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

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I am a professional wedding, event and portrait photographer, and my review will be directed more towards beginner photographers. There will be a higher learning curve than with more experienced photographers who have a solid grasp on shutter speed working in conjunction with focal length because there is no image stabilization (IS) on this lens. For videographers, a tripod or monopod is pretty much a must-have when shooting in lower light (even in the shade) that is not bright sunlight. There are ways to compensate for no IS with the most common being increasing the ISO. However, unless you have one of the more modern cameras like a Canon 70D or Canon 6D which produce much lower noise (distortion) at higher ISOs, you will more than likely need to make sure you have a flash to compensate for no IS. Build quality is solid; no plastic parts here. However, even with it being an L series lens, this does NOT have weather sealing. If you are a nature/outdoor photographer shooting in wet and dusty climates a lot, this is something to consider. For me, it is negligible. Image quality is excellent; what I expect from an L series lens. The other nice thing about this lens is that the aperture remains the same throughout the focal length as opposed to the cheaper lenses that have a "variable" aperture which means the aperture will change automatically as you zoom in. The weight of this lens is significantly less than the much pricier 70-200mm f/2.8 version which I have shot with numerous times. A lot of lenses produce soft images when shooting at its maximum aperture (or wide open). However, this lens produces sharp images at f/4. I shoot with both a Canon 7D and Canon 5D body. The 5D is a full frame camera body where the *viewable* focal length is 70-200mm. The Canon 7D is a crop-sensor body (as well as the Canon 10-70D and Rebel bodies) where the *viewable* focal length is 112-320mm. I already own a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and a Canon 50mm 5/1.8 lens to help cover any low light shots. I also have a Canon 10/22 f/3.5-4.5 lens to cover wide angle shots. So, the 70-200mm f/4 compliments what I already have. In conclusion, and in my humble opinion, there is no lens that comes close in image quality at this price range; this is the most affordable of the Canon "L" series lineup. However, for beginners, expect a little more of a learning curve in using this lens properly and knowing when to use it. If IS is a must-have for you and you dont mind paying a little more, then get the f/4 IS version which is right at about $1000. But if you want the L series image quality at an affordable price, this is it!

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This is my first L series Lens. I own other canon lenses that are tack sharp that perform wonders in their own right. I read all the rave about this lens among a few others so I simply started with what I could afford. At first, I wanted to scream because not many of my shots came out sharp and at one point, I even thought my 85 mm prime lens is "better than this". BUT.. with some time, and learning from the shared settings from other owners, my photos are now fantastic. I am in AWE of the beautiful color and contrast. I recommend this lens to everyone, especially the budget conscious who are still wanting professional looking photos. With the right set up and lighting, you too will experience the beauty of the glass lens. You will kick yourself for not owning this lens sooner. It bothers me when I read negative reviews based on the users inadequate training or knowledge of a product. Had I reviewed it off my first few photos, I would have misguided a lot of readers by saying this lens is overrated. Just give it time if you are not experiencing razor sharp images. Dont just review the photos on your camera, instead review them on your computer to see your dislikes (if any) then consult with someone knowledgeable about settings specific for this lens. You can be a professional photographer but lack the proficiency with an individual lens and that certainly makes the difference. This lens is worth every penny and you will not be disappointed. Yes, the many positive reviews this lens is getting are VERY accurate!! Youll work harder in dimmer light but again, with a little tweaking of you settings, that wont matter a bit. All the photos I have taken since receiving guidance and training, have ALL received compliments. Now thats the real "show and tell".

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I am a beginner photographer. I started out with the ef 75-300mm lens for $100. Yup, slow auto focus on live view. Kinda soft. Chromatic aberration & Purple fringing lover!! But being a starter, I thought it took great pictures. But I decided to upgrade. Purchased this lens, which is my first L lens, and WOWWW.. I dont know what exactly L quality is, but MANNN this lens takes OUTSTANDING pictures! So sharp and colorful :) Bokeh is so smooth and round :)) I am in love. The baby of the 70-200s isnt such a baby really ;)) ! BTW Please do not base your decisions online. I have learned a lot of photographers online over-exaggerate.. simply because they are perfectionists. F4 isnt slow. Its pretty fast! I got sharp shots on a overcast day & from simply holding the camera and just pressing the shutter! Click! Clear shot! You do not need IS -_- And ppl say you wont get blurred out images with F4? Being a telephoto lens, this will definitely blow out your backgrounds. But back to the main point.. I LOVE THIS LENS!

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SO dont get confused..Its easy to mistake this for the version with IS (image stabilization) because they can often be close in price, at least when it comes to used ones... This is actually a great lens and is probably killer for the Sony A7III and other cameras with IBIS, but NOT so great for Canon users, unless you are going to follow the 1/focal length rule and use this outside or indoors with strobes/flash.... Would be perfect to use for head shots, etc. where you want a fast shutter speed to avoid seeing pics of your subject with their eyes closed... Also good for say air shows, where you are going to naturally have a very fast shutter speed anyway.. Its super light and the focus and zoom rings are nice and smooth and focus is really quick.... Also, despite it "only" being F/4 its easy to get BOKEH...Have your subject as far away/close to you as possible to get the framing you want at 200mm (320mm on Canon APS-C) and make sure the background behind them/it is as far away as possible...Maybe your subject is 8 from you, but the nearest object behind them is 20-30 or more away... Color/contrast is nice, although not quite as nice as a 2.8 version, but those are at least twice as heavy and as much as 4 times as expensive! All in all, the cheapest (generally, check the 24-105 F/4 also) intro to Canon L lenses you can find..

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I LOVE this L lens. I do wish it was IS for video shooting on my dslr but this lens is fantastic! In bright daylight you have no issues with not having IS in nighttime long exposure shoots you will definitely use a tripod . But I absolutely love this lens I took a quick pis of my dog to upload the quality

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I am fond of quality of images of canon lens, it is awesome lens if u want to purchase L Series lens. Using canon lens i am happy with quality. Results from the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Lens will make you smile when reviewing at 100% on a monitor. This lens is very sharp wide open and improves only slightly when stopped down - and primarily in the corners at the wide end of the focal length range. Very slight barrel distortion is noticeable at 70mm on a Full Frame body. Distortion disappears by around 100mm and is insignificant on a 1.3x or 1.6x FOVCF body. Vignetting is very well controlled - full frame users might notice slight vignetting in the corners at f/4. CA is very well controlled. Images from the 70-200 f/4L have great color and bokeh (foreground/background blur quality). The 8-blade aperture opens to a constant f/4 at all focal length ranges. This is a very nice feature as exposure settings do not require a change as the lens is zoomed through the focal lengths. F/4 is not fast and is not slow. F/4 is narrow enough to allow the smaller lens size and weight. F/4 is wide enough to create some background diffusion in this focal length range. F/4 is wide enough to not require bright light for handholding. However, I do not consider this a low light lens. You will likely need a flash when shooting indoors after the sun sets. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Lens focuses very fast, very quietly and very accurately thanks to Canons excellent Ring USM (Ultrasonic Motor). FTM (Full Time Manual) focusing is enabled. The focus and zoom rings are very nicely sized and turn very smoothly. The 70-200 f/4 does not extend with zooming or focusing - and the front element does not rotate.

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I use this lens mostly for landscape photography and Im blown away by the optics. Its quickly replaced my ultrawide 17-40 as my most frequently used lens. I find the 70-200 reach to be perfect for landscape shoots. At 70mm, you can still get a wide enough shot for scenes a bit off in the distance. 200mm is perfect for closeups of textures or even further distances. Its great for shooting mountains, valleys, terrain that would otherwise be inaccessible (rock formations in the ocean), etc. The f/4 aperture has never been an issue for me with daylight. I use automatic ISO in shutter priority mode and the images are perfectly sharp while being handheld. After sunset or before sunrise, youll need a tripod. An added bonus with the f/4 version is the light weight compared to the other 3 models of this lens. As an outdoor photographer and someone who has to carry my gear over my shoulder, every ounce counts. The heavy duty 2.8 with IS weighs as much as some tripods. The portability of this lens is nice. If you can get this during one of Canons rebate periods, this lens is a steal. Its the best bang for your buck and most affordable L lens.

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This lens is simply excellent. I wanted a zoom lens that was well-constructed and without a barrel that extends. While that means the lens is longer all the time, there is less air and dust getting inside. This is my first L lens, and I must say the fit and finish is everything I thought it would be. It pairs well with my rebel t3i. Bokeh is excellent even at f/4. For perspective, other lenses I own (all Canon) are: 28 f/1.8, 40 f/2.8, and 85 f/1.8. I have really enjoyed my prime lenses for their image quality including bokeh. This zoom lens does not disappoint. It took me awhile to decide between this and its IS-equipped sibling. I read and read about the two lenses and IS in general until I got a headache. Ultimately, I decided that IS did not justify the price premium. To decide between the IS and non-IS, you need to consider YOUR intended use. I am using this zoom lens outside in sunlight or shade, and it is plenty fast enough for these purposes. If you are using such a lens in less well-lit conditions such as for weddings, you might need a tripod or the IS version. I just slap this thing on my camera and head outside, no tripod needed. Keep in mind that even the IS version will not help with stopping motion -- for that you need a sufficiently fast shutter speed of about 1/250, of course depending on how fast your subject is moving. This lens works very well. Im very happy with my prime lenses, but Im also happy to have this quality zoom lens. Zoom definitely comes in handy for fast little kids running around outside. My feet cannot zoom as quickly as they can run. Also, it works great for little kids sporting events. Like I said, bokeh and resulting subject isolation is great. Look to buy Canon lenses when they go on sale, which they periodically do. I used a mail-in rebate for this lens, and the rebate card was sent to me within about three weeks of mailing off the paperwork.

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I purchased this lens used from Amazon Marketplace and it was a great transaction. The price was well below that of a new lens and the lens came exactly as advertised -- with all accessories and in fantastic shape. I love this lens. There are, of course, some limitations. It does not have IS, which is greatly valued, especially for a lens with just a maximum F-stop of F/4.0 (fixed). This said, the cost for used or new lenses with IS are twice the price. I knew these limitations going into the purchase. I was looking for a lens that I would use outdoors, during the day. In this context, I could not be more than satisfied. The lens is fast, take super sharp photos and has a beautiful bokeh. I am mostly taking action shots of my children playing, and this lens is just perfect. I shoot on a cropped body camera, so the effective focal length is extra long, allowing me to capture action and scenes from far away, without interfering with my subjects.

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The best advice I have been given while studying photography is simply.. Put your money in the lenses. This is my first purchase in the Canon L series lenses. To be perfectly honest.. Wow. Pros: Light. Sturdy, durable build. Fast, silent focus. Incredible results. Crystal clear and sharp every time. Price is good considering what other L series can cost. It looks amazing on the camera. The lens hood is high quality. Cons: Doesnt include a tripod collar (which are surprisingly, skirting ridiculously, expensive for what they are). To be fair, the lens is not really that large nor heavy so a collar may not be completely necessary. This particular model only opens to a f4 aperture, but again consider the price, and f2.8 models are available. I do find myself wanting just a bit more zoom range. Granted 70-200 is nice, but I keep finding a need for +- that range. I have been shopping additional L series lenses to resolve this issue. (specifically the 24-70 F2.8). The lack of IS has not been an issue for me at all. Ultimately: The pictures I take with this lens come out amazing. I have developed a real respect for Canons L series quality. Its just a great lens. Good job Canon!

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