Canon 500mm f/4 L II in Mint condition. It comes with front and rear caps. Original hard carrying case with key and the strap. This lens was just cleaned by Canon and is spotless. Only used a handful of times.
The Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM is a remarkable piece of glass, designed for professional photographers who need exceptional reach and image quality. Here's a detailed breakdown:
Focal Length & Maximum Aperture:
- Focal Length: 500mm
- Maximum Aperture: f/4.0
- This lens provides an impressive 500mm focal length, making it ideal for wildlife, sports, and nature photography. The wide maximum aperture of f/4.0 allows for excellent low-light performance and beautiful background blur (bokeh).
Optical Construction:
- The lens consists of 16 elements arranged in 12 groups.
- It features specialized optics, including Fluorite elements (G2 and G4) that significantly reduce chromatic aberrations. Chromatic aberration is the color fringing you might see in high-contrast areas of an image.
- Notably, there are no UD (Ultra-Low Dispersion) elements in this lens, which is somewhat unusual for a high-end telephoto lens.
Angle of View:
- The diagonal angle of view is approximately 5°.
- This narrow field of view allows you to isolate distant subjects effectively.
Focus System:
- The lens uses an inner focusing system with a focusing cam.
- Autofocus is fast and accurate, crucial for capturing moving subjects.
Closest Focusing Distance:
- The closest you can focus with this lens is 3.7 meters (approximately 12.14 feet).
- Keep in mind that this lens is primarily meant for distant subjects, so close-up work isn't its forte.
Filter Size:
- The lens accepts 52mm drop-in filters.
- These filters are inserted from the rear of the lens, which maintains the optical quality and prevents vignetting.
Build and Weight:
- The Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM is built like a tank. It features a magnesium alloy and titanium construction.
- The use of these materials reduces weight while maintaining durability.
- Speaking of weight, it's still hefty (as super-telephoto lenses tend to be), but the II version is lighter than its predecessor.
Image Stabilization (IS):
- This lens includes Canon's excellent Image Stabilization technology.
- IS compensates for camera shake, allowing you to shoot handheld at slower shutter speeds without blur.
- Essential for those long days in the field!
Performance and Image Quality:
- The optical performance of this lens is outstanding. Images are sharp, even wide open at f/4.
- The bokeh is creamy and pleasing, thanks to the large aperture.
- Autofocus accuracy and speed are top-notch.
Use Cases:
- Wildlife photographers love this lens for capturing distant animals without disturbing them.
- Sports photographers use it for fast-action events like football or track and field.
- Landscape photographers might use it for compressing distant scenes.
In summary, the Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM is a professional-grade lens that delivers exceptional image quality, robust build, and reliable performance. It's an investment, but if you need that reach and clarity, it's worth every ounce.