Canon and Sony News for Nov 2013

Want to keep up with the Canon Professional Network on Twitter? Now you can! Just follow @CanonProNetwork for regular daily updates on product information, technical articles, Ambassadors blogs, tips and much more.

From Canon:

Thank you for using Canon products.

Please note that we suspended download services for Firmware Version 1.1.0.1.00 that was posted Tuesday November 12, 2013 due to a discrepancy in color balance. We would like to apologize for the inconvenience. Firmware Version 1.1.1.1.00 corrects this color balance discrepancy. Any cameras that are running firmware version 1.1.0.1.00 should be updated to firmware version 1.1.1.1.00.

Firmware Version 1.1.1.1.00 incorporates all the functions and modifications listed below:

EOS C300 Cinema EOS Camera & EOS C300 PL Cinema EOS Camera

1. Fixes a phenomenon where the previous firmware version 1.1.0.1.00 offered incorrect color balance.
2. Ability to move the magnification viewing area around the LCD using the MAGN Function has been added.
3. Support for a 1440×1080/35Mbps recording mode has been added.
4. ISO up to 80,000 has been added.
5. Functionality to support the optional Canon GPS Receiver GP-E1 has been added.
6. A Key Lock menu setting has been added which now makes it possible to lock all operations, including the START/STOP button.
7. Using the optional Canon WFT-E6 Wireless File Transmitter, the camera’s remote-control application allows two users to access the same unit via a Wi-Fi link providing simultaneous camera operation and control and metadata input.
8. [Lens Exchange] and [ND+]/[ND-] have been added as functions that can be allocated to any assignable button.
9. A new Wide DR Gamma setting provides an expanded dynamic range of 800%.
10. Flicker Reduction has been improved.

EOS C300 Cinema EOS Camera only

1. Provides Push Auto Iris and One-Shot AF operation.
2. A new AE Shift function and the selection of various light-metering modes are now available when used with some Canon Cinema lenses (EF mount) and Canon EF Lenses.
3. Ability to assign the two control dials to operate either Iris or ISO sensitivity independently has been added.
4. Peripheral Illumination Correction Data has been added for seven (7) Canon Cinema lenses (EF mount) and fifteen (15) Canon EF Lenses.
5. A function has been added to enable continuous focus and iris setting on a subject in the middle of the screen when one of the two EF STM lenses** is attached.

**[EF-S18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM], [EF-S18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM].

*Note: Gamma information will not be shown correctly in the metadata of clips filmed on the Wide DR Gamma setting included in Firmware Version 1.1.0.1.00 and above when using the bundled software application Canon XF Utility Ver.1.3.1 or earlier. Therefore, we recommend our customers install Canon XF Utility Ver.1.3.2. The installer for this application has already been released.

Please download the Canon XF Utility 1.3.2 for Windows or Mac OS X from the EOS C300 page.
Please download the Canon XF Utility 1.3.2 for Windows or Mac OS X from the EOS C300 PL page.

Adorama carries the Canon EOS C300 Cinema Camera.

Those of us in the USA are celebrating the Thanksgiving holiday today. This holiday is set aside as a time to reflect and give thanks for the great blessings we have. If you are reading this post, you have at least something to be thankful for – minimally electricity, use of an electronic device and access to the greatest source of information ever developed (the internet). And you likely have FAR more reasons to be thankful.

Regardless of the country you are in right now, take time out to reflect on what your blessings are and to give thanks. You are a blessing to my family and we wish you and yours a very blessed Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is typically celebrated with family and friends – and a very large meal that often features a turkey and a lot of courses. Feel free to take an extra helping of desert for me.

While I don't like that the big start of the Christmas shopping season coincides with this great holiday, I do love deals and deals typically come in abundance at this time of the year. Keep in mind that just because something is advertised in print at this time of year does not mean that it is a good deal.

We will filter out the best DSLR photography-related deals to share with you. For the other deals you see, definitely check the price at Adorama and Amazon first.

As always, we are very thankful for you and the support you give us here at The-Digital-Picture.com. We are especially thankful for the financial support provided by the use of the links on this site for your shopping. Start all of your Christmas shopping here!

From DxO:

348 new lens / camera combinations have been added to the DxO Optics Modules library, providing support for Canon, Nikon, Panasonic, Pentax, Samyang, Sigma, Sony, Tamron and Zeiss lenses for Canon, Fuji, Nikon, Olympus, Panasonic, Pentax, Samsung and Sony cameras.

To see supported and planned combinations, click on the link below then select the second tab.

Supported or planned combinations

Canon | Fujifilm | Nikon | Olympus| Panasonic| Pentax| Samsung| Sony

Adorama carries DxO Optics Pro.

For today, we have an "off topic" discussion for our Facebook fans...

What do you anticipate most when it comes to the holiday season?

The food, the family, the fun, the gifts, the spirit?

As for me, I love the varied and ample food that inevitably fills my grandmother's kitchen whenever my extended family gets into town. But there's something my family does that I enjoy above everything else - we play Rook (a card game) while catching up, snacking and laughing late into the night.

So that's what I enjoy most about the holidays – playing cards with my family. It almost seems silly, but that's when I feel closest to them – when we're sitting around my grandmother's dining room table, ten cards in hand, trying to catch the unanticipated trick that saves the hand for me and my game partner. [Sean]

Let us know what you anticipate most about the holiday season on our Facebook Page.

These are the results I've been anxiously awaiting: the ISO 12233 resolution chart crops from the Sigma 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM Art Lens.

I used the lens a good amount over this past weekend and am really liking it so far.

From LensRentals:

t’s time for our 4th Annual Black Friday Sale. This year, we are getting the party started early, 11 AM ET on Wednesday. You can get 25% off any rental placed at Lensrentals.com during the sale.

To get your 25% off rentals at Lensrentals.com, simply use the promo code: BLACKFRIDAY

Details:

• Discount begins at 10:00 AM CT on Wednesday, November 27th and ends at 11:59 PM CT on December 2nd.
• Orders must be placed during the sale period to be eligible to receive the discount
• Orders can be placed for any arrival date, as long as you actually place the order during the sale. Feel free to reserve the gear you’ll need in 2014 now, and take advantage of this deal.
• Must use promo code BLACKFRIDAY to receive the 25% discount
• Limit – 2 unique rentals per person

To support this site, click on the appropriate product review and then click the button beside the camera/lens you want to rent.

From Western Digital:

Innovative 2.5-inch Drive Pairs 120 GB SSD with 1 TB Hard Drive to Deliver Maximum Performance, Data Control in Ultimate Upgrade for Notebook, AIO, Single-Drive Bay Systems

IRVINE, Calif. – Nov. 25, 2013 – WD, a Western Digital (NASDAQ: WDC) company and storage industry leader, today announced the release of the WD Black2 dual drive, a unique storage innovation that fuses a 2.5-inch 120 GB solid state drive (SSD) with a 1 TB hard disk drive (HDD) to offer a powerful dual drive solution. Perfect for consumers and service providers looking to upgrade notebooks, small form factor desktops, and single-slot and all-in-one (AIO) systems with both SSD level performance and HDD capacity, the WD Black2 dual drive connects through a single cable and fits into a conventional 9.5 mm slot.

“Our customers told us they like our Solid State Hybrid Drive technology, but our tech savvy users asked for more control of where they store their data,” said Matt Rutledge, senior vice president of WD’s Storage Technology business unit. “The WD Black2 dual drives empower our customers to enjoy SSD performance and access high capacity storage in a no-compromise package. The WD Black2 dual drive is a direct result of our interaction with our customer base through WD Labs initiatives. WD devised its beta labs program to provide an exclusive testing arena for key customers and technology influencers of existing and emerging WD storage products."

2-in-1
Designed for enthusiasts, creative professionals, gamers and PC builders, the WD Black2 dual drive provides improved overall drive capacity, performance, and reliability, while offering the flexibility to choose how and where their data is stored. Utilizing the benefits of both flash and magnetic disks, WD Black2 dual drives offload data usage from the SSD to the HDD, which increases endurance and life of the SSD. Users maintain greater data control, which can eliminate the need and expense of cloud-based storage.

WD Black2 is free of caching algorithms and benefits from SATA 6 Gb/second interface speed. It is neatly packaged in a standard 9.5 mm, 2.5-inch form factor with legacy SATA connector, making the WD Black2 dual drive compatible with popular PC operating systems ranging from Windows XP to Windows 8.1.

Price and Availability
Available through authorized retailers, WD Black2 dual drives are covered by a five-year limited warranty. MSRP for the 2.5-inch 120 GB SSD + 1 TB HDD WD Black2 dual drive, model #: (WD1001X06XDTL) is $299.00 USD.

Adorama is an authorized retailer of Western Digital products.

The Sigma 24-105mm f/4.0 DG OS HSM Art Lens Review page is now loaded with eye candy. More information about this lens coming soon.

Adorama has special pricing on Lexar 2-Pack Memory Cards (CF/SDHC/SDXC).

With the holidays fast approaching, don't be caught without ample storage space! ;-)

"This is The-Digital-Picture.com's Weekend Recap for the week ending November 23rd, 2013.

In the news...

On Wednesday, Sigma released firmware updates for all of its Global Vision lenses. The updates were necessary to allow Sigma’s Nikon-mount lenses to work properly with the newly announced Nikon D5300 camera. If you have a D5300 on pre-order, be sure to update your Global Vision lens’s firmware for full compatibility.

Also on Wednesday, Nikon announced that it was the official camera of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts. The agreement means that there will now be Nikon branded picture spots throughout Disney’s properties.

In site news and reviews...

On Monday, Bryan posted his Canon Super Telephoto Lens Shootout from Shenandoah National Park. In the article, Bryan gave his thoughts on using the Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS and the 500 and 600mm f/4L IS II lenses for photographing wildlife. Check out his post for more details.

On Thursday, Bryan posted the Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G AF-S Lens test results to the site. Lens tests added include image quality, flare, light fall-off and distortion. Lens specifications and measurements were also added.

And, for our deal of the week…

On Wednesday, we posted a great deal from Adobe where you can now get the Photoshop Photography Membership Program on Creative Cloud – that’s Photoshop CC and Lightroom 5 – for only $9.99 per month with no previous Photoshop ownership required. Previously, a version of Photoshop CS3 or later was required to qualify for this pricing.

This has been the The-Digital-Picture.com’s Weekend Recap. Thanks for listening, and as always, happy shooting!"

Roger Cicala of LensRentals has published "The Cynic’s Photography Dictionary" for all of us to enjoy.

Sample Definitions:

Bokeh – the look of the picture in the parts where you can’t tell what you’re looking at.

Image Stabilization – a technologic triumph consisting of lenses, magnets, position sensors, springs, and electric motors that is nearly as effective as 3 sticks of wood attached to a base plate. See also, Tripod.

Lens coating — thin layers of of substances applied to clear glass that makes it clearer. In the 1600s people would be burned at the stake for claiming things like this.

Sensor – The device that actually takes an image. Its most important attribute is the number of megapixels unless yours has fewer, in which case dynamic range, high ISO performance, microlens effectiveness, color accuracy, and other characteristics are more notable.

Check out the the LensRentals Blog the full list of humorous definitions.

In one of the most ambitious self-promtion schemes I have ever seen, photographer Jens Lennartsson created 400 action figures of himself to mail to prospective clients.

Behind the Scenes:

Check out the photographer's website for a detailed walk-through of the promotion.

Standard test results, including image quality (ISO 12233 resolution chart sample crops), flare, light fall-off, distortion and measurements & specs, are now available for the Nikon 18-140mm f/3.5-5.6G AF-S DX VR Lens.

Canon Professional Network has published part five of its five part "Inside Lightroom 5" series.

From Canon Professional Network:

"Examining the output options of Lightroom is the final part of this series, but it is equally as important as the rest. There are multiple output choices that we have available to us: options such as making books, creating web galleries or slide shows or just printing and exporting to social platforms (such as Facebook or Behance). This guide explains all of them and will give you a flavour of each option and how to use them to your advantage."

Adorama carries Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 5.

Check out the full "Inside Lightroom" series:

1. Modules & Importing
2. Ranking & Selecting Images
3. Global Adjustments
4. Local Adjustments
5. Output Options

Standard test results, including image quality (ISO 12233 resolution chart sample crops), flare, light fall-off, distortion and measurements & specs, are now available for the Nikon 18-35mm f/3.5-4.5G AF-S Lens.

While this video is targeted towards video shooters, the techniques employed could very well benefit still photographers as well.

Joey uses household items - like colored milk, water, hydrogen peroxide, paper towels and a sheet of glass - to create cosmic scenes.

You can find more of Joey's work on http://www.moviemagicnow.com/.

From ExpoImaging:

ExpoDisc 2.0: The Original Professional White Balance Filter Gets Even Better; New Filter Design Includes Selectable Custom Warming Gels

Set white balance, meter for exposure and dust map the image sensor with the only calibrated and certified 18% transmission incident light metering filter

Watsonville, California, November 18, 2013 – ExpoImaging, Inc., designers of innovative camera accessories for the photographic market, today introduced the patented ExpoDisc 2.0 Professional White Balance Filter, an incident light metering filter for digital cameras, for both still and video applications.

"With the original ExpoDisc, we invented the digital white balance filter and established it in the market as the premium white balance tool by individually testing and certifying every ExpoDisc,” said Erik Sowder, ExpoImaging CEO. “Now, ExpoDisc 2.0 introduces user-selectable warming gels, an improved mounting design, and a new lower price-point.”

Whether shooting in RAW or JPEG, photographers using ExpoDisc 2.0 to white balance their images save valuable time during the photo editing process.

Beyond its primary function as a white balance tool, the precision calibration and uniformity of the ExpoDisc 2.0 means that it can also be used to meter for an 18% incident exposure and to dust map the image sensor. Made in the USA, every ExpoDisc 2.0 is tested by hand on a transmission spectrophotometer and individually adjusted using custom filters to ensure neutrality and an 18% total light transmission across the visible spectrum. This neutrality is important because using a non-neutral tool for white balance can actually add undesirable color casts to images.

The original ExpoDisc Professional White Balance Filter was available in separate Neutral and Portrait (warming) versions. ExpoDisc 2.0 combines these versions into a single tool. ExpoDisc 2.0 includes two levels of custom warming gels which can be inserted into recesses on the face of the ExpoDisc, enabling photographers to add varying degrees of warmth for pleasing skin tones.

The ExpoDisc 2.0’s new filter mount design attaches securely to lenses and even to low-profile threaded lens filters.

The ExpoDisc 2.0 will initially be available in a 77mm filter size with more sizes to follow. As with the original ExpoDisc, a larger ExpoDisc 2.0 can be used with smaller filter size lenses by simply holding the ExpoDisc 2.0 over the lens during the white balance procedure.

Pricing and Availability
ExpoDisc 2.0 is available now through ExpoImaging’s distribution partners worldwide. The ExpoDisc 2.0 77mm White Balance Filter retails for $49.95.

Adorama carries ExpoImaging products.

Hot Deal: For a very limited time, Adobe is opening up their Photoshop Photography Program to all photographers - no previous version of Photohop is required for registration.

From now until December 2, you can sign up for the Photoshop Photography Program for $9.99 per month with a 1-year commitment whether you currently own Photoshop or not.

For what its worth, I'm a Photoshop Photography Program member and love it. In my opinion, the software is well worth the small monthly fee. [Sean]

From Nikon:

Nikon and Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts Team Up to Capture Magical Photo Moments

Nikon Inc. Becomes the Official Camera of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts

MELVILLE, N.Y. – Nikon Inc. and Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts today announced a multi-year strategic alliance naming Nikon the official camera of Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. and Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, Ca. Bringing together a global leader in imaging and the world’s leading family vacation destinations, this relationship continues the longstanding commitment to help guests capture every moment of their vacation.

“The alliance between Nikon and Disney allows us to connect with millions of passionate Disney guests who want to tell their stories through the capture of amazing imagery,” said Nobuyoshi Gokyu, president, Nikon Inc. “Through this agreement, Nikon will play an integral role in helping Disney guests to preserve and share every unforgettable moment.”

As the “Official Camera of Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts,” Nikon will have branded Picture Spots throughout the theme parks at the Walt Disney World and Disneyland Resorts, providing guests and their families with the opportunity to document their journey at ideal locations throughout the Magic Kingdom Park, Epcot, Disney’s Hollywood Studios, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Park, as well as Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure.

“Our Disney Parks are among some of the most photographed locations in the world, so it is only natural for us to further develop our relationship with Nikon, who shares our commitment to capturing magical moments and making memories,” said Meg Crofton, president of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Operations, US and France.

Nikon will also be integrated into the Disney PhotoPass Service, the perfect way for guests to capture their vacation memories in great photos—and get everyone in the shot. Disney PhotoPass Photographers will now be exclusively equipped with Nikon cameras and accessories, ensuring each memory is preserved with the quality that consumers have come to expect from Nikon.

Disney Fine Art Photographers at Disney’s Fairy Tale Weddings and Honeymoons, as well as Adventure Guides with Adventures by Disney, will also be outfitted with Nikon cameras.

Adorama carries Nikon cameras.

From Sigma:

Thank you for purchasing and using our products.

We would like to announce that we have updated the firmware of the SIGMA Optimization Pro, the dedicated software for the SIGMA USB DOCK.

The latest firmware enables our Nikon fitting interchangeable lenses fully functional with the Nikon D5300 camera. For those customers who own following products, please update the firmware of the lens via the SIGMA Optimization Pro.

• 35mm F1.4 DG HSM A012 NIKON
• 17-70mm F2.8-4 DC MACRO OS HSM C013 NIKON
• 30mm F1.4 DC HSM A013 NIKON
• 18-35mm F1.8 DC HSM A013 NIKON
• 120-300mm F2.8 DG OS HSM S013 NIKON

Please update SIGMA Optimization Pro Software to Ver. 1.1 before attempting firmware update.

You can download the latest version of the software from the following page:
http://www.sigma-global.com/download/

Adorama carries the Sigma USB Dock (necessary to upgrade firmware).

From Sigma:

Thank you very much for purchasing and using Sigma products.

We have found that the current firmware of our Nikon fitting interchangeable lenses may not work properly with the Nikon D5300’s OS and Live View Auto Focus functions.

For those customers who own Sigma lenses in Nikon mount, we are going to provide a free firmware update service.

Please note that all the products we dispatch from the factory will have the latest firmware.

Phenomenon

Without the latest firmware, the OS and Live View Auto Focus functions do not work properly when it is used with the Nikon D5300.

Concerned Products

Nikon fitting interchangeable lenses that incorporate an internal motor

* Firmware upgrade cannot be applied to the lenses that do not have an internal motor.

* For some discontinued products, we may not be able to offer the firmware update due to the discontinuation of related repair parts. Please contact your nearest authorized Sigma distributor for the further details.

Support

For those customers in need of the latest firmware, we are going to provide free firmware update from November 20th. For discontinued products, please contact your nearest authorized Sigma distributor for the further details.

For lenses that are compatible with the SIGMA USB DOCK, it is possible to update them via SIGMA Optimization Pro.

11/18/2013 - We just introduced a retro-inspired alternative to conventional and obvious laptop cases for carrying expensive technical devices discreetly—the Retrospective Laptop Case. Inspired by the popularity of the company's inconspicuous Retrospective canvas shoulder bag series, these new laptop cases are available in 13-inch and 15-inch sizes and three colors: Pinestone or Blue Slate in sand-washed 100% premium cotton canvas, or Black in polyspun.

The Retrospective 13L and Retrospective 15L laptop cases’ retro look mixes "Old-School" with "New-School" that is a throwback to the days when bags where visually simple but highly functional. These new laptop cases are designed for today’s laptop owners whose personal style resonates with classic materials and design, as well as wanting their electronics to be readily accessible yet well-concealed.

Like all shoulder bags in the series, the Retrospective Laptop Cases are built with durability and comfort in mind. They feature premium quality YKK RC Fuse zippers, metal hardware, leather accents, and a cushioned and padded nonslip shoulder strap that can be positioned for all-day comfort. A breakthrough in design is the smooth back-panel that reduces wear and tear on clothing. Besides carrying and concealing expensive laptops, the rear pocket is designed to hold a Tablet and the main compartment easily fits file folders, books or binders. An easily accessible front organizer features a key tether with pockets for pens, business cards and small accessories. Treated with a water resistant coating, Retrospective Laptop Cases offers double protection from the elements with a seam-sealed rain cover.

Another attractive aspect of the Retrospective collection is the price. In fact, distressed canvas bags of comparable quality are priced up to $300 whereas the Retrospective 13L is $149.75 and Retrospective 15L is $159.75.

Materials

• Pine Stone & Blue Slate Exterior: All fabric exterior treated for durable water resistance, plus fabric underside has a polyurethane coating for extra water resistance, sand-washed 100% cotton canvas, antique nickel-plated metal hardware, premium quality YKK RC Fuse zippers, polyspun webbing, 3-ply bonded nylon thread
• Pine Stone & Blue Slate Exterior Interior: 210D silver-toned nylon, 2x polyurethane coated nylon 210T seam-sealed taffeta rain cover, 3-ply bonded nylon thread
• Black Exterior: All fabric exterior treated with durable water resistance, plus fabric underside has a polyurethane coating for extra water resistance, 1100D polyspun, antique nickel-plated metal hardware, premium quality YKK RC Fuse zippers, nylon webbing, 3-ply bonded nylon thread
• Black Interior: 210D silver-toned nylon, 2x polyurethane coated nylon 210T seam-sealed taffeta rain cover, 3-ply bonded nylon thread

Specifications

Retrospective 13L

• External Dimensions: 14.6” W x 11.4” H x 2.8” D (37 x 29 x 7 cm)
• Laptop Compartment: 13” W x 9.4” H x 1.2” D (33 x 24 x 3 cm)
• iPad Compartment: 9.8” W x 7.9” H (25 x 20 cm)
• Weight: 2.4 lbs (1.1 kg)

Retrospective 15L

• External Dimensions: 16.1” W x 12.2” H x 2.8” D (41 x 31 x 7 cm)
• Laptop Compartment: 15” W x 11” H x 1.6” D (38 x 28 x 4 cm)
• iPad Compartment: 11.8” W x 9” H ( 30 x 23 cm)
• Weight: 2.8 lbs (1.3 kg)

As a visitor of The-Digital-Picture.com, receive a free gift with your purchase of $50.00 when you shop at Think Tank Photo!

From RØDE:

The new VideoMic GO is the latest release in the Australian audio company’s successful range of VideoMic microphones for on-camera usage.

Compact and light weight by design, the VideoMic GO delivers clear, crisp, directional audio with incredible ease of use.

Its tight pickup area focuses directly in front of the microphone and reduces other surrounding sounds, ensuring that the user can isolate their subject from distracting background noise. At only 73gm (2.5oz) it is RØDE’s lightest on-camera microphone and sports an impressively compact form factor.

Designed to be as user-friendly as possible, the VideoMic GO has no switches or settings, and is powered by the camera or recording device’s external microphone input, requiring no batteries to operate.

The microphone features an integrated suspension based on Rycote’s Lyre system, which utilises a single piece of thermoplastic to isolate the microphone from knocks and bumps that could otherwise interfere with performance. In addition to its superior performance the Lyre system is hard-wearing and will never wear out, sag or snap, unlike traditional elastic-based suspension.

“The VideoMic GO is the perfect microphone for consumers wanting to get started shooting high-definition video with their DSLR, ‘point-and-shoot’ or even GoPro cameras.” Commented Damien Wilson, RØDE’s Global Marketing & Sales Director. “We’ve all experienced how terrible the audio can be using a camera’s built-in microphone, and the VideoMic GO is the answer to getting audio that matches the quality of the images, without the additional EQ and level features that are available on our other VideoMic models.”

“This user-friendly ‘plug and play’ approach, combined with its lightweight, small form factor make it ideal for carrying in small camera bags, ready at any time to capture the moment.”

Adorama carries RØDE microphones.

Field use is incredibly helpful for gear evaluation. As you likely figured out through the newsletter and the Zeiss 15mm f/2.8 Distagon T* ZE Lens review, I was able to spend some time in Shenandoah National Park last month. While wide angle landscapes were on the to-capture list, wildlife photography was my primary purpose for this trip.

To be more specific, I wanted to know which of three following big white lenses was my favorite for wildlife photography.

Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Ext 1.4x Lens
Canon EF 500mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens
Canon EF 600mm f/4.0 L IS II USM Lens

And my answer, as you may have predicted, is "It depends." Each lens has its strengths.

From an image quality standpoint, all of these lenses deliver very high pro-grade results. It doesn't matter which lens you pick in this regard. From a "look" perspective, I prefer the more-blurred background, more-compressed look of the longest focal lengths. Again, all of these lenses have very long focal lengths available, but the 600 f/4 has the advantage. The 200-400 L's long focal length comes with the built-in 1.4x extender moved into the optical path, which sets it back one stop in the max aperture comparison. The two primes also did less focus hunting in low light, peripheral AF point scenarios.

If you can get closer to your subject and there are obstructions (trees, branches, weeds, etc.) in play, a longer focal length quickly becomes a liability. The farther away you are from the subject, the more likely that these obstructions will factor into your results. The first problem is that obstructions detract from your final image. A branch across your subject's head is not going to be welcomed. And an even bigger problem is that the obstructions can catch the attention of your camera's autofocus system, resulting in a subject that is not even in focus. Such images are throw-aways – if you can even get the photo. In SNP, I had a black bear cub run past me in the thick woods and I was not able to even capture a memory photo as the camera could not lock focus.

Because the white-tailed deer in Shenandoah National Park are relatively tolerant of humans, I was able to get closer to my subjects (at least some of the time) on this trip. And because I was shooting with LOTS of obstructions (often in relatively thick woods), getting closer was typically desirable. The 200-400 L quickly became my go-to lens on this trip and has earned permanence in my kit. Having the very long range of focal lengths immediately available when needed/desired, this lens was the ideal choice for this type of photography.

I had been pursuing a pair of buck for two hours when the larger of the two finally and suddenly walked out into a clearing. And at the perfect moment, it stopped and became alert. I had diffuse sunlight at my back. The deer's head was framed between the closest background trees and the foreground was uninterrupted. In the very short duration of time that the ideal picture remained available, I would have been very fortunate to get one acceptably-framed picture with a prime lens (due to the sneaker zooming required). But with the 200-400 L, I was able to rapidly capture a number of framing variations.

I used the 500 L IS II and 600 L IS II during the trip and they performed excellently, but when the shot really counted, I found myself going with the 200-400 L IS in this location.

Check out some images in the Shenandoah National Park gallery.

Since many of these images were captured with the big white zoom lens, Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Ext 1.4x Lens sample pictures are also now available.