Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Pro Reviews

Bottom line, while it has a few minor limitations, and has rather small maximum apertures, the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM is one of the outstanding bargains of Canon's entire lens lineup.

The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS is a very decent performer when used on an APS-C DSLR. It is capable of delivering very good results throughout the range. The peak performance is, of course, in the lower range but the results are still pretty impressive at 300mm. The amount of vignetting is minimal and distortions are nothing to worry about either. Lateral CAs are very low till 200mm but beyond they get a little more obvious (albeit still moderate in absolute terms). The build quality is about typical for a consumer lens but the rotating front element seems a little dated by now.

The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM IS is a decent performer and a great value offer. It is capable of delivering superb results at 70mm (for a slow speed lens) and it's still pretty good at 200mm and even 300mm. The vignetting is comparatively moderate even at max aperture. Lateral CAs are quite well controlled. The amount of distortion is about average between 70mm and 200mm but at 300mm the rather heavy amount of pincushion distortion can be disturbing in some situations (e.g. architecture photography). The build quality is about typical for a consumer lens but the rotating front element seems a little dated by now. You won't classify the 70-300mm IS as an AF speed demon but it's reasonably fast compared to similar tele zoom lenses with a conventional AF motor. However, it's one of the slower AF lenses in the native Canon lineup.

The Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS USM Lens is a very good choice for better image quality in this general focal length range (lose 30mm on the wide end, gain 100mm on the long end). Although not as noticebly better for sharpness as the 70-200 f/4 is, the 100-400 is still a better lens (optically and mechanically) in my opinion. It is considerably larger, heavier and more expensive.

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens : Canon, a leader in photographic and imaging technology, today releases the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM zoom lens. Featuring the latest 3-stop Image Stabilizer for outstanding camera shake reduction, the lens also features super responsive auto focus.