Used Canon 500L IS Inquiry

[Craig Clute]

I have been lurking in the weeds enjoying other peoples post for years but it's now time for me to post. Hopefully you can help.

I am currently kicking the tires on a used 500L IS. I am mainly shopping based on overall lens condition, performance (function of AF + IS) and obviously price.

There are a couple of items I could use some advice on from anyone with some knowledge or real world experience:

1) Have there been any changes and/or improvements to this lens since start of production (even minor tweaks)?

2) Have there been any quality issues with this lens that I should watch out for?

3) Are there any production years that I should stay away from?

4) With the pending launch of the new version II (well out of my price range...), is it too soon to purchase a version I (ie. possible market flood and further prices drop on version I's)?

Thanks in advance,

Craig

[David Stephens]

I've never heard of any problems with any edition of the Series I EF 500mm f/4 IS, but I've only been into it for a couple of years. This is a good place to ask.

I have a friend that just found a pristine example for $5200. The more normal going rate for a mint example is $6100.

There WILL be more on the market when the Series II is actually available, but I think that the price will stay in that $5200 to $6200 range for mint examples. One with good glass, but showing body wear, might go down to 4-something. If you're a buyer and you can find a good example now, I see no real point in waiting; however, as some percentage of the Series I owners do actually move up to Series II, the will be way more examples available.

I doubt the price of the Series I will go down substantially because the Series II is almost $10,000.

[Craig Clute]

David,

Your information and advice has been most helpful.

Thank you,

Craig

[Fred J. Lord]

The lens has, as far as I know, has had no specification changes since it was announced. No specific quality issues have surfaced and I know a lot of people with this lens.
Prices will definitely hold or rise because of the cost of the MK II version 500mm lenses. Unlike the addition of IS to the last model, the changes are mostly evolutionary although desirable.

[Craig Clute]

Thanks Fred, and again to you David for your feedback.

After much searching I was able to cobble together enough 'loose change' to close the deal on a used 500. I acquired the lens yesterday, and after a limited number of test shots while mounted on it's new perch (Gitzo + Wimberley), I was quite pleased and relieved with it's performance. After all, spending such an amount on a used item that was essentially untested (by me) caused a level of anxiety in my life that I was not accustom to.

Can't wait to get out this weekend to really put it through it's paces.

A quick question that is slightly off topic -- I noticed last night, after importing my images into Camera Raw (CS5), that the 'lens calibration' menu/option did not included the 500. I don't use this feature religiously however thought it was odd that it was omitted. Interestingly, the 600 was listed. Do either of you use this feature and if so, do you use a custom setting or a different lens as your default?

Thanks again for your feedback.

[David Stephens]

...

A quick question that is slightly off topic -- I noticed last night, after importing my images into Camera Raw (CS5), that the 'lens calibration' menu/option did not included the 500. I don't use this feature religiously however thought it was odd that it was omitted. Interestingly, the 600 was listed. Do either of you use this feature and if so, do you use a custom setting or a different lens as your default?

Thanks again for your feedback.

You're welcome. When I first received my 500mm I felt like I was "cheating" the first few times that I used it, it was so good.

The 500mm doesn't need any correction. I use DxO's Optics Pro and it has no correction modules for the EF 500mm f/4L IS either. The main advantage of the corrections program is with the zooms and wide-angle lenses. Few, if any, of the super-teles are included. It could be due to the small market, but I think it's due to lack of need.

In the case of this particular lens I think that you get what you paid for. The color, contrast and sharpness are beyond compare, right out of the camera.