Living with a Canon 100-400 L series.
Discussion
I am saving for a used one of these for the airshow / Goodwood season next year.
I rented one for Eastbourne last year, and was delighted with the results.
HOWEVER, I found it an incredibly heavy lens, a lot heavier than I am used to.
Does anyone here use one on a regular basis?
What's it like to lug around for a whole day?
Should I be looking at something else?
I use a 450d currently.
I rented one for Eastbourne last year, and was delighted with the results.
HOWEVER, I found it an incredibly heavy lens, a lot heavier than I am used to.
Does anyone here use one on a regular basis?
What's it like to lug around for a whole day?
Should I be looking at something else?
I use a 450d currently.
Absolutely fine. Yes, it's a big old lump but carry it right and it's no problem.
Try a Black Rapid strap, you'll be able to carry it with the weight slung off your shoulders rather than your neck with a conventional strap and you'll not notice the weight. At Le Mans I'd have a pair of 1 series bodies, weighty old things themselves, one with a 100-400 and the other with a shorter zoom, both with flashes, so a fairly heavy kit, and a black rapid DR1 distributing the weight and even over 24 hours it wasn't unmanageable.
Try a Black Rapid strap, you'll be able to carry it with the weight slung off your shoulders rather than your neck with a conventional strap and you'll not notice the weight. At Le Mans I'd have a pair of 1 series bodies, weighty old things themselves, one with a 100-400 and the other with a shorter zoom, both with flashes, so a fairly heavy kit, and a black rapid DR1 distributing the weight and even over 24 hours it wasn't unmanageable.
Trevatanus said:
I am saving for a used one of these for the airshow / Goodwood season next year.
I rented one for Eastbourne last year, and was delighted with the results.
HOWEVER, I found it an incredibly heavy lens, a lot heavier than I am used to.
Does anyone here use one on a regular basis?
What's it like to lug around for a whole day?
Should I be looking at something else?
I use a 450d currently.
My typical kit is a 70-200 f2.8 IS II with a 2x converter to get to 400mm. Usually that will be attached to a 1D3 but sometimes a 600D.I rented one for Eastbourne last year, and was delighted with the results.
HOWEVER, I found it an incredibly heavy lens, a lot heavier than I am used to.
Does anyone here use one on a regular basis?
What's it like to lug around for a whole day?
Should I be looking at something else?
I use a 450d currently.
The 1D3 combination is heavier but well balanced. After a day or so thinking "Gosh this is heavy" some years ago it just became part of the experience.
I just use a neck strap although I suspect Mark is better prepared with the specialist strap.
If I'm using the 600D, as I was on Saturday last, I just hand hold. I don't have a strap on the camera body. Once you are acclimatised to the feel and the weight distribution it should not be an problem unless you have some notable physical problems. I am by no means fit and certainly not young but I really don't find carrying and working with the kit an enormous challenge if approached sensibly.
Edited by LongQ on Tuesday 3rd November 00:32
DibblyDobbler said:
I used to have one - found I was using it at 400mm almost all the time so went for the 400L f5.6 which is a great bit of kit and a bit lighter and cheaper. No zoom obviously but for me that didn't matter
I should do the same. I hardly use it at shorter focal lengths.Another vote for you get used to it. I use it for pretty much every race weekend and after the first two or 3 weekends shooting you stop noticing the weight.
I dont bother with a Monopod personally, find it too restrictive, but I know an awful lot of people do, I'd guess for weight and stability too.
I dont bother with a Monopod personally, find it too restrictive, but I know an awful lot of people do, I'd guess for weight and stability too.
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