Wittmund to the test - the new 400mm

[Iwan Bogels]

Hi everybody,

Today I visited Wittmund for a full day of test shooting with the new Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L IS II and the Canon EF 2.0x Type III extender. We tried to do many different situations, challenging the autofocus and sharpness. The results were truely amazing ! Unfortunately I can't afford the new 400, but I will get in line to get my hands on the new 2.0x extender.

We arrived for the photoshoot at about 07:40 hrs, as we were expecting (and hoping) for a sunrise afterburner shot. Unfortunately we had to wait until 08:25 to see the first take off, which was the 2-ship Scramble. During the morning hours a total of seven Phantoms took to the skies, and during the afternoon they flew six of them.

Some of these shots were taken with a 400mm, 2.0x and 1.3 cropfactor camera, and cropped to 50%. Others are just the result of a plain and uncropped 400mm shot on a Canon EOS-1D Mark IV.

Hope you like them.....

Cheers,
Iwan

1. Taxiing out during first light
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens)
1/320 – f5.0 – ISO 800
10% crop


2. First take off is a Scramble at 08:25 hrs
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens)
1/800 – f5.6 – ISO 800
0% crop


3. Break left after an overshoot
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens)
1/1000 – f5.0 – ISO 200
15% crop


4. Rolling out after landing
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens) – Canon EF 1.4x Extender I
1/1000 – f8.0 – ISO 200
45% crop


5. Overshoot with another Phantom lining up for the break
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L IS II (new lens) – Canon EF 2.0x Extender III
1/1000 – f9.0 – ISO 400
55% crop


6. Another dragchute shot, just before dropping it
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L IS II (new lens) – Canon EF 2.0x Extender III
1/1000 – f7.1 – ISO 400
25% crop


7. Scooter returning from a mid-day mission
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 70-200mm/f2.8L
1/1000 – f10.0 – ISO 400
25% crop


8. Second Scramble of the day, coming back in
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens)
1/1000 – f10.0 – ISO 400
0% crop


9. Almost downwind aftera in overshoot
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens) – Canon EF 1.4x Extender I
1/1000 – f10.0 – ISO 400
55% crop


10. Late mission arriving, shot straight through the fence
EOS-1D Mark IV – Canon EF 400mm/f2.8L II (old lens) – Canon EF 1.4x Extender I
1/1000 – f8.0 – ISO 400
40% crop

[Caspar107]

Very nice (as always with those Wittmund F-4's)

[perrie]

Very nice Iwan, well done!!!!
Specially like pictures 4,5 and 6!

Per

[spotter4life]

The dragchute shots are awesome

[Arjan]

Wow Iwan..I really like the overshoot picture!! That's a real classic!!

[Pieter]

Iwan,

Think the tests went well, they look super

Pieter

[Key]

5. Overshoot with another Phantom lining up for the break

YES!
Needless to say I like the rest as well...

Erik

[heems501]

I like number 4 and 6 looking great!!!

[Leeuwarden]

2x TC III is a nice TC. Iwan if I am not mistaken you own an old 400-2.8. Did you try the TC on that lens as well?

[Melchior Timmers]

They look great Iwan, although the first two are still in too dark conditions (in my opinion).
But compared to the 'old' 400 and considering the price of the new, is the new worth the money?

Cheers,

[Flanker27]

hi, I would be interested which are taken with the converter.. as with a 400 mm I think the runway shots could be taken without. But the downwind shot got example looks very good if it is taken with the TC. Oh and I love th overshoot with the other Spook in the back.

[Leeuwarden]

Hmmm Am I right if I say there is only one shot with 2xTCIII and the rest is wit a 1.4 TC, a bare 400mm and a 200 mm?

[T-O]

Good job, Iwan!

[Andras]

Hey Iwan,

Can't really judge how it worked out for you 1:1 but these look pretty sweet.. Are you gonna have another go?

Greets,

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[Iwan Bogels]

Hmmm Am I right if I say there is only one shot with 2xTCIII and the rest is wit a 1.4 TC, a bare 400mm and a 200 mm?

Almost right...! I didn't check which photos I shared (which lens combinations), but I just did. I have updated the photo titles to include, camera, lens(es), shutterspeed, apperture, ISO and crop. I did test the old 400 in combination with the new extender, and Marcel has photos from the new lens in combination with the old 1.4x extender.

Does it make sense ?

The post processing crop was measured in Lightroom, and comes on top of the in-camera crop. So if you convert the lenses, camera and crop, the head on shot of the two Phantoms would require a 2311mm lens if you would have tried to shoot this image on a full frame Kodachrome slide. Hmmm....

Cheers,
Iwan