# Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way! *** FAKE ****



## bjd (Feb 23, 2013)

This is irrefutable.

Why?

Cos I finally gave in and bought a new 100-400 today. I had tried one that belongs to a
colleague, and wasn't too happy with it. But my new copy works pretty well. 
Pretty poor light here today but still happy with the results at ISO4000+ on my
5D MK3.

Shot at about 4 meters away in sub-zero temps (making me shiver), no noise reduction
EF100-400 IS at 400mm F5.6 1/1500s ISO 6400 . 

Cheers Brian


----------



## Stig (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*

;D

enjoy the new lens


----------



## bjd (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*

And this one was about 8 meters away.
EF100-400 IS at 400mm F5.6 1/1500s ISO 6400 . 

Cheers Brian


----------



## bjd (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Stig said:


> ;D
> 
> enjoy the new lens


I certainly will thanks.


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*

I suggest that you consider purchasing a Visual Echoes "Better Beamer" to use with your flash. In difficult low contrast situations, it will make a huge difference. Its basically a fresnel lens that focuses your flash so that it can illuminate things like birds and wildlife at a distance. 
Sold by Adorama, B&H, Amazon, etc. You must pick one that fits your exact flash unit. For $36.95, you will gain a lot of capability in lighting at a distance.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Brand_Visual+Echoes&ci=655&N=4168864814+4291125815
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/better_beamer.shtml


BTW, here is a small bird shot with my 100-400mmL with a Better Beamer.


----------



## zim (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I suggest that you consider purchasing a Visual Echoes "Better Beamer" to use with your flash. In difficult low contrast situations, it will make a huge difference. Its basically a fresnel lens that focuses your flash so that it can illuminate things like birds and wildlife at a distance.
> Sold by Adorama, B&H, Amazon, etc. You must pick one that fits your exact flash unit. For $36.95, you will gain a lot of capability in lighting at a distance.
> 
> BTW, here is a small bird shot with my 100-400mmL with a Better Beamer.



What a great tip, thank you for sharing. Do you only get one chance at this or do the birds not really notice the light difference?


----------



## Rienzphotoz (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I suggest that you consider purchasing a Visual Echoes "Better Beamer" to use with your flash. In difficult low contrast situations, it will make a huge difference. Its basically a fresnel lens that focuses your flash so that it can illuminate things like birds and wildlife at a distance.
> Sold by Adorama, B&H, Amazon, etc. You must pick one that fits your exact flash unit. For $36.95, you will gain a lot of capability in lighting at a distance.
> 
> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Brand_Visual+Echoes&ci=655&N=4168864814+4291125815
> ...


Awesome tip ... did not know such a product existed ... thanks for sharing.


----------



## Jan Jasinski (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*

You got me all excited... Thought you had info on the 100-400 II


----------



## Omar H (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*

congrats, but you need to reconsider the subject of your post, It's misleading a lot of hoping souls!


----------



## skinkfoot (Feb 23, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*

I use a better beamer quite a bit, most birds seem to not care, but, others become quite afraid, never use on an owl, very hard on their eyes. I shoot dark cedar hedges and it is the only way to light them up.


----------



## dandai (Feb 24, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Omar H said:


> congrats, but you need to reconsider the subject of your post, It's misleading a lot of hoping souls!


plus 1!


----------



## bjd (Feb 24, 2013)

*** FAKE *** Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way! *



dandai said:


> Omar H said:
> 
> 
> > congrats, but you need to reconsider the subject of your post, It's misleading a lot of hoping souls!
> ...


I know, and I am sorry, and I apologise to everyone who I mislead. :-[

But I also hope you all appreciate the personal sacrifice on my part so that you guys all at last get the updated 100-400 from Canon that we really want!

Everyone except me that is.

Actually I just sold my 70-200 EF IS F4 lens via ebay, after canon rebate and ebay charges I only lost about
120$ so should Canon bring out a new 100-400 that is so much better than this one, the financial loss will probably not be huge. 

But I now have the Lens for spring and I hope it will serve me well.

Thanks for the infos about the flash, I guess that can offset the fact that this is not a straight F4 or F2.8 to a certain extent.
Cheers Brian


----------



## mb66energy (Feb 24, 2013)

bjd said:


> This is irrefutable.
> 
> Why?
> 
> ...



Your topic is misleading but ... I understand (hopefully) what you meant: Just the moment you gave up waiting on a new 100-400 and bought a version I Canon will release the Mark II.

I was in the same situation one year ago and bought a 5.6 400 waiting for the release of a Mark II version of that lens with IS but ... it is still not available and will cost (my estimate) roughly 3000 EUR / $ and the same will happen with the 100-400.

I try to learn to be happy with what I have. If I remember the days I made slides I had to wait 2 weeks for development (Kodachrome) and 36 exposures where enough for 2 weeks - digital has simplified the TECHNICAL PROCESS of photographing dramatically! Quality of APS-C is near FF with slide films if not better ...

Enjoy what you have - nearly all the lenses are good enough for great photographs ...


----------



## bjd (Feb 24, 2013)

mb66energy said:


> bjd said:
> 
> 
> > This is irrefutable.
> ...


Its the only way to go. Cheers


----------



## bjd (Feb 24, 2013)

I have some fabulously sharp shots already with the lens, but I also have a fair few like the following where the correct AF points are lit, but the subject under them is not in focus. I am using focus priority so I would have though this wouldn't happen, or at least not so often. I think the bird provides far more contrast for the AF system than the snow does.
Too little light maybe? At least I am getting the correct AF points lit.

5D MKIII EF 100-400 IS USM 400mm 1/1500sec F8 ISO 400. 

Cheers


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 24, 2013)

bjd said:


> I have some fabulously sharp shots already with the lens, but I also have a fair few like the following where the correct AF points are lit, but the subject under them is not in focus. I am using focus priority so I would have though this wouldn't happen, or at least not so often. I think the bird provides far more contrast for the AF system than the snow does.
> Too little light maybe? At least I am getting the correct AF points lit.
> 
> 5D MKIII EF 100-400 IS USM 400mm 1/1500sec F8 ISO 400.
> ...


In snow, the camera will think its gray, so you need to correct for color. Easy to do in post production Its also underexposed by over a stop. Snow fools the exposure system too, use the histogram to add exposure compensation or use manual exposure.

If images are not sharp, make sure you use a fast shutter speed. This is one of the fallacies of using IS. The birds move, and there is blur. Your photo is a 100% crop, get closer!

Focus on the eye, or at least the head. Use the center point, or a small center group. Don't let the camera decide the point of focus. The problem here is that you are too far from the bird and had to crop the image to 100%. That means everything must be perfect to get sharp detail, while there is room for error if you fill the frame.


----------



## AlanF (Feb 24, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> bjd said:
> 
> 
> > If images are not sharp, make sure you use a fast shutter speed. This is one of the fallacies of using IS. The birds move, and there is blur. Your photo is a 100% crop, get closer!
> ...


----------



## Quasimodo (Feb 24, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Mt Spokane Photography said:


> I suggest that you consider purchasing a Visual Echoes "Better Beamer" to use with your flash. In difficult low contrast situations, it will make a huge difference. Its basically a fresnel lens that focuses your flash so that it can illuminate things like birds and wildlife at a distance.
> Sold by Adorama, B&H, Amazon, etc. You must pick one that fits your exact flash unit. For $36.95, you will gain a lot of capability in lighting at a distance.
> 
> http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?atclk=Brand_Visual+Echoes&ci=655&N=4168864814+4291125815
> ...



Interesting. I was not aware that such a thing existed, and now I see that it does and at low price too  I could not find any at B&H for the 600 EX RT.....?


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 24, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Interesting. I was not aware that such a thing existed, and now I see that it does and at low price too  I could not find any at B&H for the 600 EX RT.....?


The FX-3 is said to also fit the 600EX as well as the 580EX and 580 EX II

http://www.rpphoto.com/store/product_view.asp?cat=1&subcat=1&Id=102-007


----------



## bjd (Feb 24, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> bjd said:
> 
> 
> > I have some fabulously sharp shots already with the lens, but I also have a fair few like the following where the correct AF points are lit, but the subject under them is not in focus. I am using focus priority so I would have though this wouldn't happen, or at least not so often. I think the bird provides far more contrast for the AF system than the snow does.
> ...


Easier said than done. In this case they move so fast, and I was so close, I was using the 61pt AF selection.
Speed was 1/1500 sec, there wasn't enough light for faster IMHO.
I was pretty close, probably around 2 meters away, making the time the birds are in frame very small.
PP cleans them up OK. 

Took this later on with my 16-35 at 35mm.

Cheers Brian


----------



## skinkfoot (Feb 24, 2013)

Took this today, overcast and in the hedges. 5dmk iii canon ef 400mm f5.6. 430 ex ii flash with beamer. f8.0 iso 125, 1/200


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 24, 2013)

Shooting small birds in flight is very difficult at best, most photographers have learned that its a losing battle. 

Notice that most of the beautiful bird in flight photos are of large birds. Your first image was taken of a bird that was not flying, my comments did not totally apply to a small bird in flight. 


I think you did pretty well with a small bird flying, I'd have to take a lot of shots to capture one in flight. 

Here is one that I was lucky to capture with my 100-400L of a female Redwing blackbird as she dropped out of our crab apple tree.


----------



## neuroanatomist (Feb 25, 2013)

The FX-3 fits my 600EX-RT just fine.


----------



## Rienzphotoz (Feb 25, 2013)

*Re: Its official now. The new EF 100-400 from Canon is on its way!*



Quasimodo said:


> Interesting. I was not aware that such a thing existed, and now I see that it does and at low price too  I could not find any at B&H for the 600 EX RT.....?


I too could not find any of the Better Beamers (listed on B&H) fit for 600 EX-RT ... but I saw here, (http://www.naturescapes.net/store/visual-echoes-fx-3-better-beamer-flash-extender.html), that FX-3 is compatible with 600EX-RT


----------



## Quasimodo (Feb 25, 2013)

Thank you Mt Spokane, Neuro, and Rienzphotoz! I will be sure to get one


----------



## bjd (Feb 25, 2013)

skinkfoot said:


> Took this today, overcast and in the hedges. 5dmk iii canon ef 400mm f5.6. 430 ex ii flash with beamer. f8.0 iso 125, 1/200


Looks great, guess I'll be getting a beamer too now.
Cheers


----------



## neuroanatomist (Feb 25, 2013)

With the Better Beamer, be sure to set the zoom head manually to 50mm (or wider); the usual recommendation is to apply a bit of negative FEC. Personally, I often don't, because I'm using HSS to allow a high shutte speed, and I find that cuts the flash power sufficiently.

Also, a word of caution - be careful when using it to fill shadows when shooting in sunlight...you might find out the hard way why it's also called the Better Burner. A Fresnel lens works both ways - it will concentrate the light output of the flash, but if the sun shines on the front, it can be focused on your gear with deleterious effects (burn/melt marks on plastic surfaces).


----------



## bjd (Feb 25, 2013)

Mt Spokane Photography said:


> Shooting small birds in flight is very difficult at best, most photographers have learned that its a losing battle.
> 
> Notice that most of the beautiful bird in flight photos are of large birds. Your first image was taken of a bird that was not flying, my comments did not totally apply to a small bird in flight.
> 
> ...


Fabulous colours. The bird is beautiful. 

I understand about your comments, but the critters are so fast I have no time to set a focus point on them,
at least in most cases. And you are correct, larger birds are more predictable as the follow more of a flight path.

And I have a question. Shooting yesterday in very dim light. I wanted 1/1500Sec but instead of using TV I used Manual and set Aperture at something smaller than F5.6 to get more DOF. Auto ISO. So how can I get exposure compensation in such a setup? Or am I going about this in the wrong fashion?
Cheers


----------



## Mt Spokane Photography (Feb 25, 2013)

bjd said:


> Fabulous colours. The bird is beautiful.
> 
> I understand about your comments, but the critters are so fast I have no time to set a focus point on them,
> at least in most cases. And you are correct, larger birds are more predictable as the follow more of a flight path.
> ...


 
That image used a Better Beamer, which is part of why the colors are bright. A also hit the "Punch" button in Lightroom to enhance it more.

If you are using full manual, there is no need to set exposure compensation, since you have already entered the exposure you want. Just be sure to set the ISO and not leave it on automatic, or its not really full Manual, since the ISO will vary.


F/5.6 should give reasonable depth of field unless you are very close. The image of the blackbird was at f/6.3, ISO 200 1/200 sec. I had been focused on the bird on its branch and taken a couple of shots. Then it dropped to the ground to eat some sunflower seeds and I happened to catch it as it dropped.


When you are shooting birds with the sky as a background, the camera will expose for the sky, and leave the bird vastly underexposed. Thats where full manual settings work best.


As Neuro noted, never use a Better Beamer on flying birds where you might inadvertently point it at the sun. Only use one where there is a controlled background that will not bring light the wrong way.


----------



## Rienzphotoz (Mar 4, 2013)

I wanted to order the Better Beamer and an SB910 from B&H but B&H does not ship Nikon gear to the Middle East ... so I had to choose Adorama, but Adorma does not have Better Beamer, instead they have a similar one called *Harbor Digital XT Flash Extender* (http://www.adorama.com/HBXTA29.html) ... does anyone know much about this? i.e. anything I should watch out for etc?


----------

