The EF 200-400mm
\nf\/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x, announced yesterday, is the first commercially
\navailable lens to feature a built-in 1.4x extender, allowing the user to extend
\nits 200-400mm focal length to 280-560mm.<\/p>\n
AP’s Technical
\nEditor Richard Sibley, who has been able to try out the lens, praised the 1.4x
\nextender for granting photographers much greater adaptability.<\/p>\n
If someone were
\nshooting at the full extent of the focal length, and another subject presented
\nitself at a much shorter distance, simply deactivating the extender with a
\nflick of a lever would allow for swift refocusing, he explained.<\/p>\n
Sibley went on to
\nsay that, since such a situation would normally require a change of lenses, the
\nflexibility of the EF 200-400mm f\/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x is also an asset in
\nthat it will reduce need for frequent lens changes and thus reduce the chances
\nof dust entering a camera body.<\/p>\n
Canon’s L-series
\nof EF lenses is generally regarded as the firm’s top-of-the-line range with
\nregard to toughness and reliability in adverse conditions.<\/p>\n
The newest member
\nof the family has a fixed f\/4 aperture (increasing to f\/5.6 when the extender
\nis activated), allowing for the use of high shutter speeds, and features a
\nnewly designed optical Image Stabilizer, which Canon claims will provide users
\nwith a four-stop advantage.<\/p>\n
The firm drew
\nparticular attention to IS \u2018Mode 3′, which applies stabilisation only at the
\ntime of exposure. Canon claims that this will allow photographers to pan with
\nfast-paced action without having the IS overcompensate for movement.<\/p>\n
\u2018This feature is
\nideal for sports photographers, who typically only have a split-second to
\ncapture a subject in front of them,’ Canon said.<\/p>\n
The lens includes
\nCanon’s ring-type Ultrasonic Motor for fast autofocusing. Users can also
\noverride the autofocus at any given moment in order to adjust focus manually.<\/p>\n
There are
\nprovisions for video shooters too, with a Power Focus mode that enables an
\naccurate pull-focus effect, activated by twisting the focus recall ring and
\nstopping at a preset distance.<\/p>\n
Canon claims that
\nthe lens’s magnesium alloy chassis makes it a comparable weight to other
\ntelephoto lenses of similar focal length, despite the additional presence of
\nthe extender.<\/p>\n
As is customary
\nfor telephoto lenses in the L-series, the EF 200-400mm f\/4L IS USM features
\nfluorite elements – in this case, fluorine coatings on the front and rear
\nelements to ward off dirt.<\/p>\n
Canon said: \u2018The
\ncombination of outstanding optical performance, versatility, weight and tough construction
\nwill make it an essential part of any professional sports or wildlife
\nphotographer’s kitbag.’<\/p>\n
The EF 200-400mm
\nf\/4L IS USM will be available from June and is priced at \u00a311,999.99. For more
\ninformation visit www.canon.co.uk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Canon has introduced a new high-performance super-telephoto lens, retailing at \u00a311,999.99, as the latest addition to its L-series<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":327,"featured_media":9697,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[39],"tags":[],"product-category":[],"class_list":["post-9696","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-photo-news"],"yoast_head":"\n