Canon releases EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Canon recently released the long awaited successor to the their signature lens the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L USM lens. While I didn’t really get the chance to try and use the first generation, EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L USM lens, I saw it this lens in action a number of times. The first generation EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L USM lens is a versatile, affordable and all rounder lens for sports, wildlife and event photography. While I don’t have the chance to get a touch and feel of the new EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens yet, the improvements are definitely worthy to take note!

Let’s hope I can get the chance to test it out and share some photographs with the new EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens! The newly released Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens is definitely going to interest wildlife, sports and event photographers! It suits both leisure and professional photographers!

Let me share with you the press release information of the Canon EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM lens!

Canon, a world leader in digital imaging, today introduced the second generation of the venerable EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM lens, which professionals and advanced amateurs have come to love for its power and mobility. With its compact size, wide zoom range for versatile scenes, and high-speed precision, the new EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is well-suited for many genres of photography including aviation, sports, and nature.

“The highly-anticipated EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a reflection of Canon’s commitment to innovation. Building on the success of the EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM, the new lens is set to lead in its class with its state of the art optic technology, sophisticated user operability and enhanced features. With the launch of the EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, Canon seeks to create a myriad of creative possibilities while fulfilling the exacting demands of professional photographers’ desire for superior rendering capabilities.’’ said Edwin Teoh, Assistant Director, Consumer Business Marketing, Canon Singapore.

High image quality with new ASC technology and IS unit

For professionals and advanced amateurs, high image quality is imperative.

With the use of one fluorite lens in conjunction with a super UD (Ultra Low Dispersion) lens, chromatic aberration is reduced and this results in outstanding image quality across its entire range of focal distances. With the improved optics of this lens, subjects in the entire frame are now rendered consistently sharp regardless of where they are in the frame.

The EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is suited for daylight and outdoor situations, where backlight flaring and ghosting are legitimate concerns. To combat this, Canon has used the new ASC (Air Sphere Coating) technology to create a special film that includes air spheres filled with low refractive index air, effectively forming a layer with excellent anti-reflective effects and clear rendering.

The EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM also features a significantly enhanced IS (Image Stabilization) unit to deliver sharp and clear images in a variety of situations. The lens’ new IS unit provides an IS performance improvement from 1.5 steps to 4 steps and three different modes of optimal stabilization. As such, users are better equipped to tackle the challenges of photographing subjects with irregular movement moving at high speeds. Designed with a 9-blade aperture type EMD (electromagnetic diaphragm), the EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM will be able to achieve natural and beautiful bokeh effect which blurs light sources in the background, producing an aesthetically appealing circular appearance.

Convenient operability for close range zoom and autofocus

A vast improvement from its predecessor, the new design of the EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM now allows focus on subjects as close as 0.98m. The maximum magnification ability of the new lens has been improved substantially to 0.31x – the best in its class. This effectively reduces the minimum focusing distance by almost half, making it possible to shoot very fine details or close-up photos of small subjects.

The switch in linear-style zoom control to rotation-style allows for more control and accuracy in the EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM when making minute composition adjustments to the zoom distance, and allows the lens to be operated with better balance. To retain speedy zoom, the entire zoom range can be covered with a mere 95 degrees of rotation, with the required torque adjustable to suit user preferences.

With Canon’s new EOS camera technology, high-speed image processor and optimized AF (AutoFocus) algorithms, photographers are now able to make the most of the lens’ inner focus and ring USM (Ultrasonic Motor) drive – achieving high speed autofocus to catch the perfect shot at all the right moments. After AF, photographers are able to fine tune their focus with a simple twist of the full-time manual focus ring, to achieve their desired effect.

In providing further ease of use, the EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is designed with a new and unique lens hood design that comes with a window on the side. By opening this window, photographers have greater access to their filters, and can adjust and rotate their filters without removing the hood.

Designed for durability

Designed for professionals, the toughness of the lens has been improved with dust and water-resistant properties to prevent dirt and water from entering the lens. The robust EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM also features a fluorine coating on the front and rear lens elements, making it resistant to smudges.

The newly designed tripod mount of the EF100-400mm F/4.5-5.6L IS II USM can be attached and removed while the lens is still attached to the camera. This greatly improves photographers’ response time during handheld shooting so they can effectively react to shooting opportunities. It also reduces the chance of foreign particles entering the camera.