The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM and the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 233mm. The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM with a length of 189mm, is 44mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 128mm compared to the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM's 92mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM weighs 1380g, which means it is 720g (34%) lighter than the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM which has a weight of 2100g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has a 52mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM:
And these are the 52mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM and the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Focal Range
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160 - 640mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 640mm.
