interesting teardown of a Canon IS 100-400mm zoom lens

[DJ]

From the folks at Lensrentals

http://www.lensrentals.com/blog/2015/02/canon-100-400-is-l-mk-ii-teardown-best-built-lens-ever

Optics + electronics + electromechanical stuff.

[Yago]

So they finally updated it!

Impressive stuff indeed, but the big whites are.
Used to have the 400mm prime, such great lens.

[amyk]

http://www.amazon.com/Canon-100-400mm-4-5-5-6L-USM-Lens/dp/B00PF39PEY

Not cheap, but then again, that is a big lens...

[Yago]

They got rid of the "trombone" zoom then!
One of the things that put me off the old one (amongst others!).

[AndyC_772]

I must have bought one of the last of the old version. I'm not that upset; it's sharper than my technique generally requires, and the new model is even heavier.

The push-pull zoom might get some bad press on the internet, but I've never found it to be an issue at all.

[Mechatrommer]

the price mostly on the optic... but $2500 is in the lowish range among whities. the components and assembly (except exterior and seals) is pretty common even in cheaper lenses, the pcb is also common like that and the teardown is not deep enough. i need to see if there is flexicable used between 2 moving optics inside for the whities, thats the common culprits among blackish lenses. i have one whitey that i dont want to teardown just to figure out that. so my rule for it follows the blackish, put zoom at middle or longest range, so the flex cable inside parked in straight posture, or not curled maximum under tension when park in minimum zoom position. one thing to remember when tearing down any optics like this, before you unmate two plastic barrels (usually black such as in the link), make sure you mark them, otherwise it will take longer to get the combinatorial logic mechanical locus home correct again when putting back together.

[Yago]

I must have bought one of the last of the old version. I'm not that upset; it's sharper than my technique generally requires, and the new model is even heavier.

The push-pull zoom might get some bad press on the internet, but I've never found it to be an issue at all.

That was a case of what I was used to (rotary, separate zoom)
As I said I got the 456L.
Sharper, faster AF, stronger build, longer FL at MFD, cheaper.
Sold it to pay for my test gear last year, so I only have the 70-200F4L now... although that is some walkabout lens, it certainly is not a wildlife lens.

We can't have it all, I might not have the money of Donald Trump, but I don't have his "identity" crisis either!

[eas]

Nice. I wish the teardown had gone further too. I like taking stuff apart, and putting it back together, but when it comes to top-of-the-line, or even midrange camera lenses, I can only live vicariously. Plus, camera guys seem to take good teardown pictures.

I have the "cheap" f4L 70-200L non-IS, circa 8 years ago. I wasn't necessarily in the market for an L lens, but it wasn't all that much more than the wider-ranging basic lens, so I decided to go for it. It is my favorite zoom lens, by far. The IQ is fantastic.

[Yago]

Nice. I wish the teardown had gone further too. I like taking stuff apart, and putting it back together, but when it comes to top-of-the-line, or even midrange camera lenses, I can only live vicariously. Plus, camera guys seem to take good teardown pictures.

I have the "cheap" f4L 70-200L non-IS, circa 8 years ago. I wasn't necessarily in the market for an L lens, but it wasn't all that much more than the wider-ranging basic lens, so I decided to go for it. It is my favorite zoom lens, by far. The IQ is fantastic.

Same version as mine, IS just seemed a luxury and a potential weakness that I couldn't afford.
It's a great lens, not the sharpest, but that suits portrait, the colour rendition and the bokeh are fantastic though. F4 isn't bad for mere mortals like me too!

Here's a shot from the 400 5.6 prime L that I took a couple of years back.
If this is considered out of place or too large an image(already greatly reduced) I will be happy to remove, but it does show the kind of performance these lenses are capable of.