head. The best tool for the job. Personally I hate the side mount stuff like the sidekick etc....

I am always baffled when I hear other photographers complain the 500/4 and 2xMkII does not make sharp images especially if stopped down to f/11, which I usually do. The combo works very well for me and even for flight photography of slower moving birds. I rest my case there. A lot has to do with long lens technique people employ. .

The 600/4L IS MkI is a little too heavy for me to hand hold all day and for the extra 100mm focal length I make a bit more effort to get the magnification required to fill the frame. It's only a few extra steps' equivalent really. When I can I will buy the 600/4L IS MkII with the new TCs and a 1Dx.

You won't regret the purchase of the 500/4L IS. Good luck!

I know Dave Williams and I would take note of his observations as he has a lot of experience with these lenses.
From my own point of view I have never owned the 500 F4 in any version though I have used both the Mk1 and Mk2 IS versions as well as the "Old" F4.5 L. They are all excellent though I wouldn't recommend the F4.5 as it is no longer serviced by Canon.
I used to own the Canon 600 F4 L IS Mk1 and whilst it is a great lens it does seriously restrict mobility and hand holding is not fun! I also have the Canon 300F2.8 L IS Mk1 and 1.4 + 2 x Mk3 extenders. The 300 inevitably involves the use of extenders and whilst it works very well with them it is not as good as a prime of the right focal length. I have tried the 300 Mk2 and it is better - but not by much and not enough to justify the extra pennies.
Dave went for the 500 Mk2, I went a different route and bought the Canon 800 F5.6 L IS. The 800 is quite hard to find but I managed to secure one at sensible money. It is significantly lighter than the 600 F4 Mk1 and not too much heavier than the 500 F4 Mk1. If you are into Air Travel then the 800 is simply too big - you will have to buy an extra seat! However, if you are not, then it is about as good as it gets especially for the smaller bird species.
It is really down to your personal budget, what you can carry and where you want to transport it to. The Canon 500 F4 L IS Mk1 is simply an excellent lens, true the Mk2 is better (especially wit extenders) but that doesn't alter the fact that the Mk1 is still one of the best lenses on the market.
I note that you use the 1DX = congratulations! I have been delighted with mine since 11/2013. I was afraid that I may loose some reach compared to the 1D4 that I had previously as I lost the 1.3 crop factor. Thankfully I have found the opposite to be the case, you can really hack and slash 1DX files and still produce good A3 to A2 prints.
Will you be happy with a 500 F4 Mk1, no - you will curse it, hate the weight and moan about how cumbersome it is - but I guarantee you will simply love the images!
Happy shopping!

Dave, Mike, John and others

Thank you so much for your valuable thoughts! I have now ordered the second hand 500/4. The dealer says it is in "as new" condition, so Im very much looking forward to getting it. Getting the used 500/4 made it possible for me to afford keeping the 100-400 ii which feels great! A very nice and light zoom!

I also ordered a new tripod (Benro 4770TN) and a a new gimbal. I didnt buy the Wimberely, but instead a "copy" called Benro GH2. I have read quite alot about the Benro, and it seems it keeps getting pretty nice reviews, at least over here in Sweden - so I hope Im correct. Guess its possible I should have gotten a Gitzo and a Wimberely instead... Time will tell.

In the future I am pretty sure I will go for one of the newer models, when I feel I need it and can afford it. I have not made up my mind if 500, 600 or 800 is the way to go then. So please keep posting your thought in this thread!

I own a used 500 mkI, and I can't say it's ever left me disappointed. Comparing the merits of the 500, 600, 800 or mkI vs mkII version is a bit like discussing Aston vs Ferrari, when you're upgrading from a Ford Fiesta.

I also own a Benro, but the GH1. The side-mount isn't ideal, but otherwise it serves me well.

Telephoto Paul said:

I own a used 500 mkI, and I can't say it's ever left me disappointed. Comparing the merits of the 500, 600, 800 or mkI vs mkII version is a bit like discussing Aston vs Ferrari, when you're upgrading from a Ford Fiesta.

I also own a Benro, but the GH1. The side-mount isn't ideal, but otherwise it serves me well.

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Great! Then hopefully the GH2 will work nicely. Not a lot of reviews on Benro tripods out there, but the few I have read are all positive.

I have got it now! Got a nice wow-factor indeed, for someone who has never had more than a 400 lens. I'll take it out for a spin tomorrow. Pretty heavy indeed, but seems like it should be quite possible to shoot some BIF with it without a tripod.

Oh my. These beasts are pretty addictive I think. I am already thinking about when I can afford to upgrade it too a 600/4ii. I guess if I can manage to lug this 500/4i around, the 600/4ii should be quite possible also since the weight is almost the same. However, if I decide that this one is just too heavy for me, after trying it for a few days, the the sane upgrade route in the future gotta be the 500/4ii I guess. Well, those are problems to deal with in the future. Right now Im just waiting for some nice weather to try this new lens out!

Edit:

Attach a pic from first day of shooting. Stumbled upon a rarity. Yay! Picture taken with a 1.4x converter. I have a lot to learn, but feels like this lens will deliver nicely also with a converter.

The phalarope was still there today. Weather wasnt as nice, but used a tripod this time. Seems sharper, so should probably stick to that until my handholding capabilities are improved.

Happy new lens - enjoy!

Cracking start to owning a new lens. You won't regret your purchase but you will always wonder " should I have waited for a 600mm". Beware though the mk1 600 is very heavy!