It’s official! The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6 L IS II USM has been announced. Here’s all the info and pre-order details.
The mythical successor to Canon’s popular 100-400mm lens has finally been announced! The new EF 100-400mm f/4-5.6 L IS II USM features optical and ergonomic enhancements, while maintaining the same convenient focal length range.
What’s New
Here’s a rundown of the changes:
- Completely new optical design with one fluorite element and one Super UD element, as well as new Air Sphere Coating technology.
- Rotating zoom ring instead of the push-pull action, which is better for keeping dust out of the lens and off your sensor.
- Updated Image Stabiliser with 4 stops of stabilisation compared to the 1.5 stops of the original lens. The lens will now also lock the IS elements when it detects that the camera is mounted on a tripod.
- Minimum focus distance decreased to 1 metre, compared to 2 metres with the original.
- New lens hood with cut-out on the side for adjusting lens filters, including polarisers.
- Adjustment ring for changing the feel of the new rotating zoom ring.
- The lens is slightly wider and longer, and a bit heavier.
Pre-Order
We’re expecting the new lens to arrive in the middle of December. Of course, quantities will be extremely limited, but you can get your name on the pre-order list by visiting the link below. As the local pricing has not been confirmed yet, we will only request payment at a later stage.
Visit Orms Direct to pre-order the lens: Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS II USM.
Press Release
London, UK, 11 November 2014 – Canon today introduces the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM, a new powerful, high-performance zoom lens in Canon’s acclaimed L-series, ideal for passionate sports and wildlife photographers. A successor to the hugely popular EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM, the new model features a range of upgrades to improve image quality and enhance usability, setting a new benchmark for performance from a compact super telephoto zoom lens.
Exceptional optical performance and flexibility
The EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM gives you the flexibility and freedom to capture subjects, both near and far, using the incredibly versatile 100-400mm focal range. The lens’s completely redesigned optical structure now features an improved 4-stop optical Image Stabilizer to reduce the effects of visible camera shake on long-distance shots, with three IS modes tailored to most typical shooting conditions, while Canon’s pioneering ring-type Ultrasonic Motor provides fast, silent autofocusing.
Built to deliver the highest quality results with every press of the shutter, the lens’s 21 element structure uses a combination of Fluorite and Super Ultra-low Dispersion (Super UD) lens elements, and in a first for the EF lens range, Canon’s new Air Sphere Coating (ASC). The new advanced anti-reflection coating is constructed of tiny nano particles of trapped air, which create an ultra-low refractive index layer, to help reduce visible ghosting and flare.
Redesigned zoom and advanced pro operation
Enhanced following extensive feedback from Canon photographers, the lens features a number of design upgrades, including the traditional twist action zoom mechanism in line with other EF zoom lenses. The new mechanism allows you to adjust zoom torque via a dedicated Zoom Touch Adjustment ring, which provides a smooth action for fast zooming, as well as the ability to lock the zoom at your desired focal length, preventing image composition from changing by accidentally touching the zoom.
Incredibly compact and lightweight for an advanced telephoto lens, the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM has been optimised to provide photographers with everything they need at their fingertips. The lens’s tripod collar is now built-in to provide smoother, seamless rotation, and when needed, the tripod foot can be removed, reducing the overall lens body size. A new dedicated lens hood, ET-83D, allows you to rotate polarising filters, without removing the hood, thanks to the inclusion of a new access window.
Designed to be used anywhere, even in the harshest conditions, the lens continues the renowned L-series lens DNA and rugged construction. You can rely on the lens to perform in vastly challenging environments, with a dust and water-resistant construction providing the durability users demand. For added endurance, the lens features fluorine coatings on the front and rear lens elements, reducing the possibility of dirt sticking to the lens surface and affecting image quality.
