The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM and the Canon 500mm f4.0L 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 500mm f4.0L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 383mm. The Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM with a length of 343mm, is 40mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM has a larger diameter of 163mm compared to the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM's 146mm 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 EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM weighs 2840g, which means it is 350g (10%) lighter than the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM which has a weight of 3190g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Super Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM and the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM have the same Filter thread size of 52mm.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 400mm F2.8L IS III USM and the Canon 500mm f4.0L 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 EF 400mm F2.8L IS III 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.
On the other hand, the Canon 500mm f4.0L IS II USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 800mm.
