Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM Field Review And Test

This is a good and instructive review of the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM ($11,500, click here) by Digital Photography School. Let me first list the specifications of the lens:

• L-Series Optics
• Optical Image Stabilization – 3 Modes
• Fast Ultra-Sonic Motor (USM) Autofocus
• Full-time Manual Focusing Functionality
• High-speed CPU
• Autofocus Stop Feature
• Dust and Water Resistant
• Fluorite Glass for Improved Quality
• Protective Fluorine Lens Coating
• Security Slot for Wire-Type Locks

The review comes with lots of samples (wildlife shots in Alaska). From the conclusion:

The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM is a treat to use but not a treat to carry around. It is best used when a base of operations can be established, like a boat or near a campsite. The sharpness from side to side is impressive but needs to be balanced with the general aspect of it being a fixed focal length lens. This is fairly easily overcome with cropping final images, especially as the pixel count on future cameras climbs.

EF EF 400mm f/2.8L IS II USM price check: B&H Photo, Adorama, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA