TFrog.com Lens Test

Another Real-World Lens Test

Another rental from www.rentglass.com, the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS, a fantastic performer. The extended range makes this, for me, much more fun than my own telephoto zoom, and the far superior glass doesn't hurt, either! First thing to know - the lens pulls outward to zoom. Don't twist and turn, as I did, just grab it and move it away from the camera. Below - the lens fully extended.

First impression...

Ohmigod. I'm used to my 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 IS, so the very first impression was "This sucker is HEAVY." Or perhaps solid is a better description. Even, if memory serves, the 70-200mm that I rented a while back wasn't this heavy. The specs have it at 2.8 pounds, but it feels more like 20 on a hot day in July. And I found out tonight that my cheapo plastic tripod is no match for this thing.

Now, as for the important thing - the images, I would not hesitate to say that this lens is well worth the retail price of around $1,300.00. And I've only been playing with it for a few days, so far.

The ZOOM...

Naturally, I rented this lens for the 400mm end of its range, not the 100mm. I had previously tried out a nice Canon 100mm macro lens (and then bought one), also a joy, but this one was for the zoom. And for zoom, I turn to The Tree out back of my house. This is a dead tree, held up only by the vines that enclose its trunk to a height of about fifty feet. It's bare branches serve as a resting place for the smallest sparrows to the large owls and hawks (and occasional heron) that wander by. For two years, I've been trying to get a decent bird shot in that tree.

This is The Tree, shot with the 50mm prime. If I remember my math right, the upper branches would be about 100 feet from my shooting position, and the 50mm lens actually works like a 2X zoom itself. Suffice to say, The Tree is a good distance away, and a good test of any telephoto lens.

If you go back to The Tree and look at the tippy-top branches (twigs, really), you'll see where the little fellow in the first two shots was sitting. Click any thumbnail for a crop at full size.

I've been trying to get that cardinal for a long time. And the mourning doves (below left) have never looked better. Even the owl (below right), which has been impossible to photograph before, "looks" like an owl. (Cranked the ISO up to 800 and gave thanks for the image stabilization.)

These are but a few of over 300 bird shots I've taken in the past three days. I'll admit that relatively few have turned out nicely, but that's on the photographer, not the lens.

Before we leave the back yard, here's another "telephoto close-up" - our dog Shelby, from a distance of about 50 feet. Click the photo for the full-size, direct-from-the-camera image.

July 11 - Owl came back for another sitting. ISO at 400 this time, with a little more available light. Still, after a bit of sharpening, I decided this looked better as a greyscale. 1600x1200 version.

July 12 - Finch? Sparrow? One of many outside of work, but one of the reddest I've seen. Right, a pair of blue jays keep an eye on a goldfinch.

A small heron takes up residence in The Tree, just at the golden hour. Three views of a fascinating little bird...

I'm in danger of becoming an avian specialist with this lens... I have to get out and about.

Things I Pulled Out of My Hole

I've got these holes. In preparation for installation of the new deck, holes have been
dug out behind the house, into which cement will be poured for the support posts.

Shelby (the dog) likes to stick her nose into unusual places and so discovered that small critters do, on occasion, take a tumble into the holes. Now, I don't really care if a bug falls into a hole and can't crawl out, no big loss. But small critters? I just have to rescue them and set them free. Here are two such little critters that I pulled out of my hole:

The guy on the left was so traumatized by his ordeal that he sat still while I brought out the camera and set up about 20 feet away. The one on the right? Probably doesn't belong on this page, shot with the 50mm f/1.8.

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I'd like to hear from my visitors as to whether this sort of amateur lens test is worthwhile. We've all seen what the professional photographers can do, but rarely do the rest of us measure up to that standard. In considering whether or not to throw good money at a lens, I thought it would be interesting to see what the average Joe gets from it. Heck, anybody's results should be as good or better than what I've shown here. Drop me a line and let me know what you think. I plan on several more of these Lens Tests as time goes by... If there's a Canon lens you'd especially like to see, let me know.