Question on Canon EF 100-400mm

[ChasDennis]

I am thinking of buying the Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM . I will be using this in early mornings for birds and wildlife. Will this lens work in early mornings or low light. I can't afford the Canon Telephoto EF 400mm f/4.0IS.

So any recommendation on how to make this work in low light?

[oldwolf]

Have you looked at the 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6L with a Kenko teleconverter?

The Kenko teleconverter fits and still allows AF whereas the Canon teleconverter doesn't if I remember correctly.

[sk66]

Use high ISO....does your camera do well at 1600?

I wouldn't do the 70-300 w/ tc for low light...
I have good results with my 70-200 f/2.8 and 2x on a crop body, but that's still slow.

I use my 300-800 f/5.6 all the time, but it's pushing things pretty hard in low light.
Even an f/4 won't do great in low light.

What kind of low light? What kind of birds? Your best bet for low light might be a flash/ better beemer setup and the longest lens you can afford.

[RichardTaylor]

I own this lens and sometimes shoot birds with it.

For static birds not a problem

For things that are moving in very low light (ISO 3200 f5.6 & 1/200 for example) you will have major problems in "freezing" the action, if that is what you want to do.

I don't have any problems shooting hand held at 1/100 with the IS on (on 1.6 crop camera) when lying on the ground and shooting like using a rifle, or at 1/100 when on a mono pod.

[ceremus]

You might also consider the EF 300mm f/4.0 L IS USM and use it with the 1.4x extender to give you a 420mm f/5.6. At 300mm it should give you a little more light to work with. It's not as versatile as the 100-400 zoom, but if you're just using it for birding you won't miss it really.

In either case though, I think you'll have to wait a bit for some sunrise light.