Image quality test results from an additional lens have been added to the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens page.
As I shared prior regarding the first lens’ test results:
While these image quality results may appear simple, they have a background. Keeping the story short, my first copy of this lens took forever to arrive and when it did, the performance was not as expected with damage sustained in transit being strongly suspected. The second lens also took a long time to acquire and the results being shared here are from this lens.
Before announcing these results, I did some sanity checking including with my Canon USA technical rep. My concern (always) is ensuring that this lens’ performance is representative of what buyers should expect from their own lens. The MTF charts suggest that the version III lens should perform nearly equally to the version II lens. While I’m not absolutely 100% confident that a better copy of this lens is not available (and will likely test at least one more copy of this lens to be sure), I have enough confidence that this lens is representative of the model, showing what we should expect, to share these results.
That said, let’s jump right into the comparison that most will be interested in, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III vs. II Lens image quality comparison. The version III lens produces very impressive image quality wide open. My only cause for concern about this lens copy was that the version II lens is very slightly sharper in the center of the frame with the difference primarily noticeable when extenders are being used. With less lateral CA, the version III lens produces better peripheral image quality, even with the 2x extender in place.
Unmistakably better is the version III’s weight. As I was creating this post, I grabbed the lens from my desk and ran to attempt to catch a pileated woodpecker on a tree just outside the studio. That effort reminded me how amazingly light this lens is for its specs.
Back to the new copy of this lens … as I mentioned, I wanted to test another copy and here is the comparison between the two copies (copy “2” is the new one).
The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens is in stock at B&H (save the tax, use the B&H Payboo card) | Adorama | Amazon | WEX.
Rent the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens from Lensrentals.
As I shared prior regarding the first lens’ test results:
While these image quality results may appear simple, they have a background. Keeping the story short, my first copy of this lens took forever to arrive and when it did, the performance was not as expected with damage sustained in transit being strongly suspected. The second lens also took a long time to acquire and the results being shared here are from this lens.
Before announcing these results, I did some sanity checking including with my Canon USA technical rep. My concern (always) is ensuring that this lens’ performance is representative of what buyers should expect from their own lens. The MTF charts suggest that the version III lens should perform nearly equally to the version II lens. While I’m not absolutely 100% confident that a better copy of this lens is not available (and will likely test at least one more copy of this lens to be sure), I have enough confidence that this lens is representative of the model, showing what we should expect, to share these results.
That said, let’s jump right into the comparison that most will be interested in, the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III vs. II Lens image quality comparison. The version III lens produces very impressive image quality wide open. My only cause for concern about this lens copy was that the version II lens is very slightly sharper in the center of the frame with the difference primarily noticeable when extenders are being used. With less lateral CA, the version III lens produces better peripheral image quality, even with the 2x extender in place.
Unmistakably better is the version III’s weight. As I was creating this post, I grabbed the lens from my desk and ran to attempt to catch a pileated woodpecker on a tree just outside the studio. That effort reminded me how amazingly light this lens is for its specs.
Back to the new copy of this lens … as I mentioned, I wanted to test another copy and here is the comparison between the two copies (copy “2” is the new one).
The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens is in stock at B&H (save the tax, use the B&H Payboo card) | Adorama | Amazon | WEX.
Rent the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens from Lensrentals.
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