Buy Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM UD Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon EOS SLR CamerasCanon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM UD Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras Product Description:
- Impressive focal range
- Travel friendly size, packs small and stays small with a manual lock switch on side of barrel. Note: lens can only be locked at 70mm range as it is for travel only.
- Focus Adjustment Type - lens extension via inner focusing focus cam, plus floating mechanism.
- Note that when the inner lens is fully extended (300mm) it's approximately 8.25" in overall length. The 5.6" measurement is at the 70mm range when lens is closed/locked.
Product Description
Ultra-high quality and lightning fast Canon L series lens Optical Image Stabilization System increases usability by approximately four stops The lens features a function that prevents erroneous operation when the lens is mounted on a tripod or monopod The EF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS USM incorporates a floating focusing mechanism for sharpness from 3.9' (1.2m) to infinity Two Ultra Low Dispersion (UD) elements for improved image quality and reduced chromatic aberration The lens accepts an optional removable tripod collar, and is dust and water resistant The Fluorine coating keeps soiling, smears and fingerprints to a minimum
Customer Reviews
Most helpful customer reviews
184 of 189 people found the following review helpful.
Lightweight and good performance
By D. Zhou
I've been shooting for about 4yrs now and while I'm definitely not a super seasoned professional, I can say that I have ample experience to offer some good insight about the equipment. I've had a 40D, 50D and am now shooting primarily with a full frame 5D Mark II.One of my favorite lens is the Canon 70-200 f/2.8 L IS USM lens. I haven't had the need or urge to upgrade to the Mark II version of this lens yet, but I have been waiting for Canon release an L zoom lens that fills the gap my 70-200 and 100-400 so that I don't have to carry both... Anyone of these lens is already heavy enough, so to have to carry both is quite a duty in itself.Pros:- Prior to this lens, my lens of choice for outdoor photography is my 70-200 f/2.8 lens, but the light weight, size and focal length makes me think twice before I leave the house when I only want to take one lens. If I know my destination has good lighting, I quite often take this lens over my fixed aperture lens. The added 100mm is a great add benefit within a zoom lens.- Overall build quality is superb, as to be expected of all L-series lenses.- Very sharp lens through almost the entire focal length. When compared to the 70-200, I do notice this lens to be a little softer wide open. Zoomed in say, past 100 or 120, the sharpness is on par w/ the 70-200.- Shorter barrel length makes it easy to carry within a toploader case. I was happy to see that I didn't have to buy a new case just for this lens. Again, in reference to the 70-200, I was able to re-use the toploader I used w/ that lens.- While I still try to limit my equipment in terms of exposure to rain & water, this lens is weather sealed compared to the non-L 70-300 lens. Its added comfort in case you HAVE to shoot in the wet or if you unexpectedly get caught in the rain.- I MUCH PREFER this lens' twist zoom (very smooth) over the shotgun style push/pull action of the 100-400 L lens. The zoom ring is smoooth and extends/retracts effortlessly, a welcome quality for a lens of this focal length and size.- Focus ring is also super smooth with little resistance as with most L series lens.Cons:- I was a little disappointed to see that Canon did not include a tripod mounting ring. I understand that tripod mounts on a lens is most critical for heavy/large lens, but this is no small lens by any means and it definitely teeters on the edge of being a heavy lens. I would highly recommend getting the tripod mount for this lens so you don't stress the mount on your camera.- This lens is not compatible with any of Canon's lens extenders. It would have been great to convert this 70-300 to a 98-420, but as it turns out, the rear element is very shallow in relations to the mounting treads. This is where the shorter barrel is a negative for this lens.Neutral/Overall thoughts:I would have much much preferred to have the zoom ring as the inner ring in place of where the focus ring currently is. I would have to say though, having the zoom ring on the outside/end of the lens does offer a little better balance for the lens when you zoom out (barrel extends when you zoom).I would say, if you already have a 70-200mm L f/2.8 lens, I would heavily recommend the consideration of a 1.4x extender over the purchase of this lens. Not only do you get the benefit of getting a fixed f/4.0 zoom lens after the extender, but you can save yourself the cost of buying another lens. The caveat to this tradeoff is that, w/ a f/2.8 + 1.4x extender, the weight is significantly greater than the 70-300 lens by itself. I haven't necessarily weighed it on a scale, but, the 70-200 f/2.8 + 1.4x extender feels about twice as heavy as the 70-300.Using Canon provided specs, here are the weight comparisons:70-300 f/4-5.6L IS:.......................... 2.31 lbs70-200 f/2.8L IS:............................. 3.24 lbs70-200 f/2.8L IS + 1.4x extender:...... 3.74 lbsOverall, I have decided on keeping this lens mainly because of the versatility and the incredibly light weight and size. I can't wait for Canon to refine the well aged 100-400 L lens... I hope it happens soon...
110 of 112 people found the following review helpful.
The 70-300L is a winner
By Thomas E. Judd
As a working professional photographer I bought this lens with some hesitation as I already own Canon 70-200L f/4 (non IS) and 100-400L f/4.5-5.6 lenses which cover much of the same range and have proven to both be fine lenses in their own right. I discovered over the past year or so that my 100-400 lens while quite satisfying on my full frame bodies, struggles a bit on my 7D body which is where I now use it the most for wildlife and bird photography. So when the new 70-300 lens was announced it piqued my interest. Certainly it does not have the reach that a 400 mm lens has and for small birds, 400 is often not even enough. Yet the reviews and anecdotes kept filtering in about the quality and sharpness of this new lens and so I decided I'd give it a try myself all the while knowing that I could probably re-sell it easily enough if it was not for me.Well, upon receiving the lens, I must admit I was nearly won over before I had even mounted the thing on a camera. It's simply a gorgeous piece of engineering. The size and heft are substantial without being too much. The zoom and focus rings work with a wonderful smoothness and precision. The latest generation IS does an amazing job allowing hand held shots at 300 mm to be accomplished at very slow shutter speeds while retaining sharpness as long as your subject itself is stationary. I have found that it makes an excellent portrait lens...something I did not originally purchase it for. The focus seems much more sure and precise than my 100-400 does on my 7D body. The size and balance is ideal on the 7D with a battery grip. I have yet to use it on either of my 1D series bodies, but I am quite certain it will feel great on them as well.Optically the lens is very similar to my 70-200 mm f/4L...which is to say it does not get much better than this! There is a certain look...a crispness of detail and clarity that causes the images to just have that something special. I can shoot wide open and know that the shots will be sharp. With a bit of planning, you can get nicely defocused backgrounds in portraits. For photographing birds, if you are able to get reasonably close (shooting from a blind, car, etc.) the lens has decent reach and if you are using a high megapixel "crop-sensor" camera you can usually get even closer with post-processing cropping.So is this lens for you? That I cannot say. I think it will appeal to lots of professional and amateur shooters, however, and if it meets your needs for range and type of shooting I doubt many will find much fault with it. As the owner of six Canon "L" lenses, I have to say that this new 70-300 may quickly become my overall favorite!
51 of 52 people found the following review helpful.
sell your kidney and buy this lens...
By montana
i rarely write reviews, but since this is a fairly new product, i felt compelled to help my fellow photographers, as they have helped me in the past with my purchasing decisions.after reading many reviews on this lens i decided to take the plunge. even with its recent "discount", it is still a rather serious investment for all of us who are not professional photographers. i have recently gotten back into photography and i've built my canon bag from the ground up. i chose canon over the competitors because i was looking for the best quality, with the best selection at the best price. i personally consider canon "l" lenses to be a great value, for they will hopefully provide a lifetime of enjoyment and memories. that being said, buy this lens. do not pass go or collect $200. buy it, i don't think you'll be disappointed.first of all, this could be the best canon l lens that i own....period. i know that it's only been out a short time, but in this case i believe that the new technology is far superior to the old (ever lugged around the 100-400 f4 is for a few hours? and yes, i am the guy that truly hates the push/pull system) the same cannot be said about the new 1.4 or 2.0 extenders. $500 a piece, really? i am very satisfied with the old ones, since i paid about $500...for both of them! and so, i digress...this lens is incredibly sharp throughout the entire range. i have done my own amateur tests on a variety of subjects and i find it to be one of the few "complete" lenses out there. i also own the 70-200 l f4 is and it is definitely on par in quality and having the extra 100mm on the long end makes a huge difference. btw, i am a spontaneous street photographer from nyc. i want to carry as little as possible and want to be able to catch a shot in a moments notice. even at f4 with the is, i am able to get the shots that i want 95% of the time. i have shot in all types of light during the day and even shot the super moon (tonight 3-19-11) and i am now realizing the true beauty of this lens. yes, i could go for all the 2.8 zooms, but then again, i only have one kidney to sacrifice, right?!so why buy this lens when i already own the 70-200 ? well, it's not a necessity, but rather an attractive option. if you are comfortable with the 70/200 f whatever and have a few extenders, then you are already in business. what i dislike most about the 70-200 (and the 100-400 for that matter) is that it is somewhat cumbersome to carry. it always looks and feels goofy if you are carrying it freestyle through the city. with the extenders, i might as well be carrying an 800 mm f 5.6 l, because it it feels odd on my side or in any bag that i carry it in. it feels weird, long and thin and not really part of the body or an extension of me. the 70-300 is just the opposite. it is built like a tank (a small and more practical one). it feels great in my hands and the balance/weight ratio feels very natural to me. on the body it feels like many of the larger 77mm l lenses, but it actually takes 67mm filters. so just swap the uv and the polarizers from the 70-200 f4 and save a few $$$.the major con for most is that yes, the zoom and the focus rings could be reversed. yes, i'm sure you've heard this before, but here is when it counts. if you're in a moving vehicle, the bean bag is your best friend. if you try to lean this on the bean bag, then this will impair you from using the zoom. why would canon do this? because when your going freestyle (like me 95% of the time) it will feel like money in your hands. with your hand further down and under the barrel it feels more natural, more stable and more comfortable; especially if you are out for a few hours.con #2, no freakin' tripod ring?! yes, you will be going freestyle most of the time, but for $1500, we all deserve a tripod ring and a kiss on the cheek, right?! c'mon canon, pony up and make it right...con #3, canon 1.4 and 2.0 extender WILL NOT WORK ON THIS LENS. do not be fooled by what you hear. if you want to add range, consider the kenko pro 300 extenders. they are made with hoya glass and should do the trick. yes, it is an additional cost, but hopefully this will not dissuade you from making this purchase.summary:taking all that i have written into consideration, i do not think that you will be disappointed with this lens. i think it is a fine addition any bag and i think those who are considering a 70-200 f whatever should definitely consider this lens too. i am not a pro by any means, but just a guy who thought it was time to lend a hand to others who have helped me a long the way. always remember to be good to one another and to let the other guy get the shot too. take care, be well and capture the moments with those that you love.fye, after many months of research and careful consideration, the following is what i currently have in my bag. again, i built it from the ground up by considering the best quality at the best value. i hope it will somehow assist you with your future purchases:bodies: rebel xti and rebel t2i, both with battery grips (saving up for the 7d, now)lens zoom: canon 18-135mm (versatile travel lens that came with the t2i kit) tokina 11-16mm 2.8, canon 17-40mm f4 l, canon 24-105mm f4 l is (my primary lens), canon 70-200mm f4 l is, canon 70-300 mm f4 l is (obviously)extenders: canon 1.4 and 2.0 (generation 2), kenko pro 300x 2.0 (just for the new 70-300)prime: canon 28mm 1.8, canon 50 mm 1.4 and 1.8, canon 60mm 2.8 (macro), canon 85mm 1.8 (all for low light, since my zooms are mostly f4 and higher)fyi, i only use hoya hd filters on all of my lenses. why? just ask someone who has ever dropped an l lens. i believe that they are the best value in terms of "l" lens quality, durability and value. furthermore, they don't leave fingerprints. how cool is that?if you know of better options or have any suggestions, please let me know. any help or advice is always welcome and greatly appreciated. danke schon!cheers, m
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