Canon 100-400 IS?

[MN Shutterbug]

I just read on another forum that if you zoom this lens with the IS on, you can damage the lens. Someone says they read it in the manual. Is this accurate?

[Steve Foss]

My manual doesn't say anything about that. What does yours say? Mine is now four years old, so it's possible they've changed the manual. I've zoomed the lens in and out quite often while IS is engaged with no problem. Nor have I heard anything about the issue among the other pros I know who have used this lens extensively.

But give your manual a close look to see if it's changed over the years. It looks like a thick manual but it's really pretty short, just that it's duplicated in several languages.

[Dbl]

Boy I have never heard that one before. I used to zoom that lens a lot with no problems. Let us know what you find in the manual.

[MN Shutterbug]

I just got off the phone with Canon and they can't find anything in the manual about that either. Also, they said it doesn't make any sense. I've asked the person in the other forum to point out which page she found it on.

Thanks, Steve.

[finnbay]

Don't know how much difference there is in the mechanism from lens to lens, but have zoomed my 70-200 IS and never had a problem. Used to get an err99 with my 10D with IS on, but never on the mark II or 40D.

[Steve Foss]

Sure is tough to get reliable info from online photo sites. I used to frequent three of them but there was so much inaccurate and misleading information put forth as gospel (which, if you tried to set things right invited a flame fest) that I decided they weren't worth my time.

Now, it's one photo site dedicated to serious amateur and professional nature photographers (and which requies a yearly paid membership for full benefits), and have left the others behind. There's just not enough time in the day to waste any on those sites.

Not trying to say this board is better than all the rest, but we've got a good solid handful of experienced and thoughtful photographers who do their best to give accurate information. Hats off to you guys!