The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM and the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS II USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Canon 400mm f2.8L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 343mm. The Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM with a length of 233mm, is 110mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 163mm compared to the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM's 128mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM weighs 2100g, which means it is 1750g (45%) lighter than the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS II USM which has a weight of 3850g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM and the Canon 400mm f2.8L 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 Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Focal Range
Both lenses have the same focal range of 400mm but while Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has the fastest aperture of F4.0, the Canon 400mm f2.8L IS II USM's widest aperture value is F2.8.