Canon announces development of a 200-400/4 with in-built extender

[Roosta]

Check out the price of the Nikkor 200-400/4 some time.

Don't make the mistake of assuming that because a lens like this is well outside the budget of many people, that it won't sell well within its intended market segment.

We're talking about a fairly specialised lens here.

Having the 400mm focal length a speed faster than f/5.6 is a seriously expensive exercise.

Currently, the only way to do that with Canon's current offerings is to buy a 300/2.8L IS and 1.4x TC, or a 400/4 DO IS, or a 400/2.8L IS, with all of those options being very expensive.

Even the price difference between a 300/4 and 300/2.8 is staggering.

With you on pricing, except, the price of the 300mm F4 is rapidily dropping, given the F2.8 is, as you mentioned not cheap, the F4 is around $1600, check out Quality Camera Sales.

The 200-400 is mouth watering, but I feel it is going to be in the as you say Xenedes speciality market price range, they'll shell shed loads of em, me thinks.

[Gollum]

Sorry Xenedis

You are correct about the weight is was supposed to be <3kgs.

I forgot to put in the price punch line before I posted.

Have corrected both errors in the original post (must do more poof reading)

Thanks again

[Scotty72]

This is just marketing hype.

Surely a 200-400 with built in 1.4 TC is just a 280-560.

Just sounds more wow in the glossy brochure.

[swifty]

The built in TC certainly would be interesting.
From a handling POV I wonder how it compare to say, a 200-560 f4-5.6 where the cross over aperture occurs around the 400mm mark.
I don't really use teles much but I'd imagine there's nothing gained inthe 200-400 range with the TC. But at a flick of a switch it's an instant 560mm f5.6...very cool. But to get to the 400-560 range you'd then need to zoom back again??!!
Hence my comparison to a theoretical 200-560 f4-5.6.
But I guess there're a lot of unknowns here eg.
How much bigger/heavier is a 200-400 f4 with TC compared to non-TC
How much bigger/heavier would a theoretical 200-560 f4-5.6 be compared to a 200-400 f4 TC
How good is the iq from 400-560 in the built-in TC lens compare to a 200-560 in the same range.
How good is it in the 200-400 range without the use of TC compared to the non-TC.

[carrg1954]

This might be of interest , pricing makes good sence and I can still buy a new d700 and nikkor 200-400 for $9k or there abouts.
http://dancarrphotography.com/blog/2...der-1-4%C3%97/

[mrDooba]

Here's a BIG pic of the beastie.
http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/1102/...TENDER-1.4.jpg

[pmack]

judging by the images, and the size of the tripod mount, it's position suggesting the lens is very front heavy, i'd guess this lens will be a good 3kg.
the nikkor 200-400 is 3.2kg. this lens has the additional TC in it, but it is newer and optics are getting lighter, so 3kg is a good ballpark guess
i don't reckon they'll get rid of the 100-400, maybe they'll update it instead?
It's been such a winner for canon, i doubt they will get rid of it without a direct or very simillar replacement. this is not it

[DNA]

DNA

As for the $10,000 price tag, this wound place it in the 600 IS prime market, that’s not going to happen. If I were to guess, it would be around $3,000 mark (This may be wishful thinking because the Nikon is $6,000).

Now the US price of the new 600/4L MkII is around $11,990. By the time it lands here it will be more like AUD14,000. I am pretty sure the 200-400 f/4L with the built-in TC will not leave you much change from AUD10,000. But time will tell.

[kiwi]

Ill bet you it will be less than Nikon's equivalent.

[Xenedis]

You are correct about the weight is was supposed to be <3kgs.

3kg sounds reasonable.

However, there's still no way that the price tag will be in the vicinity of $3K.

[mikspics]

Here's a BIG pic of the beastie.
http://a.img-dpreview.com/news/1102/...TENDER-1.4.jpg

nice shot of this jigger showing the arm and lock for the tc....? looks like a manual setup just flick the lever down and lock it in........brilliant.
8k -8.5k.

[Gollum]

Some expert analysis of this new lens and how it may work

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/R...ns-Review.aspx

From what he is saying the TC elements are moved out (or in) when not in use.

[DanNG]

I want one

[in2fx]

Probably a really nice lens, but looks very expensive

[twister]

Finally us Canonites get something to not just match, but exceed its Nikon counterpart...

Now that Canon has the 70-200 revamped and 200-400 announced, it's about time they put the same optical prowess into the 24-70 as well...that will effectively complete the constant-aperture zoom series (barring the UWAs) all the way from 24mm to 400mm...

[wattsgallery]

Really looking forward to this lens. Dont suppose I will have the cash to buy it outright but as a hired/borrowed lens for safari shoots it will be fantastic. The 100-400 is a default but it never feels as good as the 200-400 Nik so finally we have something to compete.