Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

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This review is for the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM zoom lens. I initially had some reservations about this particular lens, but its been excellent since day one and Im glad I bought it. It has earned a permanent place in my camera bag, and I highly recommend it. Heres why. So many versions of the 70-200mm L USM lens are available. You can get it with or without IS, as f/2.8 or f/4, and now the f/2.8 IS USM Mark II model is on the market. The f/2.8 versions are quite a bit more expensive, and from what everybody says, heavy. My camera is a Canon 50D. I try to only buy lenses that have an aperture of f/2.8 or faster, but the outstanding price of this L lens together with reading all the complaints about the weight on the f/2.8 version were enough to persuade me to buy this lens. I really havent noticed much benefit from Image Stabilization on other Canon lenses I own, and actually find that under low-light conditions IS can sometimes cause the AF to hang-up and flash a "busy" message, so I didnt see the need to pay extra for the IS version of this lens. I just planned on using a tripod all the time with this lens.....turns out that under most conditions, this is not necessary. My first photos taken with this lens were hand-held and under low light, and the color and sharpness was fabulous - just what Ive come to expect from L glass. A few days later went out for some landscape shots and forgot to bring my tripod. Again, excellent color and clarity, and no blurry shots at reasonable shutter speeds. For landscape I found I could get a decent panorama at 70mm and then zoom in on a monument at 200mm. During this shoot I needed to take a few portrait shots, and again thanks to the 70-200 range theres no need to change lenses. Even at f/4 you can get awesome portrait-perfect bokeh with this lens. Fast-forward to my daughters first swimming class. Olympic-sized pool housed in a poorly-lit building, shooting hand-held from the bleachers a couple hundred feet away, so flash is not a realistic option. This lens nailed every single shot at 200mm - I was amazed! No tripod, no flash, and out of 42 shots not a single one out of focus or over/under-exposed. Once again, faithful colors and detail so sharp you can see the water droplets in mid-air. This lens is quite light for its length - even lighter than my shorter Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM lens. Ive read other reviews for this lens complaining about the weight, but I disagree. The weight of this lens is never a problem, the only concern walking around is the length (7 inches without the hood). Sure, if I had more money, Id love to have the f/2.8 version for those moments when you really need a large aperture and the extra weight doesnt matter. Also, this lens does not come with a tripod ring, and its a pretty good idea to have on on hand, especially if youre using a battery grip. There are several cheap ones available, but Ive had good luck with the extremely overpriced OEM one: Canon Tripod Mount Ring A II (W) For 70-200mm f/4L Lenses . And if dust & moisture is a concern, only the IS models have environmental sealing, so you might want to pass this one up. I rarely go out shooting in damp or dusty climates, and I baby my gear so I should be fine for a few years. The bottom line: I love it!

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Ill preface by saying that I want a 70-200mm F/2.8L, but I settled for an F/4L. I used this lens to shoot primarily community college level sports, and during the day I have no complains about this lens. Its sharp, fast and perfect for the sports Ive photographed with it: baseball, soccer, softball and tennis. My only complaint has no issue with this lens itself, aside from its inherent limitations in being F/4. I would pick a F/2.8 in a heartbeat if I had to shoot primarily night games -- the extra aperture cannot be substituted. As it is, I am beyond happy with the F/4, and I plan to keep it in my bag for as long as I can.

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Briefly - What a great lens this is! First of all, a little bit about me: I am a student and I am getting more and more serious about photography as a hobby and passion. So far, I have learned more and more, but surely I am far from understanding the beautiful world of photography. Currently I own the Canon 7D, which is a very versatile and great camera! I own the above named lens, plus the 50mm f/1.8 and the 28-135mm USM IS, which I will replace soon. 1. The price: Yes, this is what we call a bang for the buck. In relative terms though. Relative to other L lenses this is one of the moest inexpensive lens (I avoid using cheap, since cheap is always associated with low quality as well). Nevertheless, in these times, I am certain that the vast majority of us is on a tight budget. and about $600-700 is quite a little fortune for most of us - for a piece of glass. Nonetheless I am more than happy with my lens. It is worth its money, every penny! And there was not a moment, since I have used this lens, that I regret spending the money for this purchase! 2. The build quality: As you may expect from an L lens the build quality is second to none. Yes, this lens, as well as the f/2.8 version are not weathersealed. Yet, they are very robust, one can survive with this lens easily in harsher weather. Once you open the box and have this lens in your hand you can just feel the quality and the work that has been put into this little piece of excellence. In order to store it properly, this lens comes with a nice leather bag (and a lens hood, which is very useful to protect your glass physically and protect it against unwanted light influence). For a telephoto lens this is also one of its lightest in its class. The weight feels reasonable, comfortable on a Camera such as the 7D. One could walk with this combination for a couple of hours and would not break ones arm. Of course, each persons preference is different. To me, the weight of this lens is optimal. 3. Optical quality: Is this the best lens of Canons L family? Probably not. Does that say anything? Probably not. It all comes to what you need and what you want and also: what you are capable of as a photographer. As for me, this lens is perfect. I mostly shoot in good light condition, because I just love the natural sunlight as my source of light. Also I like to shoot in dawn and so far no problem for me. The f/4 aperture might scare some people away, but if you really think about it, ask yourself, how often do you really use an aperture of f/2.8 with a focal length of 70-200m (multiplied by 1.6 with Crop Cameras such as the Canon 7D). If you do a lot of shoots in poor light conditions, yes the stop that you get from the 2.8 version might reason the $1000 difference in price. For me, I am totally satisfied with the lens as it is. Also the lack of IS has not been an issue for me so far. In low light, it would be helpful at times, nevertheless with a tripod and/or a good flash, shooting at night will not be a big problem. 4. Should one buy this lens? YES - clear yes! If you do not need an IS and/or an aperture of 2.8 this lens is one of the best bargains you can make. I love this lens and so far I do not intend to trade this one in. And dont forget, that there is always a learning curve! Shots might be not as magnificent at the beginning, but once you get to know this lens and understand more about photography, this lens is a superb one. Moreover this lens is great to shoot outdoor action such as sports. Even as a portrait lens this one serves very well! All in all, you cannot do a lot wrong by purchasing this lens. I had a hard time thinking about weather to buy it or not and I am honestly very glad that I did purchase this lens. If you saved up enough, get this lens, you would not regret it. Try it out for a while and then judge it. One of the biggest benefits of this lens is, that the price does not decline significantly over time, even used, due to its high quality. Get this lens, go out and enjoy shooting with it!

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This is my first review ever on Amazon. Im normally a very dispassionate consumer, and as such, I have never bothered to write a review for any of my amazon purchases, but now Im here to rave about a purchase, this lens is that GOOD. Under good lighting conditions, this lens produces extraordinary pictures. Here are the advantages as I see them * Bokeh is fantastic * Sharpness is more than adequate * Ergonomics are top notch * Feels light for a telephoto * AF has always been instant except for very poorly lit scenes As a hobbyist, I dont see any reason to buy the more expensive f2.8 version of this lens. This lens serves me adequately and will do so for many years to come.

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This is my first L series lens by canon and it was worth every penny. I can immediately see the difference between this lens and the lesser quality Canon lens I was using (55-250mm F/4-5.6 IS II) The bokeh is amazing and the auto focus is quick and quiet. The only negative i have for this lens is that it does not have IS (image stabilization) I mostly do photography and use a tripod so this isnt a huge negative, but just be aware of it.

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I read the reviews and have to agree, this is a great lens. I was considering the f2.8, but opted for this one due to the slightly smaller frame and lower weight. I love this lens - it focuses extremely fast, takes very sharp pics. I use a tripod a lot and tend to take pics more in better light, so this lens is perfect - definitely ok with me that I did not opt to spend 2X more for the IS.

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Great lens for photo and video! Crisper than any of the lenses Ive used so far. Did a video interview and found my shot so crisp. The subject is fully in focus and the background has a great blur. I was previously using the 50MM where only parts of their face would be in focus at an aperture of 1.8 (trying to get the same background blur).

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My 60D was packaged with Canons EF-S 18-250 IS lens. While that model doesnt get the greatest reviews, I have found it to be a nicely acceptable and satisfying every day lens. Still, I made the plunge into L with this Canon f/4L. It is among the more affordable professional Canon models and it, indeed, brought a nice improvement to the sports / barrel racing photography I like to do for members of a local saddle club. It is NOT an indoor / low light sports arena wizard, but it really shines outdoors with stop-action shooting. Anyone opining for an L telephoto at an affordable price will like this addition to the kit without taking out a second house mortgage.

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I just bought this lens Nov. 13, 2010 and it was my first "L Series Lens". I am extreamly happy with the results even though it does not have IS, but if you know the right settings to use, you do not need the costly lens with IS. The colors, contrast, sharpness and quality are simply extraordinary for the low price you pay. You cannot get a better deal nowhere!!! This lens is a little heavy for my hands and I will have to get used to it. I use this lens with my Canon Rebel T1i; when I got the camera, it came with a set of the standard lens 18-55 mm IS and the telephoto 55-250 mm IS which take pretty good pictures for the low cost ... but this L Series 70-200 mm F/. 4 non IS, has no comparison with the other two. This is a super excellent lens I will surely recommend this lens to anybody. I am a regular customer of Amazon and never had a problem with any of my purchases ... Thank you and keep up the good work!!! ... :)

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First let me start by saying Im new to these types of lenses. That said, One of the first things youll notice is the wieght and while some may argue its not that bad couple it with a Canon 7d and youll understand what Im talking about. Second, almost instant magnet for enthusiast and the curious. I was recently at an event my son had and of the 50 or so people that were there some 20 asked what paper I worked for! Its one of those lenses that gets you noticed straight away. On the picture quality, Its an L, nuff said. I promise, with some work and some tweaks youll be snapping pro type photos in no time. One of the situations that I tend to hear about reading this forum or others, indoor photography and the learning curve it takes to capture fast action shots. Yes, it is dificult, and yes, it will take some practice, but in the end you will master those shots. Since I have only had the lens for a short while I can tell you this, I have never seen detail in any other lens I own. Detail of such things include small bugs flying around my subject out on a football field (huddle) at 25-30 yards away. I dont have to say anything else other then this, read what many experienced photographers here have to say, You cant go wrong with this lens!

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