I rented the Canon 400mm L lens for two weeks. All photos were taken hand-held, some while leaning on a tree or fence (no tri or monopod used). I'm a novice at holding a lens of this size and weight. You can only truely appreciate this lens when you realize how distant the subjects were from the camera. Some of these images are up to 50% crops! Check out others who are skilled at using the 400mm L and the image quality and detail will simply amaze you!