Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is a Fixed aperture Auto Focus (AF)
Super Telephoto Prime 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 400mm f4.0 DO IS USM with this model. Follow the link to read our detailed comparison of these models:
Compare Canon EF 400mm F4 DO IS II USM vs Canon EF 400mm f4.0 DO IS USM
What type of photography is the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM lens good for?
The choice of photography type for which you intend to use the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is a crucial decision factor. Below, we have assessed its suitability for various photography scenarios:
There is only one more lens with the Canon EF mount that has the exact same focal and aperture range with the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM, the Canon 400mm f4.0 DO IS USM.
Lenses in Canon EF Mount with Same Focal and Aperture Range
Reasons to Buy the Canon EF 400mm F4 DO IS II USM Lens
Here we've included a summary of the advantages and disadvantages of the Canon EF 400mm F4 DO IS II USM lens in a list form to assist you in determining whether it offers the features you need.
| Optical Image Stabilization |
| Weather-sealed |
| Autofocus |
| Focus Range Limiter |
| Distance Scale |
| Compatible with Canon Teleconverters |
| Hood supplied |
| Tripod Collar |
| Full-time Manual Focusing |
| Focus Distance Limiter |
| Internal Focusing |
| Covers Full-Frame Sensor |
| 9 Diaphragm Blades for Smooth Bokeh |
| 400mm reach great for Wildlife Photography |
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Lens Mount
Canon 400mm F4 DO 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 Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Size, Weight and Filter Thread
The size and weight are crucial factors to consider when searching for your next lens. Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has a maximum diameter of 128mm and a total length of 233mm. It weighs 2100g / 74.1 oz.
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has a Drop-in type filter holder with a filter thread of 52mm.
You can also check All Canon EF Mount Lenses with 52mm Filter Thread Size to find the matching lenses.
Focal Range
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has a fixed focal length of 400mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides an 35mm (FF) equivalent of 640mm.
Teleconverter Compatibility
Canon 400mm F4 DO 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 400mm F4 DO IS II USM changes below:
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM Focal Range and Aperture Change with Teleconverter
Weather Sealings
The Canon 400mm F4 DO 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 400mm F4 DO 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 400mm F4 DO 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 233mm and a weight of 2100g, the Canon 400mm F4 DO 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 400mm F4 DO IS II USM features Rotary (internal) zoom method where the length of the lens doesn't change while you are zooming in or out. Even though this design has a size disadvantage in general compared to extending designs, it has the benefits of better sealing against dust and moisture, no zoom creep and no weight balance shift while zooming.
Maximum Magnification Ratio
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM has a Max Magnification Ratio of 0.13x with a minimum focusing distance of 3.3m. 0.13x ratio is quite low, making this lens unsuitable even for modest close-up photography.
Below are the 3 Super Telephoto Prime type Canon12 mount lens alternatives with highest max magnification ratios:
Aperture
The Canon EF 400mm F4 DO IS II USM features a maximum aperture of F4 and can be stopped down to a minimum aperture of F32. While a maximum aperture of F4 requires a bit more ambient light or a bump in ISO when shooting indoors, it keeps the physical size of the lens much smaller and easier to carry. At 400mm, this lens provides a natural perspective, and opening up to F4 offers clean background separation for typical everyday shooting. The minimum setting of F32 is excellent for deep depth of field work like macro photography, though you may want to avoid the absolute smallest settings to skip the sharpness loss caused by optical diffraction.
Optical Formula
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM's optical formula consists of 18 elements in 12 groups . The following special elements are used in this design:
- Anti-smear fluorine coating on front element
- large-diameter aspheric element
- UD element
Lens Hood
Canon 400mm F4 DO 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-120.
Body Colour
Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM is available in White color.
Popular Comparisons of Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM
Here are the 8 most popular comparisons of the Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM amongst Camera Decision readers.
Top Alternatives of Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM Lens
In addition, it would be interesting to check which lenses from other mounts are most commonly compared with the Canon EF 400mm F4 DO IS II USM.
Top Alternatives of Canon 400mm F4 DO IS II USM in Other Lens Mounts
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