The 400 F5.6 Lens

I've always used the 100-400 lens for my intermediate lens when it came to bird photography. A few years ago, I had to sell it, which was painful.

I was looking to get another one, but after reviewing my past images, I've discovered that I was usually on the 400mm side of length. Since primes are sharper than zooms, I started to look for a 400mm. I didn't have the thousands of dollars for a 2.8. I did find that the 400 F5.6 was a highly regarded lens.

So I started to save for that lens. As luck would have it, Art Morris offered to sell his to me for a great price, which I couldn't turn down.

I finally got to put the lens thru its paces during the May 5-6 weekend at North Chagrin Reservation. The first day I used it in combination with my Canon 580ex and Better Beamer. One word...heavy. But, even though the lens didn't have IS and with the weight, I still created some grrreat images (btw, no tripod).

The next day I took out for another spin, without the flash. Of course the setup was lighter and again, the lens did not disappoint.

So if you're looking to save a few bucks, try to get your hand on a 400 F5.6 lens. In the right hands, the images will be popping out from the screen or paper.