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Canon 100 - 400 mark ii latest thoughts (1 Viewer)

I'm struggling with the 1.4 TC + 100-400 IS mk 2 (+7D mk2); rarely a sharp focus and cannot understand how to apply micro-adjustments. I can only use it on a sunny day and the photos are NEVER pin sharp.

cheers, alan

Are you using the mk3 converter or an older one, could make a difference. Also micro adjustment could play a part. Do not get on with the 7D2, but tried it on my 500mk2 with a 2x converter, had to get up to -18 to get a decent focus. My 5D3 did not require any adjustment.

John
 
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Are you using the mk3 converter or an older one, could make a difference. Also micro adjustment could play a part. Do not get on with the 7D2, but tried it on my 500mk2 with a 2x converter, had to get up to -18 to get a decent focus. My 5D3 did not require any adjustment.

John

John, mk 3

The trouble is I haven't got a clue how to set the microadjustments. I've found it on the menu though!

cheers, a
 
After much reading and deliberation, today I got myself a Canon 1.4 mk lll extender. Put it on the 100-400 mkll and then put the combination on the camera as suggested and tried some shots. I know that there is considerable debate on the AF of certain lenses with extenders and I now know why there is so much debate. Some say that this combination will autofocus ok and others say not and reference to the Canon tables say that it will only AF with this lens and the series one cameras. I have found that it will AF sometimes and sometimes not. When it fails to AF, I found that if I manually focus to almost sharp, it will then AF ok. It seems to AF ok when the subject gradually but continuously appears at different distances, e.g. a roof sloping away from the camera. The pictures are very sharp when I get it right (that is lens independent with me. I get it wrong lots of times). So, I am wondering about the AF. It seems to have a mind of its own as to whether it will or will not AF which could be critical in some circumstances. I will try some more tests with other, smaller lenses.
 
I recently got the 1.4Mkiii extender for my 100-400 Mki lens and have had the same experience with a 7Dmkii. Overall, I am very pleased with the combination, but have missed a few quick shot attempts. The combination also seems slower to focus to me. You do have to consider the one stop of aperture that you lose when it is cloudy as your shutter speeds sometimes get low enough to cause some fuzziness. In good light, I have found it to be great. It is like everything in life, every choice you make comes with good and bad consequences.
 
I have been trying out the extender again. Overall, I am pleased with it. The photos are fine and when it AFs there seems to be no loss of speed. There probably is but nothing that matters to me. However, as mentioned in an earlier post, it is a little unpredictable in whether it AFs or not. I might just use manual focus for stationary objects. I would try to predict rough positions of moving object and manually focus roughly in that area before the object appears. If the focus is 'nearly' there, the AF does its stuff. It appears that if the AF needs to 'move' a long way (say been focussing on near flower, then wanting to focus on bird in tree at 50 metres), the AF doesn't budge. Overall I am happy with it and manual focussing is not too difficult.
 
a couple of years back I was having issues with a sigma 1.4x in a car park on Mull. A fellow Canon guy (holding a brand new 500 ISii & a 1Dx, I was very jealous!) asked if I attached the converter to the lens first or the camera body.

I didn't think it would make a difference, but by attaching to the camera first I found AF to be much quicker and more accurate!

I don't know if there's a scientific reason for this, it just seemed to work better.

Hope this helps!
 
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Further work with the 7dmkii and 100-400mm mki w/1.4mkiii attached have me really happy with the combination. Like others, I continue to find the auto-focus to be a bit slow and sometimes fussy in lower light conditions. However, bringing it close with manual focus and then using the auto-focus is easy. In good light it does fine. No micro focus adjustments have been made.

The first photo of a Carolina Wren was done in quite low light (forest understory) and I had to bring the focus close to spot on then let the auto-focus finish. The next two were Ring-billed Gulls in perfect lighting to test it on BIF. I snapped about 20 shots at the time, from 500m out to where it was too far to make a visual ID without the binoculars expecting to maybe get a couple of good in focus. Actually, only a couple were out of focus or blurred. Another that did well at extreme range and heavy crop is the Great Egret.

Does well as a good enough Macro for me. The butterfly is only about 1.5cm wingspread.

Overall, very pleased. Probably best to work without the extender when the lighting is poor, as it often is when I am in China, but works superbly under the bright blue prairie skies of Kansas.
 

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Hi All,
As the now proud owner of a 7d mk11 having upgraded from a 1d mk3 i am interested in seeing how this debate pans out. I too am in the market for a mk11 100-400mm and also a 1.4 converter as an alternative to lugging my Sigma 500mm around with me all the time. I would very much appreciate feedback as to how you are all getting on with the combo.
 
a couple of years back I was having issues with a sigma 1.4x in a car park on Mull. A fellow Canon guy (holding a brand new 500 ISii & a 1Dx, I was very jealous!) asked if I attached the converter to the lens first or the camera body.

I didn't think it would make a difference, but by attaching to the camera first I found AF to be much quicker and more accurate!

I don't know if there's a scientific reason for this, it just seemed to work better.

Hope this helps!

Strange the manual says:

"First attach the Extender to the lens, then attach it to the camera. To detach it, follow the same procedure in reverse."
 
Hi All,
As the now proud owner of a 7d mk11 having upgraded from a 1d mk3 i am interested in seeing how this debate pans out. I too am in the market for a mk11 100-400mm and also a 1.4 converter as an alternative to lugging my Sigma 500mm around with me all the time. I would very much appreciate feedback as to how you are all getting on with the combo.

I like the combo very much. Image quality remains very good and even AF is not bad at all. Of course for BIF shots, being limited to centre + expansion points limits you somewhat, but if the bird is not too small and its flight not too unpredictable, no real problem. The combination is not too heavy and certainly hand-holdable, which, to me, is a big plus. These were all take with the 7DII, 100-400II and 1.4III
 

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Strange the manual says:

"First attach the Extender to the lens, then attach it to the camera. To detach it, follow the same procedure in reverse."

I hadn't noticed, or forgot, that bit of information, but it fits with what just happened with me. I had attached the Extender to the camera body and then mounted my lens. But it acted as though there was no lens attached. I cycled power - still nothing. I detached and reattached the lens - still nothing. I then detached the lens and Extender combination from the camera body and reattached (hence now had attached the Extender to the lens first) and everything was perfect again! Apparently it does matter.
 
Upgrade to 100-400 11

I am very pleased with the image quality of the 100-400 11. I have 2 7ds and a 7d 11 and have been using 100-400 since 2008. For me the combination of the 7D 11 and the new 100-400 has greatly improve my images and shooting possibilities. The combination of 3200+ iso with great image quality lets me shooting Lyrebirds hand held on a dull day in the undergrowth.
 

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I'm very impressed with the 100-400mm mark 2 i'm couldn't believe how sharp it is and it's a fab combo with 7d mark ii the detail on the wheatears below blew me away
 

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Can I ask what might be a daft question?

I'm re-entering "enthusiast hobby" photography after a long gap during which I was just a "snapper" really. I was given the entry-level Canon 100D as a present 9 months ago and I don't feel I can in all decency to the donor just upgrade it at this time. On the principle of "glass first" I bought the 24-105 L zoom as my "walkaround" lens (which I love) and have been keeping an eye on the second-hand market for 100-400 Mk1's (c.£700 at MBP) but the reviews for the Mk2 seem so good that I'm tempted to go for it. My budget is "fair" but certainly not unlimited (I wish!). I could just about manage the Mk2 at HDEW's price (£1499 when I last looked).

My question (sorry it's taken me this long to get to it :) ) is will the Mk2 actually work OK on my 100D? I accept that the AF will be a little slow (although my 24-105 L is quite quick) and that it probably won't work with a converter but hopefully that'll come after the eventual body upgrade.

Thanks!
Mike
 
It will work but you're right about the converter not working. If you change your mind about the mark 1 mine's going for £500.
 
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