Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a Variable aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Super Telephoto Zoom lens with Optical Image stabilization and 35mm FF max sensor coverage, and it is designed to be used with
EF Mount cameras.
Canon replaced the older Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM vs Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS USM
What type of photography is the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens good for?
The type of photography that you are planning to use the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various photography scenarios:
Lenses in Canon EF Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a member of Canon's EF L Zoom series of lenses. Below you can see the latest lenses in this series.
EF L Zoom Series Lenses in Canon EF Mount
Reasons to Buy Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Canon EF 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens in a list form to help you determine whether it offers the features you need.
| Optical Image Stabilization |
| Weather-sealed |
| Autofocus |
| Distance Scale |
| Compatible with Canon Teleconverters |
| Hood supplied |
| Tripod Collar |
| Full-time Manual Focusing |
| Focus Distance Limiter |
| Zoom Lock |
| Covers Full-Frame Sensor |
| 9 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh |
| 400mm reach great for Wildlife Photography |
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Buy Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM from Amazon or B&H PHOTO
| Lens Extends while zooming |
| Slow Aperture at Wide end |
| Slow Aperture at Tele end |
| Variable Aperture |
| Heavy |
| Pricey |
Lens Mount
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is compatible with cameras that have a 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.
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Size, Weight and Filter Thread
Size and weight is a very important decision factor when searching for your next lens. Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a maximum diameter of 94mm and total length of 193mm when not extended. It weighs 1590g / 56.1 oz.
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a filter thread of 77mm. Below are links to the filters that we recommend you to consider for your Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM:
Focal Range
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II 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 an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160 - 640mm.
Teleconverter Compatibility
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is compatible with the Teleconverters below. With the use of these TC/extenders, you can find how the total focal reach and effective aperture of your Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM changes below:
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Focal Range and Aperture Change with Teleconverter
Weather Sealings
The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a weather-sealed lens, which provides extra protection to prevent water and dust get inside the lens and camera body under light rain, snow and wind. In order to have effective protection, you have to pair the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM with a weather-sealed camera body such as the Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Optical Image Stabilization
The Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM features an optical image stabilization system which helps to reduce the blur that occurs due to shaking during hand-held shooting.
Tripod Collar
With a total length of 193mm and a weight of 1590g, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a large lens. Fortunately, it comes with a tripod collar which you can use to attach the lens directly to a tripod or monopod instead of attaching the camera. This connection helps to better balance the lens/kit combination.
Zoom Method
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM features Rotary (extending) zoom method where the length of the lens changes as you zoom in or out. This makes it possible to design the lens with a smaller minimum length ( generally when it is zoomed out) compared to internal zoom lenses. The disadvantages of this design are being harder to seal against dust and moisture, weight balance shifting while zooming and zoom creep in certain lenses.
Zoom Lock
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a Zoom lock feature which eliminates Zoom creep where focal length of the lens changes with gravity when it's held downwards or upwards.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.31x and has a minimum focusing distance of 0.98m. For a non-macro lens, the 0.31x is considered a high magnification and will come handy for close-up shots.
Below are the 3 Super Telephoto Zoom type Canon12 mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
Aperture
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a variable aperture lens with a max aperture of f4.5 and a minimum aperture of f at 100mm, and a max aperture of f5.6 and minimum aperture of f at 400mm .
| Focal Length |
Max Aperture |
Min Aperture |
|
100mm
|
F4.5 |
F |
|
400mm
|
F5.6 |
F |
Optical Formula
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM's optical formula consists of 21 elements in 16 groups . Following special elements are used in this design:
- Air Sphere
- fluorine coatings; Super ED element
Lens Hood
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM comes with a removable lens hood which is handy to reduce lens flare and glare in your photos. The model number of the hood is ET-38D.
Body Colour
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is available in White color.
Popular Comparisons of Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM
Here are the eight most popular comparisons of the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens
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