I am currently attempting to purchase a 400 mm F2.8 L USM lens, preferably version II. I looked it up on the B&H website and it said discontinued please call for alternatives. I called and was told that the version II is discontinued and that there is supposed to be a new version of this lens for about the same price. Doses anyone know if this is true ?

-- Bryan Krick (krick@biopore.com), May 21, 2001

Answers

i know the 400mm f/4 IS L is getting a remake into 400mm f/4 DO IS L with the new diffractive optical glass...maybe this for the f/2.8 as well?

-- peter bg (pbg333@hotmail.com), May 21, 2001.

oops. the 400 f/4 isnt an L lens. by the way my answer is just a guess...

-- peter bg (pbg333@hotmail.com), May 21, 2001.

There isn't a 400/4 IS L, so it can't be remade into anything!

Canon have announced a 400/4 DO IS lens, but it is not yet available.

As for a new 400/2.8L I very much doubt it. The current lens is a 400/2.8L IS. I'd be very surprised if they made a new non-IS version. I thought almost all the non-IS telephotos had been discontinued (200/1.8, 300/4, 300/2.8, 400/2.8, 500/4.5, 600/4), though the 400/5.6L is, I think, still current, as is the 200/2.8L

-- Bob Atkins (bobatkins@hotmail.com), May 21, 2001.

The Mark II lens is definitely the better of the two non IS versions. I strongly recommend you purchase that one. As for new lenses, the IS version is the replacement for the Mark II lens. Considering that the price difference between the two lenses is less than 10%, I doubt Canon will reintroduce a non IS version. Whoever you spoke with was probably thinking about the 400 mm f/4 DO IS lens.

-- Ron Scheffler (ronscheffler@hotmail.com), May 25, 2001.