Canon EF 100 400mm F 4 5 5 6L IS USM Review | 54 Data compared

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens, reviewed on The Digital Picture, is highlighted as a popular, professional-grade telephoto zoom ideal for wildlife and outdoor sports. Key advantages include its versatile 4x range, excellent build quality with weather sealing, fast USM autofocus, and effective, early-generation Image Stabilization. Additionally, its optical design, featuring Fluorite and Super UD elements, provides high contrast and excellent center sharpness throughout most of the zoom range. Conversely, the review notes the variable maximum aperture (f/4.5-5.6) makes it slow for low-light conditions, with noticeable softness in the corners, especially at 400mm. Mechanically, the "push-pull" design can introduce dust, and its 3 lb (1,380g) weight is significant, notes the review.

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 USM L IS is a long-standing, mainstream super-telephoto zoom lens designed for sports, wildlife, and press photography. Originally designed in the late 1990s, it maintains a highly durable metal body with excellent build quality that eliminates wobbling, even when extended to 400mm. Its standout performance features include a ring-type USM drive that delivers very fast and virtually silent autofocusing, a focus limiter switch to prevent hunting, and a floating focusing system that optimizes close-up image quality. Additionally, it includes a dual-mode Image Stabilizer (IS) providing two extra f-stops of handholdability and a non-rotating front element that accommodates 77mm filters. However, the lens shows its age through several design drawbacks. Its push-pull zoom mechanism allows for rapid focal changes but acts like an "air pump," sucking in dust particles over time and making precise adjustments difficult. Furthermore, its first-generation image stabilization system is dated compared to modern alternatives and must be turned off when using a tripod to prevent erratic motion corrections. Weighing 1360 grams and priced around 1400 EUR/US$, it represents a significant but accessible...

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM is a well-built telephoto zoom lens that delivers strong overall performance, featuring a fast and quiet ultrasonic autofocus motor alongside a two-stop image stabilizer. Its optical layout uses 17 elements in 14 groups, incorporating fluorite and super low-dispersion glass to suppress chromatic aberration. A unique characteristic of this lens is its push-pull zoom mechanism, which includes an adjustable resistance collar, packaged into a relatively lightweight 48-ounce body that lacks environmental weather sealing. In benchmarks, the lens achieved a DxOMark score of 16 points, proving to be a highly competitive and affordable option despite its aging design. The primary strength of the lens lies in its impressive center sharpness, which uniquely improves at the longer focal lengths of the zoom range while maintaining excellent control over distortion, vignetting, and chromatic aberrations. However, a significant drawback is its poor edge and periphery sharpness, which falls off noticeably across the frame when shooting wide open and requires stopping down to f/8 to improve. Additionally, light transmission is somewhat restrictive, measuring at a modest 5.4 to 6.7...

The ⁠Ken Rockwell review highlights the original Canon 100-400mm L-series lens as a tough, all-metal professional zoom delivering ultra-sharp optics with low distortion and minimal focus breathing. It is highly praised for its effective image stabilization at 400mm and superior performance over teleconverters for wildlife and cinema, offering great value. Ken Rockwell However, the lens is described as heavy and cumbersome compared to modern alternatives. Additionally, while optically impressive, its 1998 technology has been surpassed by the newer Mark II version.

The Bob Atkins review of the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens concludes that it is an exceptionally versatile and high-performing telephoto zoom, particularly suited for sports and wildlife photography where subjects rapidly change distance. Tested on an APS-C sensor Canon EOS 40D, the lens delivers excellent sharpness and contrast from center to edge at 100mm and 200mm, holding up remarkably well even at its maximum 400mm focal length where it performs similarly to a 300mm prime paired with a 1.4x teleconverter. Atkins notes its image stabilization (IS) features dual modes—one for standard stabilization and one optimized for panning—while its ring USM motor ensures fast, quiet autofocus, and a focus range limiter further accelerates subject acquisition. The primary pros highlighted in the review include its highly convenient 100-400mm zoom range, excellent center-to-edge optical performance across most focal lengths, effective multi-mode image stabilization, and compatibility with a 1.4x teleconverter to achieve a sharp 560mm reach. On the other hand, the key cons focus on its slower variable maximum aperture (f/4.5-5.6), making it a full stop slower than a 300mm f/4...

The LensTip Review of the Canon EF 100-400 mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM highlights this telephoto zoom as a highly capable and historically popular L-series option for serious enthusiasts and professionals. Optically, the lens delivers splendid image sharpness at the center of the frame across all focal lengths, paired with very solid edge-of-frame performance. Its robust, professional build quality ensures durability, while internal corrections excel with negligible distortion, minimal coma, well-controlled astigmatism, and low chromatic aberration. Additionally, users benefit from a fast, silent, and highly accurate ultrasonic autofocus motor and a generous, premium accessory package. However, the review points out clear drawbacks that keep it from being a flawless piece of equipment. The lens struggles notably when shooting against bright light, showing a tendency to create distracting flares and ghosting. Furthermore, because it features a first-generation optical stabilization system, its image stabilizer is quite outdated, offering only about 2 EV stops of compensation. This stands in stark contrast to newer market options that regularly provide up to 4 EV stops or more of stabilization efficiency. Medical Disclaimer: Not applicable to...