Posted by Sam Mannaerts on January 7, 2008 at 11:21 AM
Personally I don't buy lenses (or cameras) second hand without testing it first. A lens can look as new as possible but still give errors on your body or problems with the glass and such...
fwiw
grtz,
Sam
Posted by Rene de Heer on January 7, 2008 at 11:23 AM
Well the owner leaves a phone number so maybe you should give him a call and check it out. I have never owned a 100-400 Canon but for what i have heard is is that there is some quality fluctuation between the lenses, also as it is a push/pull lens dust can be sucked into the lens.
Saying that: its a great allround lens and good starting point for your wildlife photography adventures. Like i said: give the man a call
I certainly cannot comment about the fluctuation between lenses, all i can say is mine is pin sharp and an excellent lens for walking round with. As for the lens sucking in dust, i have never met anyone who owns this lens and had a dust problem with it, i think it is one of those myths that is started by someone with no evidence or scientific tests.
Posted by Rene de Heer on January 7, 2008 at 12:03 PM
i have never met anyone who owns this lens and had a dust problem with it, i think it is one of those myths that is started by someone with no evidence or scientific tests.
Scientific or not, this is well documented on the various Nature photography forums. Just do a Google.......i am only the messager, i think the 100-400 is a fine lens but by today standard becoming a bit dated in its design.
Rene de heer
Posted by Paul Hillion on January 7, 2008 at 12:07 PM
I'd be a little wary when he says that the lens has been 'regularly serviced' - I've not really heard of people having to have their lenses regularly serviced unless they're a bit temperamental? Also when it comes to buying the 100-400 secondhand unless it was a too good to resist price I think I'd pay a bit extra for a new lens that I could at least exchange if it turned out to be one of the 'soft' versions. I've owned two of these and both have been as sharp as can be throughout the range but not sure I'd take the risk with a secondhand one such as this one, even more so as it sounds as if it's quite an old one! As Rene says above I think a phone call to the guy would be the first thing to do and then have a good look around for the best price you could get a new one for and then see how the final bid price compares with that.
Good luck and I hope you end up getting one as it's a great lens
Posted by Dave Sewell on January 7, 2008 at 12:15 PM
Tricky one! At face value it looks fine although I think you'll find that the price increases to double the current bidding. One warning note is that the guy has no feedback - this is his first sale. There are scammers on Ebay and photographic equipment is a classic target.
If you buy from Ebay then you run the risk of it being duff .....but then it could be fine! If it's duff have you got the money to do it all over again and are you prepared to scam somebody else by selling it on?
It sounds like you're absolutly itching to get going?!! Hang fire for a little bit longer! I think you should go to a dealer and TRY this lens first to see if you like it. Then keep an eye on prices for a couple of weeks to see what their secondhand worth really is. Also remember that if a lens is going too cheap on Ebay then it should ring alarm bells - what is everybody else seeing that you are not?!! Even though it may seem like the bargain of the century these lenses are being sold on Ebay ALL the time so passing this one up isn't going to matter.
Meanwhile scout round the used equipment sections of the photographic retailers websites to get an idea of what they deem to be the right price. If it's only £100 more than the average Ebay price then I would go down that route because you'll get a guarantee with it.
Another thought - why not post your approx location and see if any forum member who also owns this lens is prepared to spend an hour giving you a test run with it? That would probably be the most useful hour in the whole scheme of things!
Dave
Posted by Dave Sewell on January 7, 2008 at 12:21 PM
Forgot to say - I haven't met anybody with the purported 'dust-sucking' problem either!! and the review that Rene has posted does say...
The push-pull design is also supposed to suck in dust which isn´t exactly a favorable feature till Canon gives us an anti-dust solution for the image sensor. However, during the field testing I didn´t really experience anything in this respect.
So I wouldn't worry about that aspect of this lens too much!! From what I've heard it's a brilliant starter lens and one that stays in the armoury of many pros.
I took my trusty 100-400 on safari to S Africa in some VERY dusty conditions and it performed great - and still does 3 years later with no servicing! I have heard that these lenses do seem to vary a little in quality though.
Best wishes
Phil
Posted by Paul Hillion on January 7, 2008 at 12:41 PM
Glad to hear that Phil as I intend to take mine to SA later this year and I must admit I was a little worried about the dust thing.
Posted by Paul Ashton on January 7, 2008 at 12:46 PM
My experience with this lens is as that of Philip. This lens is very widely used and one of the most popular that Canon produce. It is capable of producing outstanding images. The range of 100 to 400 make it ideal for a Safari trip when animals can be distant or extraordinarily close.
As for the dust thing I think a lot of rubbish is talked about on this. Mine has been across the Kalahari and as far as I am aware it is as clean as a whistle.
Posted by Guy Rogers on January 7, 2008 at 2:49 PM
Hello Sharon I dont really Know what to say about the link. But I would just like to add that I have owned one of these lens now for two years, and I could,nt do with out it. Lets just say if I lost all my lenses it would be the one I replaced first. As an all round lens its just superb.
HI Rene
I agree there is a lot of discussion on various worldwide forums ref the 100-400, however, all i was trying to convey was the fact that no-one seems to have had a dust problem with this lens, so maybe someone thought it MAY cause a dust problem due to the design, its the old " send three and fourpence we are going to a dance syndrome".
And to David Sewell
Even if this lens did suck in dust, there is no way it could get onto the sensor.
I would be extremely wary of someone saying their lens was "regularly serviced" . I have never had a lens "serviced ". Id be interested to find out what the "servicing" involves.
Posted by Andy Astbury on January 7, 2008 at 4:06 PM
Sharon - the only mechanical problem I have come across with the 100-400 was on an American forum where someone had the internals of the zoom break after trying to force the lens to zoom against a tightened zoom lock - if indeed this was actually true then they deserve all they get
Not come across a single case of a fault developing on this lens, and as I said before, the only caution is check its sharpness across its full range.
Get a sharp one and you won't be disappointed I promise
Posted by Dave Sewell on January 7, 2008 at 4:12 PM
To Steve Fletcher,
The middle paragraph of my post was a quote from Rene's link - not my words old Bean!
Dave
I had one and sold it after a few months. It didn't have dust when I bought it new but it soon got plenty (I never used it in a mucky environment) and I had it cleaned before sale. It was also pretty sloppy round the zoom mechanism - the detent arrangement meant it was either too tight or too free. There was no happy medium. I also found the results disappointing. I just got a bad one I suppose and it doesn't say much for Canon's QC
Posted by Graeme Lee on January 8, 2008 at 3:46 PM
I had this lens and I too didn't have a dust problem, but there's plenty that have and I suspect they used it in dusty, sandy conditions. Saing that, I take care of my kit as an amateur and would have a cover on in such conditions. The reports of dust from some people wouldn't stop me from buying this lens...it's a great lens...if you get a sharp copy! Personally I'd buy new and if it isn't sharp, send it back to Canon for a cheeky calibration/retry...
Discussion
16 repliesAs you will know I am a newbie ..and in search of a budget zoom lens with IS
Would any of you check this link out and see what you reckon to this lens
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=330201869442&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=014
cheers
Sharon
fwiw
grtz,
Sam
Saying that: its a great allround lens and good starting point for your wildlife photography adventures. Like i said: give the man a call
Rene de Heer
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_100400_4556_is/index.htm
i have never met anyone who owns this lens and had a dust problem with it, i think it is one of those myths that is started by someone with no evidence or scientific tests.
Scientific or not, this is well documented on the various Nature photography forums. Just do a Google.......i am only the messager, i think the 100-400 is a fine lens but by today standard becoming a bit dated in its design.
Rene de heer
Good luck and I hope you end up getting one as it's a great lens
If you buy from Ebay then you run the risk of it being duff .....but then it could be fine! If it's duff have you got the money to do it all over again and are you prepared to scam somebody else by selling it on?
It sounds like you're absolutly itching to get going?!! Hang fire for a little bit longer! I think you should go to a dealer and TRY this lens first to see if you like it. Then keep an eye on prices for a couple of weeks to see what their secondhand worth really is. Also remember that if a lens is going too cheap on Ebay then it should ring alarm bells - what is everybody else seeing that you are not?!! Even though it may seem like the bargain of the century these lenses are being sold on Ebay ALL the time so passing this one up isn't going to matter.
Meanwhile scout round the used equipment sections of the photographic retailers websites to get an idea of what they deem to be the right price. If it's only £100 more than the average Ebay price then I would go down that route because you'll get a guarantee with it.
Another thought - why not post your approx location and see if any forum member who also owns this lens is prepared to spend an hour giving you a test run with it? That would probably be the most useful hour in the whole scheme of things!
Dave
The push-pull design is also supposed to suck in dust which isn´t exactly a favorable feature till Canon gives us an anti-dust solution for the image sensor. However, during the field testing I didn´t really experience anything in this respect.
So I wouldn't worry about that aspect of this lens too much!! From what I've heard it's a brilliant starter lens and one that stays in the armoury of many pros.
Dave
Best wishes
Phil
As for the dust thing I think a lot of rubbish is talked about on this. Mine has been across the Kalahari and as far as I am aware it is as clean as a whistle.
I agree there is a lot of discussion on various worldwide forums ref the 100-400, however, all i was trying to convey was the fact that no-one seems to have had a dust problem with this lens, so maybe someone thought it MAY cause a dust problem due to the design, its the old " send three and fourpence we are going to a dance syndrome".
And to David Sewell
Even if this lens did suck in dust, there is no way it could get onto the sensor.
I would be extremely wary of someone saying their lens was "regularly serviced" . I have never had a lens "serviced ". Id be interested to find out what the "servicing" involves.
Not come across a single case of a fault developing on this lens, and as I said before, the only caution is check its sharpness across its full range.
Get a sharp one and you won't be disappointed I promise
The middle paragraph of my post was a quote from Rene's link - not my words old Bean!
Dave