Canon 600mm f/4 IS: BEST Lens for WILDLIFE Photography?
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- The Canon 600mm f/4 is lens is a beauty for wildlife photography. But is it the best lens for wildlife photography?
Today on the photography vlog I take the Canon 600mm f/4 lens out on safari here in Namibia to do some wildlife photography. This lens is crazy sharp, and a lot of people in the industry have gone so far as to say that it's the best lens for wildlife photography. But is it really?
Sure the Canon 600mm f/4 IS is sharp. It's also very fast. And the colours come out absolutely brilliantly on them. The IS is also very very good. But, it's also massive. And it's certainly not light or easy to maneuver. Also, that beautiful IS on the lens is so very loud that it makes wildlife sounds itself.
So, this isn't exactly the most comprehensive review of the Canon 600mm IS lens ever, I think it's an honest discussion on if the lens is good for wildlife photography. And I think at the end of the video I answer the question as to whether it is the best lens for wildlife photography.
I end the photography vlog today sharing some of my wildlife photos from the morning on the 600mm inspecting their sharpness.
#wildlifephotography #wildlife
Want to see more from the Canon 600mm? Check this out with some Cheetahs: ua-cam.com/video/UamLzLXhU_Y/v-deo.html
Somewhere, Morten Hilmer is smiling.
haha he gets so excited over some Deer.. imagine him in Africa! such a nice guy
Is it worth buying the Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS II USM?
Hello. If I buy a 2x Tele to my Tamron 75-300, will be the same as your Canon 600 mm ? Cheers.
Why your shot speed is under 1/600. One of the rules in photography to avoid blurry pictures is your speed must higher than your focal length. Im not a PRO like you are, but it's something just catch my attention.
Image stabilization + a monopod + an animal that's not moving and matching the focal length is fine. Heck, I could probably get down to 1/100sec if I needed. Now, if the animals are moving, and I'm hand-holding I probably want 1/1250sec., for sure. It's all situational based. And, the rule that you mentioned comes from before the days of lens stabilization
Brendan van Son you are the Pro here, I’m just learning from you and your videos 😉
@@SnakrGarage hardcore straight edge punks never die!!!!!!!
Frodo Zorro 😉
Those antelope you shot were impalas, not springboks. Impalas have the much longer, curved horns. (I'm a bit of a nature geek. 😉) I wouldn't want to give the Heimlich to that giraffe... I hope he got that branch down!
Great images. I wish I could afford that lens. Next lifetime.
Ok, I’m gonna sell my car and buy this lens, brb 😄
Hahahaha. Can your car take pictures? Didn't think so. Haha
Exactly! Who needs a car? Ha! Just finished watching, this is one of your best, the video quality on that 600mm is breathtaking! Absolutely gorgeous. Thanks for sharing your experience. I grew up in Southern Africa, so this scenery and music just brought me back, so good!
Do it
You make me laugh! 😃 Two years ago you said you wouldn’t buy the 200-400 and now your considering! Lol Forward 4 years later and now you can get one almost half used of what they are new! Now might be a good time to buy if your still looking 😉
Since 1999 this lens has never let me down. Great sports or wildlife for mammals and birds, close focusing of around 18 feet. Contrast and resolution as well as color are perfect.
Hello, is the 600mm f/4 IS USM still worth the investment. Looking to buy to use with my R5 and 1DX Mkii
So, my 35mm prime wouldn't be much good out there?
I own the Canon 500mm f/4 IS II and it is fantastic. I took it to Kenya in August and I got some amazing images. Plus I was able to hand hold without much problems!! Oh and definitely need to bring two bodies and two lenses (70-200 or 100-400)
Great photos as usual! I do have a couple of questions...
1. Why were you shooting with such high ISO’s?
2. Have you considered using a crop sensor body when shooting wildlife with a Canon 100-400 f/4-5.6 L series ii lens instead of using the 200-400 with an extender attached? That just seems like added weight for no good reason.
Patiently waiting for an answer :-)
Was about to ask the same, really high ISO
The most important thing when shooting wildlife is shutter speed. (moving targets & long focal lenghts mean blur will creep into images) He was already shooting at the biggest possible aperture for the lens - f4, so the only way to increase shutter speed was to raise the ISO. As a general rule if you are shooting 50mm you'll want to shoot at 1/50s, 100mm you'll want 1/100s, 600mm you'll want 1/600s etc to get sharp images without camera shake. Depending on the lens and how good the Image stabilisation is, you may get away with a stop or 2 less. Hence Brendan shooting at 1/320s when at 600mm. Hope this helps! Def agree with the crop sensor body comment, I love my 70d for wildlife even though it's no longer a current model.
With wildlife high ISO is often the only way to do it. F4 is not the fastest and you need high shutter speeds because at 600mm even non moving Objects are hard to get steady...
@@thner773 I would agree if you're dealing with a low light situation. I use a Canon 7d Mk ii with a 100-400 f/4.5-5.6 L series ii lens attached, and, generally speaking, I rarely shoot wildlife with an ISO of more than 800. Noise, for me, is always a consideration when using an ISO any higher than that.
Awesome! :) I just found your channel and subscribed to it :) Like #100 Greetings.
You could have used a beanbag. 😉
I have same lens, 600mm f4L IS mk1. on a full frame body, the quality is absolutely amazing. most current FF bodies, have very high ISO, and you get great results. less so, on a crop body, you run out of ISO very quickly. so, 1600 iso is not the same quality, on either body formats.. that said, I would be on full frame, with this lens, as images are so superior, and croppable. I use with a folding monopod, on walks, and a tripod, if seated. often with a cheap gimbal. I used to have the first version, without IS, which was good, but needed decent light, and not steadied, below 1/600. the upgrade was definiltely worth it. I also use the 100-400 mk2 lens, on a second body, for those shots, that you cant frame, on the big 600. (when possible) this video, does the lens a good justice, and I fully endorse all he says. -remember, he's in a truck, with many others, and its constantly rocking, enough to challenge the setup, but look at the results!
Fantastic video, Brendan! So many amazing images and good memories! Thank you for sharing! Etosha was just unreal, so much wildlife and it is so much easier to spot the animals than in Kruger. And the sharpness of the 600mm, wow, this is impresssive.
My pleasure buddy!
Lovely images.... but it did occasionally find myself mentally shouting 'pull back... show some of the environment!' . But you couldn't because it's a fixed focal length. Others have mentioned the Sigma 150-600 and it's like. See if you can beg, borrow or steal... sorry, hire, one (the Contemporary version, it's lighter than the Sport but with the same glass). Looking at the price, it shouldn't be as sharp as the Canon 600mm but would you notice in the real world? Plus its versatile and hand-holdable.
You can't call any single Canon lens the greatest i use several they all have strengths and weaknesses. I use the canon 600 f4 i.s. canon 400mm f2.8,100-400MM F3.5 MII, 300MM F 2.8. 200mm f2.8. Plus all the shorter lenses. I couldn't go anywhere with just one lens ever.. Nor can I narrow it down to one camera body,1Dx mii, d5 miv,5 Dsr, and two 7d mii bodies.
I never complain or say anything about the music, because it never bothers me, and I actually like it.... but my oh my, this music really pulled at my heartstrings!
Glad you liked it!
out of curiousity
How come you dont decrease your ISO? It seems like you can afford to go down a bit on shutter speed
you said that you have only to sell 2 pic to return the 400 bucks rental, right? were do you sell your photos? seriously, i want to try it
Great video and awesome pictures! When you go through your set up in your next video on how you shoot safari, will you mention what focusing points system you're using? Spot, expanded 4 of 9 points or 1 of the zones. I have a 5d mark iv it would help me know what you use to get those tack Sharp images. Thanks!
UA-cam only gives me the premier notifications like an hour or two after it happened, very disappointing! Great vid as per usual and loved the music
So annoying, eh. Haha
Which lens is sharper? 600mm 4 IS I or 400mm 2.8 IS I?
NO Sigma 200-500mm f/2.8 is the best.
One day I dream of playing with that lens.
Got to the end of your video. Consider a 150-600 Tamron or Sigma. Morten uses the Tamron. Versatile, affordable, hand-holdable, and pretty sharp. Slightly slower (F/5 - 6.3) but can't argue with his results!
Johnny4eyes I use the Tamron 150-600mm on safari and as I photograph mainly birds rather than lions, I would not want a lens I couldn't hand hold. Also I don’t photograph giraffe with a fixed long lens. I like the legs as well as the head.
This vs sigma 500mm f4 sport
Jeeze i was about to get a sony but these canon shots are giving me second thoughts lol #EosRboyzzzz
Hahaha
A honey badger is a pretty rare sighting. You are VERY lucky to see one. The 600 f4 is the best. Take a 7D MKII next time plus a 1.4X and you will have a 1344mm. Awesome for birds and honey badgers.
Is zebra black with white stripes or white with black stripes?
Yes it is.
tuyệt vời like like
Yes indeed!
Since 2 Years Iam using the Canon 600mm f /4l is II and this is definitely the bst lenso for wildlife I´ve ever had.
Actually Iam using the lense on the 1 DX Mark II (Befor I used the Mark I) and this is a real Monster Package.
Btw I like your videos and you got a new follower now
Would love to have that lens
Hi B,
Love the Africa series, and as I have mentioned the way you show us around the place.
I have the 150-600 Sigma sport and it rips, versatile with quality performance and brilliant value for money.
Kind regards,
Duncan
EVEN here on YooToob.... videos and photos so sharp...and great images... very nice.
Btw, that giraffe was choking on the branch- as it was a ridiculously thornbush and the spines had probably had it stuck in its mouth. Probably dead now
What do you think about the nexoptic doubletake with 500mm focal length and f2.5 aperture?
I prefer the 600mm 4.0 for birding, especially in combination with an APS-C body and then for small forest birds. For Wildlife in general, I would prefer (I am on Nikon) a Nikkor 180-400mm 4.0 FL which is the equivalent to the Canon 200-400mm 4.0. It's simply more versatile, especially as Wildlife sometimes comes really close.
Tnx for clarifying that the giraffe in 9:52 was early dawn/overcast cause the blue out of focus sky background was suggesting to me that it was mid-sunny day like the lions so the settings (ISO 3200 at f/4) were't making sense. Front focusing or failing to focus on (fast) moving subjects is a pain. E.g. Do you find the 5DIV in a burst of 7 fps fails to focus where it should in half of them? Less? More? Does this % change when light is adverse? E.g. against the sun, low light?
Is the colour fringing due to the low light? E.g. did you notice it in the lions or other mid-day/ample light shots? Or is it a lens/sensor combo artefact?
What about the 100-400 + 1.4x converter; you will be at f/8 but for midday maybe acceptable. You could get/hire a crop-sensor body like 7DII+100-400 so you would be at 600 equivalent. I'm just throwing out staff (in case smt sticks) cause the 200-400+1.4 integrated is really expensive and yields a 280-560mm f/5.6. So you will be at 5.6 anyway when you are at the long end; which is the same like the 100-400. And you would be needing to crank ISO above 3200 with it.
I'm saying these cause I'm similarly stuck. Would love FF+extra long reach but it is getting dark/slow :-)) I have been looking at Nikon 200-500 5/6 for example which very reasonably priced (and not prohibitively bulky) to the point that I'm seriously considering moving to Nikon (been with Canon for 20 years) but it is not corner to corner sharp (at least so its FF tests claim). Third party (e.g. sigma 500 f/4) is high risk for such long glass due to AF speed and accuracy. And at any rate it is cheaper but not that cheap. Plus still bulky to carry around. A 300f/2.8+1.4 will give 420 at f/4. There is also a 400 f/2.8 II which maybe manageable and a few K cheaper than the 200-400+1.4. At any rate as I say some food for thought.
Can't wait for part II and your hands on review on the R (how it compares with the 5DIV) it would also be nice to try the 600 on the R.
Etosha's the best place to use it too. I've lugged my Nikon equipment there and always will.
Good review off the real life experience of the 600mm f4.
Brendan, how does the IQ compare to other lenses the tour group are using, as you mentioned one member had the sigma 250-600mm ! ?
Black Sails, I was gutted about Mrs Barlow dieing !
I think if I were to go I would get a 400mm F2.8 with a 1.4 extender. It seems to be just about hand holdable (at least the Sony is), would help you out when it's darker (to the detriment of zoom), and get's you just short of 600mm F4. I already have a 100-400 so I think between these two lenses on 2 bodies - I would be covered. Was just trying to remember if you had a 100-400 - I seem to think you do. Any reason you didn't just go with the 2 camera, 2 lens setup?
Great shots! I have a very old Nikon 600 f4 af-s ED II (non-VR) that I literally did sell my motorcycle for. That lens is addictive, it’s a monster but the images out of it make it worth it. Cheers!
Great work again Brendan. I love the big boy glass BUT I was wondering if I went out of safari with my 70 200 lens, what possibility would I have to get anywhere near the clarity and closeup as you can...could you possibility include a min or so in another vlog and explain what my limitations and expectations would be..??
I bought the 200-400mm a few months ago and so far i love it...a lot! But dont get any ideas that its light...its a big lens, but as you say, more versatile than the big primes. The good thing is too, you can put a 2x converter on and it takes the lens to 1120mm if you really need that extra reach. Cant recommend the lens highly enough, its well worth the £10k.
Hi.Brendan .Thanks for the great videos.They are always interesting and educational. I always look forward to watching your videos. Because, I can see you put a lot of effort into making them.Take Care.
Excellent video from out in the field to Lightroom. Needing to shoot with a higher ISO in those early morning hours, do you have a video that covers noise removal in your wildlife photography as dealing with the detail of fur or could you direct me to one?
I don't blame you for deciding not to buy the 600mm lens, it is really unwieldy! You're right though it takes awesomely sharp images.
That 600mm f/4 is the shiznit! It´s sharp so much that you can cut your self just by looking at it.
Often when it's overcast, I'll make them black and white with more contrast.
is this the mark 1? since they are all the way up to mark iii would be nice to know.
Amazing shots. I love em and obviously you were having a blast both shooting and post processing -- I like that. For me I almost like the post as much as the shooting.
you should use topaz denoise. its a great tool for denoising your images.
Beautiful photos, Brendan! This 600mm really deliveres - sharpness, colours, bokeh - just amazing.
Some awesome shots in this vid. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 hope to be able to get similar photos when I go to Africa on safari next year.
When you are at your desk the footage is not sharp compared with the game drive footage.
wow. i've never heard anyone say that about the image stabilization. that's kinda important.
😚 I'm going to sell my kidney to get one!. Love to have one but the cost is too high. What is the cost of hiring?
That lens deserves a 1Dx series body. Or at least a 1D series body.
The video is like bbc earth well done buddy
As great as the quality is on most of the Canon EF Super-Telephoto lenses, the RF telephoto lens are supposed to start coming out next year with the $6-7K Professional R1x or whatever. I want to see the RF 400mm f/2.8, I think the optics and sizes will be next level. They are working on an RF 600mm f/4 lens as well, and it's roughly a 25% shorter lens length compared to the EF version, so maybe it's more user friendly? Once it's released, it will be the biggest super-telephoto lens for the RF system. At least until they create something bigger.
yeah its just the ef version 3 with built in teleconverter.
Wow!! Fantastic images Brendan! And the video looks amazing on my 55” 4K TV.
Interesting insight on big lens photography. Would be handy to also rent a gimble head when renting this lens, it'll make panning and tilting a lot more controlled. It's a great wildlife lens but not a great digital nomad lens.
What about the eos-r? Did you get yours and how is it for what you do?
I purchased the sigma bazooka 150-600mm contemporary which is a great lens and the trade off compared to canon EF 600mm L f4 is my sigma is f5 - f6.3, and not as wide as the RF 600L of f4. However I purchased a used version and it only cost me just over £500 !
I purchased the sigma for a safari holiday and airshows.
That's a great lens. I've used both the 150-600mm contemporary, and the Canon 600mm f4 IS. The f4 is amazing, btu so big and heavy you move less and photograph less. My favorite lens now is the Sigma 120-300 f2.8. I can use extenders to get to 600, or just crop, and the f2.8 is fantastic for sports and anything low light.
For the money, the 150-600mm contemporary is best though.
Brendan, were you using auto-ISO?
I like the 600mm, but for wildlife I find it very limiting. The compositional possibilities seem very few especially when movement is already restricted. In Africa in particular, when wildlife is really close, it makes photos very one dimensional. I prefer the 70-200 and the 150-600 instead, coupled with the 24-70. You’ll see some photos on my Instagram (sumeet_moghe) to make sense of what I’m saying. Btw, you’re spot on about the image quality of the prime lens. The newer version of the lens is almost “handholdable”. And if you take to bird photography, that’s when the tack sharp details really shine. Good job finding that honey badger btw, and try getting lower perspectives with wildlife!
Oh and yes, you’re spot on about the 200-400 f/4. I’d love to have that lens in my kit. What a great piece of glass. And flexible too!
And its only 5 times more expensive than my car
What you do with those photos later?
This is a great vlog. Your shots are just stunning, be it amazing colour, composition, sharpness and interest. I really love them
man that lens is just crazy!
thanks for sharing all this beautiful content with us!
really enjoyed watching this
Very nice Brendan. I’ve been wanting to do a safari trip. What do you think of the Sigma 300 - 800 F5.6 for such a trip? It looks interesting on the Sigma website.
RobNarMarketing
Ive owned the sigma 300-800 f5.6
Its a very heavy lens and it deliver very good quality.. but.:: it doesnt have a focus limited, No image stabilisation, and it is noticeable less sharp than the Canon 600 f4 is lens. Even with 1.4x converter the Canon still is way better than the sigma. The sigmonster is a cool lens and very good, but this big white is in a different league
Wow! Such beautiful photos and video! Crazy good!
Cool lens i use it just like paparazzi
Have you ever used your canon lens 100-400mm with teleconverter 2x? and how sharp and versatility is it compared to 600mm?
I use it with tc 1,4 iii
I have bought that lens it is awesome
Great video! What do you think about the 5d IV in wildlife photography? Is the 7 fps enough?
One shot one kill. I time my shots for peak action with a great hit rate so yes 7 fps is fast enough. In 1978.
I used the Canon a1 with motor drive and battery pack ma at 5fps( film).1980s I used the eos 3 with pbe2 power booster at 7fps.(film)
What camera was this shot on?
😘😘😘😘🐯🐒🙉🐎
obrigada, muito lindo!!
El perfecto Bazooka. Capo di tutti capos
but wouldnt you have IS turned off since your o na monopod shooting static?
Nope. When shooting video it helps smooth things out. Also, the engine rumbles the vehicle a bit. So it's still necessary.
@@BrendanvanSon ah makes sense. dont want to shut off and not be able to restart the engine while a lion is approaching.
No zoom but super tele
Beautiful images, using that lens certainly paid off for you.
Thanks Kelvin!
great video BVS
Great photos Why were you shooting with such high ISO ?
It was dark and I wanted sharp images. Modern cameras can handle high iso, they can't handle"un sharpness"
No dislikes!
Shame you didn't hire the 600mm f/4 mark II, it's a much better lens than the mark I
This was mark ii actually. Mark iii is the newest one.
@@BrendanvanSon I'm well aware of the latest mkIII and nope that actually is a mkI
How would the 600 compare to shooting with a 100-400 with a 1.4 Extender?
I have them both
No contest ‘ the 600 is a prime ‘ the other is push pull ‘ with extender u lose more light ‘ u pay for the best no other way around it sorry
What about the mark 2 version of 600mm? Its lighter, a bit smaller, sharper (as the reviews say) and comes with a price tag similar to 200-400. You can consider a 500mm is II with 1.4x TC or something new and hand-holdable like Sigma 60-600 for buying options as well.
The new 600mm L iii coming soon weighs less than the 500mm L ii. Horrendously pricey though.
No
No what?@@ignatprokhoropchyuck4652
@@cardiacade i mean i bought canon 600 mm v1, but instead v.2 & 3 are very expensive. It is enough for me 1 v this what i mean
Did you use the EOS R?? Wonderful video!!
Nope, this one is still on the 5d!
Thank you for the reply. I know you get ask this a lot but if you find time to do a full review on the eso R. That would be great. Oh and if I hit the lottery I’m going on one of your workshops 😉.
EF 400 DO II F4 with an extender?
Would be awesome! But so expensive.
@@BrendanvanSon I know, but only 2.1 kg and a third smaller than the EF400mm F2.8 and i hear the diffractive optics are something special and the II version solves the softness of the first version.
It is super ultra light&sharp lens!!
5:20 overexposed :-)
Hi. When you used 600mm on monopod, you turn off OS or turn off OS does not matter in sharppening with lens on monopod?
You talk way too much, make your point briefly.
Second maybe
Thanks for the video. I really can’t decide canon 400 f2.8 or 600 f4!
KG's Photography 600mm f4 is lighter than 400 2.8
MeanStudios thanks for the info that is a surprise to me. Had not checked the weights.
I have a 400’ 2’8 ‘ with a 1’4 converter it becomes 560 f4 ‘ it’s that sharp it will cut u ‘ they are expensive and heavy ‘ man it’s the dogs