Canon EF 400mm F5.6L Review

Released in 1993, the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM is something of a classic in the world of telephoto lenses. Designed for wildlife, sports, and bird photography, it has built a reputation for being lightweight, sharp, and relatively affordable for an L-series prime. While it lacks image stabilisation, it compensates with excellent optical quality and a no-nonsense approach to telephoto shooting.

Build and Design

As an L-series lens, the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM is built to last, featuring Canon’s signature magnesium alloy construction. However, one major omission is weather sealing, which might be a concern for outdoor photographers who regularly work in harsh conditions. That said, it still feels incredibly robust, and its lack of extending parts means there are fewer opportunities for dust and moisture to creep in.

Physically, the lens is relatively compact for a 400mm prime, measuring 256.5mm in length and weighing a reasonable 1,250g. Compared to bulkier f/2.8 or f/4 telephotos, this makes it far more manageable for handheld shooting. A built-in, retractable lens hood is a welcome touch, preventing the common problem of losing a detachable hood in the field. It accepts 77mm filters, a standard size for many Canon L lenses.

Optical Performance

This lens is renowned for its optical clarity. Sharpness is outstanding, even wide open at f/5.6, with only minimal improvement when stopped down. Contrast and colour reproduction are top-tier, delivering the classic L-series look. The inclusion of a UD (Ultra-low Dispersion) element helps reduce chromatic aberrations, making it particularly well-suited for high-contrast scenes like birds against bright skies.

Bokeh is relatively smooth, but at f/5.6, subject isolation isn’t as extreme as faster lenses. However, with the long focal length, background compression is still very pleasing. This makes it an excellent choice for portrait-style wildlife shots.

Autofocus Performance

The ring-type USM (Ultrasonic Motor) ensures fast, silent, and accurate autofocus, making it reliable for tracking fast-moving subjects. While it’s not quite as snappy as Canon’s newer telephoto offerings, it still holds up well, even by modern standards.

A focus limiter switch (3.5m–∞ or 8.5m–∞) helps speed up focusing by preventing the lens from hunting unnecessarily. However, with a minimum focus distance of 3.5m, this lens isn’t ideal for close-up work on smaller subjects.

Handling and Versatility

One of the best aspects of the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM is its portability. Many telephoto primes are heavy, bulky, and require a tripod, but this lens can be handheld with relative ease, especially with good technique. However, the lack of image stabilisation (IS) means shutter speed needs to be kept high, making it less effective in low-light conditions.

For those who need more reach, the 1.4x Extender (560mm f/8) can be used, but this limits autofocus capabilities on many Canon DSLRs, unless using a high-end body with f/8 AF support. With a 2x extender (800mm f/11), autofocus is lost entirely, making it impractical for most shooters.

Drawbacks

• No image stabilisation – A major downside for handheld shooting, especially in low light.
• No weather sealing – Despite its solid build, it’s not fully sealed against dust and moisture.
• f/5.6 aperture – Not the fastest lens, limiting low-light performance and background separation.
• Minimum focus distance of 3.5m – Less ideal for small subjects or close-up work.

Conclusion

The Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM is a legendary lens for birders, wildlife photographers, and sports shooters who prioritise portability and sharpness over modern features like image stabilisation. While it has some limitations, such as its f/5.6 aperture and lack of weather sealing, its superb optics, lightweight design, and reliable autofocus make it a fantastic choice, especially for those on a budget.

For those needing image stabilisation or a faster aperture, the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM or Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM might be better options. However, if you can work around its quirks, the EF 400mm f/5.6L USM remains one of the best-value telephoto primes Canon has ever made.The Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM was introduced in 1993 and remained a popular choice for wildlife and sports photographers for decades. Despite its age, it still holds up well in certain areas, especially considering its relatively affordable price compared to faster 400mm primes.

Samples

Here are some recent photos I captured using the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM lens. These sample shots highlight the lens’s performance across different conditions, settings, and subjects. To view the complete collection of photos taken with this lens, the link.