I've just contacted Canon regarding issues with my 100-400 F/4.5-5.6 LIS on a 350D. I've found that this lens quality is sub standard, very soft images through the zoom range wide open and at the sweet spots of f8, f11. Getting colour moire or artifacts in shadows, visible noise at iso100, which I thought was a sensor issue but isnt a problem with my 70-200 F/4 L. I've lost complete faith in this lens and feel I need to return it for callibration or replacing.
Has anyone returned a lens for repair or recommend any the authorized support centres? The support centres I have been given contact details for are:- Canon UK RCC in Hertfordshire, Fixation in London or Image Supply Systems in Dublin.
This lens has always been known as a poor preformer verses other L lenses, this is why you see so many second hand. I have had two and sold both quite quickly. I have used Fixation and they where good - albeit a bit pricy - but it may just be the lens or, to be honest, a combination of the lens and the sensor in the 350D.
T
Posted by Andy Astbury on June 14, 2007 at 8:10 AM
Well I must admitt to being a bit stunned by Tom's reply - every single review I've ever seen of this lens has said exactly the opposite, and to top that off I bought one the other day together with a 1dMk2n body and the 1.4 Mk2 tc - what few shots I've taken are superbly sharp even with the tc fitted.
So I would imagine it was a calibration problem or just a 'duff' lens
Posted by Paul Hillion on June 14, 2007 at 8:41 AM
On a couple of occasions I've had to send a lens and a body into Canon UK RCC and both came back perfect, no problems at all. I might be wrong but I think Canon UK RCC is the main centre for repairs etc?
On the subject of the 100-400, I've had 2 over the last 3 years. Sold the 1st to fund something else and regretted it almost straight away. Anyway I've had my 2nd copy nearly 6 months now and I'm constantly amazed at the quality/sharpness of images it produces throughout the focal range, even with a 1.4x fitted.
As Tom says the QC of the 100-400 is sub standard, there are pin sharp examples that people swear by and then there are absolute dogs, the latter used to be more common than the former.
Every so often when I get bored I do lens tests to whittle down my lens collection for use when travelling when weight is at a premium. I did some testing of my 100-400 against two cheap but light 135mm primes the results are here using a DsII -
lens 1 = Oly OM 135mm f3.5, cost about £25
lens 2 = Zeiss C/Y 135 F2.8 cost about £125
lens 3 = canon EF 28-135, cost about £250, best canon consumer zoom for many years and very good when I shot film, but don't put it on a DSLR.....
lens 4 = Canon EF 100-400, cost over £1,000
clear winner is the zeiss prime, but the £25 Zuiko give it a fright! But just look at the edge performance of that £1,000 zoom lens - AGHHHHH
From my testing the 100-400 is a compromise lens, unless I also have a soft focussing dog.
When my 100-400 went wrong it was sent to colchester camera's which is one of the places that Canon send I.S lenses to-I had no problems with image sharpness with the 2 i had but kept getting the ball bearing problems which jams the lens up
Well I sent e-mails relating to a lens problem to Fixation, Johnstones and Canon UK and had replies within 2 days from Fixation, 3 days from Johnstones and 20 days from Canon UK (even though their website claims 2-3 days or next working day if done by web and 3 other e-mails querying the status of my request!!!) I hope their work and turnaround is better than their customer liasons at Canon!
Sorry to hear you're less than happy with your lens.
I've been using a 100-400mm lens on a very regular basis for must be getting on for 8 years now.
I've found the lens sharp at all focal lengths and at all apertures.I tend to use it most at 400mm and f5.6 99% of the time and find there is very minimal difference between wide open and stopped down to f8 or f11 (at least on the copy I own).
Although comparing it to a completely different focal length lens is hardly comparing like with like,but as a reference,for what it's wotth,I find it every bit as sharp as the three other lenses I normally use,namely,the Canon 24-70mm,Canon 24-105mm and the Canon 17-40mm.
So there certainly are good copies out there.
Regarding service oulets.
I've used both Fixation and Lehmann's on a couple of occasions and have always been 100% satisfied with both the service and turnaround times.
By contrast, on the one occasion I used the Canon service center at Elstree I found the customer service and turnaround absolutely appaling,and that's an understatement.
If you haven't had the lens very long, then I would return it to the dealer for replacement. If you bought it from an internet site, or have had it a while, then you should return it to Canon for repairs under the warrantee. Canon's main repair centre is at Esltree in Herts. I've had to visit it several times to get stuff fixed. They repaired my defective 70-200/f2.8 free of charge even though I had allowed the warrantee to expire, If you are not a CPS member, then the turn around may be 2-3 weeks. They never answer the phone and seldom respond to emails.
Discussion
9 repliesI've just contacted Canon regarding issues with my 100-400 F/4.5-5.6 LIS on a 350D. I've found that this lens quality is sub standard, very soft images through the zoom range wide open and at the sweet spots of f8, f11. Getting colour moire or artifacts in shadows, visible noise at iso100, which I thought was a sensor issue but isnt a problem with my 70-200 F/4 L. I've lost complete faith in this lens and feel I need to return it for callibration or replacing.
Has anyone returned a lens for repair or recommend any the authorized support centres? The support centres I have been given contact details for are:- Canon UK RCC in Hertfordshire, Fixation in London or Image Supply Systems in Dublin.
Any advice or experiences would be appreciated.
Thanks
Mark Crosby
Wiltshire
T
So I would imagine it was a calibration problem or just a 'duff' lens
On the subject of the 100-400, I've had 2 over the last 3 years. Sold the 1st to fund something else and regretted it almost straight away. Anyway I've had my 2nd copy nearly 6 months now and I'm constantly amazed at the quality/sharpness of images it produces throughout the focal range, even with a 1.4x fitted.
Hope you get things sorted.
My experience of this lens was bad ( I now only use primes) but others appear to rate it well. Maybe I had two duffs...
That said Michelle had one which she like a lot but we eventually sold that for a 300mm F2.8.
T
Every so often when I get bored I do lens tests to whittle down my lens collection for use when travelling when weight is at a premium. I did some testing of my 100-400 against two cheap but light 135mm primes the results are here using a DsII -
lens 1 = Oly OM 135mm f3.5, cost about £25
lens 2 = Zeiss C/Y 135 F2.8 cost about £125
lens 3 = canon EF 28-135, cost about £250, best canon consumer zoom for many years and very good when I shot film, but don't put it on a DSLR.....
lens 4 = Canon EF 100-400, cost over £1,000
clear winner is the zeiss prime, but the £25 Zuiko give it a fright! But just look at the edge performance of that £1,000 zoom lens - AGHHHHH
From my testing the 100-400 is a compromise lens, unless I also have a soft focussing dog.
Sorry to hear you're less than happy with your lens.
I've been using a 100-400mm lens on a very regular basis for must be getting on for 8 years now.
I've found the lens sharp at all focal lengths and at all apertures.I tend to use it most at 400mm and f5.6 99% of the time and find there is very minimal difference between wide open and stopped down to f8 or f11 (at least on the copy I own).
Although comparing it to a completely different focal length lens is hardly comparing like with like,but as a reference,for what it's wotth,I find it every bit as sharp as the three other lenses I normally use,namely,the Canon 24-70mm,Canon 24-105mm and the Canon 17-40mm.
So there certainly are good copies out there.
Regarding service oulets.
I've used both Fixation and Lehmann's on a couple of occasions and have always been 100% satisfied with both the service and turnaround times.
By contrast, on the one occasion I used the Canon service center at Elstree I found the customer service and turnaround absolutely appaling,and that's an understatement.
Good luck and I hope you get the issue resolved.