Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM UD Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras

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Im a scientific imaging professional and I selected this lens for a travel kit along with an EOS 6D body and an EF 24-105mm 4/L IS USM lens. This lens is physically shorter than either of the L series 70-200mm telephoto zoom lenses and thus it is easier to pack. The whole rig - camera body and two lenses - fits a padded bag the size of a small lunch box. In some ways the compactness of this lens also makes it easier to manage on the camera as well. Balance on the 6D body is very good and handling feels very natural. High quality, solid mechanical design are obvious in every detail. The fact that it resists rain, dust, and other photographers enemies means it will be trustworthy under all reasonable conditions. Concerning handling, some reviews criticize the location of the zoom ring on this lens. I find that to be an empty criticism unless perhaps you are very set in your methods and very much in a hurry. Here is what I find using this lens: The focus ring is wide so it feels just as natural to hold either focus ring or the zoom ring (which is closer to the end glass). Holding the lens farther forward (the zoom ring) improves stability, and shot composition using the zoom is then easy to tweak. Meanwhile, the fast and very accurate ultrasonic focus motor does a great job in critical focusing. If focus isnt exactly correct you could move your hand to the focus ring and get it perfect. But doing that is typically slower than re-aiming the focus sensor and refocusing automatically before taking your shot. So think about how you approach fast-action shooting and decide for yourself whether the zoom ring needs to be in the same location for every lens. For me - I get more useful material thinking about composition, using autofocus, and taking extra shots. Optically, this lens is a gem. It is extremely crisp. Details are sharp and (with the 6D body) colors have beautiful, natural saturation. I couldnt believe the minimal lens flare when the sun is in the frame! These are sophisticated optics! Still, there are always compromises. In this lens, you get a wide zoom range (70-300) in a small overall package. What you give up is long-end maximum aperture - only f5.6. While that f5.6 is a bit of a downside, here is the nominal maximum aperture (reported by the EOS 6D body) vs. zoom range - you can decide for yourself whether the working apertures are adequate. f4.0 = 70-100mm, f4.5 = 100-160mm, f5.0 = 160-220mm, f5.6 = 220-300mm. In the shooting I have done so far, any kind of daylight and youre good. In dim conditions, you will be pushing ISO (and loosing detail) or needing a steady rest or tripod. FWIW, I find Im rarely zoomed out into the f5.6 range, plus the image stabilization has never given me a shaky image in daylight. At long reaches I get slightly sharper images when the lens aperture is stopped down at least to f8. In summary, color rendition, contrast and sharpness are the really strong points of this lens. The fact that it is relatively small and easily packed means it can be with me whenever needed. I can hardly wait to tote this little rig on a flight to some exotic spot where the beauty of nature and people is there for the taking. Update: I have now been halfway around the world with this kit (6D body and two zoom lenses), carrying it all day/every day. You do notice some weight but it is very manageable. The trade-off is there is no substitute for the L series lens quality and the results speak for themselves. Looking at the photos people comment that the places visited look incredible! That impression starts with the technical quality of the lenses and body. [Tip from experience: I find it useful to check the AF and IS switch settings each time the lens goes on the camera because they can accidentally change during handling plus it is easy to forget that you intentionally changed them.]

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Ill begin by saying Im a lady in my sixties with arthritis in both hands.I have only had this lens a short time. I was a little concerned about the weight. I carried it all day two different days and had no problem with the weight at all. It is a great lens to take eagle watching and not have to use a tripod. I own the cheaper canon 70-300 IS also. It is a very good lens and takes very sharp pictures but I decided to move up to the L. I am able to focus this one quicker which you need when photographing birds of any kind. It might be nice to have a 2.8 lens but Ive found for the type of photos I take which are mostly outdoors this is the perfect lens. Much easier to carry than the 70-200 L and I really needed the 70-300 for birds. Of course 400mm or 600mm would be nice for eagle photos but I didnt want the extra weight, messing with a tripod or spending any more money. I can carry this all day with no tripod and get some super photos. I took a few pictures inside. The pictures turned out much much better than I thought they would especially since I hardly ever take indoor pictures. I am very happy with this lens.

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Ive been researching telephotos lenses for some time, looking for the right one for me. Ive used other lenses in the past and the telephotos I already owned werent cutting it in terms of quality. Finally, I settled on this beast a couple of weeks ago and I couldnt be happier. The build is fantastic. Its heavy enough to use as a weapon in combat. Of course, this makes long-term handheld shooting a little tiresome after some time. But the image quality is outstanding. So far, the speed has not been a limiting factor as I do a lot of outdoor-daylight shooting. I carefully weighed this between the 70-200L 2.8, but just couldnt justify spending more on speed vs. range. The 70-300L perfectly suits my needs. This is an underestimated and undervalued lens. An unpopular hidden gem that doesnt get enough attention. If youre considering buying one, BUY IT. 10/10 would buy again. Twice.

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this is an amazing lens. as are most L series lenses. I am not doing a full review many people already have done such. what I will do is provide some info that I could not find when I was shopping. the main thing is Aperture levels when zooming. so here we go F4-4.5 is 70-105 F4.5-F5 is 105~155 F5-F5.6 is about 155~230 and F5.6 out to 300. the other thing is that this is a telescoping lens so many have the concern of it sliding out when pointed down or up like many cheaper lenses however it is not the case with this lens. zooming with the camera in any orientation is very fluid and nearly as easy as a regular lens. I would highly recommend this lens. ps, the image stabilizer is GREAT, using it so far it seems to be even better than the F4 70-200 L

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Wow!!!!!!! This is one great lens bought the 100-400mm but it was too heavy for me. This lens is great for shooting sports. It is heavy but I used it all weekend and had no problems with it. Cant wait until next weekend so I can use it again.

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This lens has some very promising features: build quality, optical quality, image stabilization, optical glass, and the usual overall "L" package quality feel. In short, it is a professional quality lens. What makes this lens a winner for me is consistency, from start to finish. My initial results, simply using the DSLRs familiar green box were quite pleasing. This setting lets you simply twist to zoom in and compose your frame and click. Nice! This was great for concentrating on some gorillas who were a bit camera shy. We visited the zoo for three days straight and this carry along didnt get in the way. It performed admirably each time called upon. Especially enjoyable was the long reach to capture a cheetah in repose, five lion cubs at feeding time, some gorillas, and even some close in shots of the gorgeous flora displays. Using servo mode autofocus, I was able to pull in some very clear shots of the zoos steam locomotive train. Image stabilization was on for all photos and was doing its job well. The Canon 70-300mm L lens is definitely a heavy lens after you have been carrying it around for a while, and you have to expect that. The tradeoff, though, is that you have quite a wide range of zoom to pull in far away subjects, like cheetah or the lions close in, just beyond the glass enclosure. Overall, it was manageable, but must be supported by your arm rather than left to hang off your neck! I especially liked being able to easily stow the combination 70-300 and 5dMII straight into my shoulder bag while still having room for a 135mm F2.0 L lens which I brought along for special effects. The 135 is one definite speciality lens for when you need more than a quick snap. The bottom line takeaway: a. This is a great general purpose zoom you can rely upon. Consider this lens if you need high quality images AND lens build quality, reliability, longevity, and overall value. This a "permanent collection" quality lens. Expect considerable utility and performance for years to come. I only dropped one of these tank bodies once on concrete. I can only say dont ever do that if you can help it, but if you do, it will probably just work like always. mine did. That is probably why they are built this way. Built to last, in my opinion. b. This zoom range is a long time standard, and it works very well on a full frame DSLR. Canons choice of optics and coatings for this lens captures details and color "with punch" (especially on an over cast day). Out of focus backgrounds were pleasing. Image quality was very good to high. It lived up to all of its advertising claims. c. Expect premium results with this lens when pared with a premium dslr. That said, it was not the ultimate choice for every situation or condition. Provisioning for that would have involved a whole bag full of lenses. But it was a great choice for three days at the zoo! Recommended for enthusiasts who are getting passionate about their hobby as well as pros who depend upon their equipment.

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I have not had this lens long, but have already developed a love-hate feeling about it. It is for the most part quite sharp; however, the focus ring is so loose and the location of it makes it almost impossible to hold the lens and zoom in and out without moving the focus ring unintentionally. The focus ring needs to be much tighter. Not sure if I will keep this or not.

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I am a serious hobbyist shooting for about 4 years.Prior to this purchase, my equipment consisted of a 60D, the 18-200 kit lens and a 50mm 1.8. I loved the focal range of the 18-200 as a walking around lens, but the sharpness was good, but not great. The 50mm was super sharp, but not very convenient to use. I wanted to upgrade to L series telephoto glass as my general philosophy on these types of purchases is to buy the highest quality you can afford, and you wont ever be disappointed, you probably wont waste money upgrading later, and if you change your mind, it will hold value for resale. I borrowed a 70-200 2.8 IS from my father in law, great lens, incredibly sharp, but it was too big for my purposes. I also rented the 100-400 and thought the same thing. I just felt that I would not bring these lenses to many functions because they were so big and inconvenient to walk around with. These are totally subjective observations and your shooting style and personality might lead you in a different direction. I settled on the 70-300 mainly because of the size, but also from the reviews on image quality. After about 8 months of shooting, I find I use the lens all the time. Unless I absolutely need the wider ranges, the 70-300 stays on my camera always. I miss shots occasionally, but the quality of the shots I do get more than make up for the missed. The focus is always spot on and I love how sharp my photos come out. Definitely recommend.

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What a joy to use when mated to a Canon 5D Mark III. The lens seems to be a contradiction. It is *very* solid and silky smooth, but it does not feel that heavy. Im sure the smaller diameter lens elements are at the heart of this, so there is less glass to haul around, but Im not unhappy with that sacrifice. The image is bright enough for framing and focusing and the imagine stabilization with the awesome sensitivity of the 5D Mark III sensor so I can take the pictures I want to take with just the available light. In most cases I hand shoot my stills without feeling like Im fighting with a long and heavy lens. I purchased the Canon mounting ring and it works great with my tripods, but Im not using it as much as I expected I would. The quality of my images, both still and video, are truly remarkable. The range is fabulous for sunsets and getting closer to things without needing to do it physically. The image stabilization allows me to hand shoot things I never could before. Even in lower light situations I can usually get the longer exposure shot I want by using a pole, railing, or chair. I really like getting the shots I want without a flash that nearly everyone else is force to do with a flash. Im finding that Im using this lens for more video work than I would have expected. I thought my EF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM would be my primary video lens, but Im really liking getting a little further away from my subject and yet get an excellent head and shoulders framing. When I bought the 70-300, I was feeling a bit extravagant, but I now see how this really complements my 24-105 and Im very pleased with the purchase.

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This is my first long lens (I have the 24-105 canon L which is great). Of course I needed a bit more reach than that one could provide. I looked at the Canon 70-200 lenses, but I really did not think that 200 would be enough, so I decided to try the 70-300 instead. Im glad I did. #1 - Even 300mm is just long enough. 200mm would NOT have been enough of an upgrade. #2 - This is an AWESOME lens. On my first real outing, I stumbled across a White Egret rookery - 50+ egrets across 3 giant Oak trees! At first I was disappointed that they were too far away to get a full frame image. I shot as best I could at 300 though and captured over 100 images. I also captured a bunch of in-flight images at full zoom. All were with the excellent IS in play. Well, let me say that I was EXTREMELY pleased with the results. Even after cropping in considerably, the images were super sharp and crisp. They almost have a 3D quality about them! I did not have great expectations about the action shots of birds in flight. Trying to follow those birds at full zoom was challenging, but again, the results were amazing. The IS and the super accurate and fast AF made my technique look superior. Sharp and crisp even cropped in. All I can say is that so far, the shots with this lens have a quality about them that is above any of my other lens. Vivid, high contrast, sharp and vibrant. Oh yeah. Im happy!

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