I've owned one of these for many years years and it's an absolutely superb lens. It's handles great, it's well balanced and it's so much sharper than the non L version. I had one of the famous EF 70-200 f4 L lenses prior to this which was renowned for its sharpness; I sold it as this lens is just as sharp and has the extra reach. It's always in my camera bag and contrary to this review I'd have no hesitation recommending it. If I had one caveat it's the cheap plastic lens hood, but then Canon tend to do that with almost all of their lenses.
@Kiflin I don't shoot video, but this lens is pretty sharp and gives great image quality throughout its range. I'd say this guy's rating of 8/10 for image quality is way too harsh. I think the only caveat for video is that there are perhaps better stabilized lenses these days for hand held video stuff. If you're using a tripod or have a body with IBIS this is not going to be a problem.
Good review that touches on several categories. If money is no object, then this would be the best of the 70-300 focal length lenses that Canon offers. Sharpness, fast accurate focusing, built quality, good sealing, 4-stop IS, compactness, are its outstanding features. Not to mention, it sports the red ring and off-white exterior color that gives it that premium luxury professional look. After renting this lens several times, I finally decided to buy one and for me it’s a keeper.
I bought this over the normal 70-300 mm nano USM Mark 2 and boy am I delighted. It is worth every penny spent over the non-L version. I took some pictures of some birds under an overcast sky with very less light and still the outcome was amazing. The feathers of the birds came out super sharp. Now I am waiting for a sunny day to see the results. I feel if you can afford, this should be the lens of choice hands down. It's a true L quality Canon lens despite the variable aperture.
I am amazed with these comments ...... I would like to be able to upload my photos so that you understand what I mean when I mention that the quality of the images is very poor.- If you can provide information on how to improve the photos with this 70 lens- 300 L I will be very grateful to you.- I'm sorry I bought a PORCH and I can't run more than 70 kilometers per hour.
@@luisenriquefritz738 maybe the copy you got is faulty. Fast Autofocus is one of the forte of this lens. The sharpness, even though it is a slow lens (smaller aperture) can challenge many prime lenses. I use it on a Canon 80D body and am super satisfied with the results. I sold my Tamron 18-400 mm lens which was not so sharp and Autofocus not so good, fast, or accurate at the zoom spectrum. At telephoto focal lengths, fast Autofocus and sharpness is mandatory. You can see the review of Chris here whom I consider the most unbiased reviewer, and even in his review he mentions the sharpness of this lens. Please check it out --> th-cam.com/video/-7QkqSdenyI/w-d-xo.html
@@jackmen4not exactly. The F value written on the lens indicates the maximum aperture it will open up to and operate. You can go to smaller apertures after that. So f8, f12 etc. is definitely possible. This is true for all lenses.
I've owned this lens for over 10 years. It is absolutely excellent. I now use it with an adapter on my R8 mirrorless and it's even better than ever with the amazing AF system in the R8.
i got one of these Canon lenses and i had it for 6 years now and i use it for fashion / celebrities / wild life / sports / portraits/ and video recording and is a good lens and well made
@@rayyan5547 I’ve purchased plenty of used glass over the past 10 years. Just look at the photos of the product your buying, if you need more photos, ask for them. And if you’re still skeptical just make sure to buy from someone who will accept a return if defective. Could buy used from B&H or Adorama too if you like.
@@fabeaux8623 thanks seems good. I am planning to buy this lens with the canon 80D for airplane photography and general photography and found a great deal on ebay with a good return policy, so I guess I'll go with it. Thanks again
This lens is worth every penny!! Comparing the L to the non L lens is comparing chalk and cheese. Optically far superior and pro build. There is a reason why Canon L glass costs considerably more than a standard lens and its not the red ring.
I got one of these for about £450 used. An absolute steal considering the price of newer lenses! It's quite heavy but it's very well built so I think it's worth it!
On a R5/R6 you still can use this lens on 300mm without any reduction in resolution (like the other ones on the market) you even can use the Kenko Pro 1.4x Converter and focus with the combo (you can not do this on older reliably). The Tamron and Canon IS II model do not reach the quality on 300mm and can focus that fast on the R5/R6.
Nice review. Thanks for posting. This is a great lens for lots of uses but mine is primary used for cross country and track & field where it is just about perfect in terms of zoom range and size/weight.
Hello my friend, can i ask u, if we are compare this 70-300 L with 70-300 IS II nanoUSM - they will be close to each other in picture mode ? i mean Sharpness of non L model will be not so bad on long focal range ? (for example if we comape on 300mm both of them). This 2 lenses are very must be very close in image quality.. But if you have results of same comparisson - pls let me know what was better on 300mm and is it normal to pay for L lens in coparing with non L but IS II nanoUSM model.
Honest and down to earth comments about this lens. I have had this lens since 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic but really didn't get to test and use this lens until I was at the 2022 US Open of Tennis in Flushing, New York. I LOVE this lens because of the build and quality of it PLUS it's super sharp. I captured some great photos of the professional tennis players practicing and qualifying for the 2022 US Open. The lens is heavier than the other Canon 70-100mm telephoto zoom lens but this is a plus because it prevented my hand holding the lens from moving while using it acting as another image stabilizer. It's a bit pricey but I purchased mine used under $1000 from B&H photo. I love this lens picture quality so much, I'm going to purchase two more of these exact lenses so that I'll have one in each of my camera backpacks.
I am thinking about this lens or the $200 75-300mm lens for my Canon rebel T3, I am just starting out and I found this lens on Facebook marketplace for $550 and I don’t know which one to get? Can you help?
: I own one, I use it on my EOS RP. When using the cropping/aspect ratio this lens becomes a 112mm to 480mm lens inside the EOS RP with just the touch of the screen. Now you have a 70 to 480 mm lens on camera. If you use a 1.4x or a 2.0x extended telephoto you can have a 70mm to 960mm lens on camera. You basically only have to carry this one lens and a extender in your pocket. I prefer cargo pants. LOL. 🐢 📷 🐢 📷 🐢 📷
Yeah but you’re not really getting extra zoom, just everything I would see on my r6 with the same zoom but missing the area around it. If I crop my image to show what you see I get the same, albeit with a sensor that captures more light. It’s crop factor, not zoom, it’s all in the wording. The extender on the other hand does exactly what you are after, although this cuts down on light for the benefit of the extra zoom.
@@oo0Spyder0oo: Hello oo0Spyder0oo. Thank you for the commentary, but it's all in the eye of the beholder. May the person behind the camera be with us. 🐢 👁 📷
Are you saying that smaller or variable aperture equates to sub-standard optics? I don't think aperture specification should have been taken into consideration when judging the quality of the glass and the resulting image quality. Your 8/10 should have been 9/10. I used to own a 70-200mm f2.8 which I bought (for it's low light capabilities) knowing that the 70-200mm f4 was generally sharper than the f2.8 version. I think that an aperture of f4 or f5.6 is no justification for marking a lens down on image quality. That's like subtracting points on image quality because Canon didn't supply a tripod ring mount.
I would always recommend the L glass lens regardless of the age. Make sure you are careful when it comes to buying as the condition of the lens may alter your desired photos! Hope this helps
@@PhotoFeaver thank you. As most of my photography will be telephoto, I'll get L lenses and regular lenses for landscape and might upgrade them with time. I am will buy the 24 105mm f4L as renewed from canon's store and a barely used 70 300mm f4 5.6L lens from amazon or ebay
I think you need to be clear what camera you tested lenses on. Resolution is an important factor when testing image quality. A lens that works well on low resolution camera might not work so well on a high resolution camera, however a lens that works well on a high resolution camera will also work well on a low resolution camera. If you are testing on a 70D , that is setting the bar almost as low as possible
Ich verwende das L- Objektiv an der Canon 5D mark III und an der Canon R6 Marl II. Es bringt eine erstaunlich gute Leistung. Für mich eines der besten...
Thinking of hiring this lens from Lenses for hire online as going to Brands Hatch next Sunday and only have Sigma macro lens and want to take some nicer photos is it worth hiring this lens for that.
dont judge a lens on price. if someone cant afford it they will buy a cheaper version. Dont judge a camera on weight. If people are watching weight they buy the cheaper version.I Didn't care how much it weighs.
Hello dear.!!! I bought it two weeks ago and I CAN'T make a good focus with it, .. the truth is, I am very disappointed with the sharpness and quality of the images, .. I have a 75 - 300 of the Canon economic line and FAR the sharpness is superior to this very inferior lens ... I beg you can explain why this could be .. ??? Every time I go out with it, I return to the POC to see images and I am very disappointed with a very poor quality.- NOTE: I bought it NEW, not used - REGARD Santiago/Chile Hola... estimado.!!! lo compre hace dos semanas y NO logro hacer buen foco con el,..la verdad me decepciono mucho la nitidez y calidad de las imagenes,..tengo un 75 - 300 de la linea económica de Canon y LEJOS la nitidez es superior de este lente muy inferior... Te ruego puedas explicar porque puede ser esto..??? Cada vez que salgo con el,Regreso al POC a ver imágenes y quedo muy decepcionado una muy mala calidad.-
I've owned one of these for many years years and it's an absolutely superb lens. It's handles great, it's well balanced and it's so much sharper than the non L version. I had one of the famous EF 70-200 f4 L lenses prior to this which was renowned for its sharpness; I sold it as this lens is just as sharp and has the extra reach. It's always in my camera bag and contrary to this review I'd have no hesitation recommending it. If I had one caveat it's the cheap plastic lens hood, but then Canon tend to do that with almost all of their lenses.
@Kiflin I don't shoot video, but this lens is pretty sharp and gives great image quality throughout its range. I'd say this guy's rating of 8/10 for image quality is way too harsh. I think the only caveat for video is that there are perhaps better stabilized lenses these days for hand held video stuff. If you're using a tripod or have a body with IBIS this is not going to be a problem.
Good review that touches on several categories. If money is no object, then this would be the best of the 70-300 focal length lenses that Canon offers. Sharpness, fast accurate focusing, built quality, good sealing, 4-stop IS, compactness, are its outstanding features. Not to mention, it sports the red ring and off-white exterior color that gives it that premium luxury professional look. After renting this lens several times, I finally decided to buy one and for me it’s a keeper.
I bought this over the normal 70-300 mm nano USM Mark 2 and boy am I delighted. It is worth every penny spent over the non-L version. I took some pictures of some birds under an overcast sky with very less light and still the outcome was amazing. The feathers of the birds came out super sharp. Now I am waiting for a sunny day to see the results. I feel if you can afford, this should be the lens of choice hands down. It's a true L quality Canon lens despite the variable aperture.
I am amazed with these comments ...... I would like to be able to upload my photos so that you understand what I mean when I mention that the quality of the images is very poor.- If you can provide information on how to improve the photos with this 70 lens- 300 L I will be very grateful to you.- I'm sorry I bought a PORCH and I can't run more than 70 kilometers per hour.
@@luisenriquefritz738 maybe the copy you got is faulty. Fast Autofocus is one of the forte of this lens. The sharpness, even though it is a slow lens (smaller aperture) can challenge many prime lenses. I use it on a Canon 80D body and am super satisfied with the results. I sold my Tamron 18-400 mm lens which was not so sharp and Autofocus not so good, fast, or accurate at the zoom spectrum. At telephoto focal lengths, fast Autofocus and sharpness is mandatory. You can see the review of Chris here whom I consider the most unbiased reviewer, and even in his review he mentions the sharpness of this lens. Please check it out --> th-cam.com/video/-7QkqSdenyI/w-d-xo.html
100% true
So this lense is caped at a max of f5.6? Or I can go higher to maybe f11 or f18?
@@jackmen4not exactly. The F value written on the lens indicates the maximum aperture it will open up to and operate. You can go to smaller apertures after that. So f8, f12 etc. is definitely possible. This is true for all lenses.
I've owned this lens for over 10 years. It is absolutely excellent.
I now use it with an adapter on my R8 mirrorless and it's even better than ever with the amazing AF system in the R8.
i got one of these Canon lenses and i had it for 6 years now and i use it for fashion / celebrities / wild life / sports / portraits/ and video recording and is a good lens and well made
Its a really great lens that can be used for all sorts of photography! thank you for commenting and watching my video :)
You can find plenty of these in excellent condition on Ebay for around 700-800, well worth the purchase over the non L imo
Yes definitely 😃
But can I trust them? What do you think?
@@rayyan5547 I’ve purchased plenty of used glass over the past 10 years. Just look at the photos of the product your buying, if you need more photos, ask for them. And if you’re still skeptical just make sure to buy from someone who will accept a return if defective. Could buy used from B&H or Adorama too if you like.
@@fabeaux8623 thanks seems good. I am planning to buy this lens with the canon 80D for airplane photography and general photography and found a great deal on ebay with a good return policy, so I guess I'll go with it.
Thanks again
My used Lens just arrived 2 days ago in pristine condition from Japan to US for $700 delivered. It's awesome on my 6DM2.
This lens is worth every penny!! Comparing the L to the non L lens is comparing chalk and cheese.
Optically far superior and pro build.
There is a reason why Canon L glass costs considerably more than a standard lens and its not the red ring.
I got one of these for about £450 used. An absolute steal considering the price of newer lenses! It's quite heavy but it's very well built so I think it's worth it!
On a R5/R6 you still can use this lens on 300mm without any reduction in resolution (like the other ones on the market) you even can use the Kenko Pro 1.4x Converter and focus with the combo (you can not do this on older reliably). The Tamron and Canon IS II model do not reach the quality on 300mm and can focus that fast on the R5/R6.
Nice review. Thanks for posting. This is a great lens for lots of uses but mine is primary used for cross country and track & field where it is just about perfect in terms of zoom range and size/weight.
For a L-Serious, eBay has some really good prices right now for used 70-300mm lens.
Yes. I love this lens a lot. The photos are SOOOOOOO sharp
Hello my friend, can i ask u, if we are compare this 70-300 L with 70-300 IS II nanoUSM - they will be close to each other in picture mode ? i mean Sharpness of non L model will be not so bad on long focal range ? (for example if we comape on 300mm both of them). This 2 lenses are very must be very close in image quality.. But if you have results of same comparisson - pls let me know what was better on 300mm and is it normal to pay for L lens in coparing with non L but IS II nanoUSM model.
Honest and down to earth comments about this lens. I have had this lens since 2020 during the beginning of the pandemic but really didn't get to test and use this lens until I was at the 2022 US Open of Tennis in Flushing, New York. I LOVE this lens because of the build and quality of it PLUS it's super sharp. I captured some great photos of the professional tennis players practicing and qualifying for the 2022 US Open. The lens is heavier than the other Canon 70-100mm telephoto zoom lens but this is a plus because it prevented my hand holding the lens from moving while using it acting as another image stabilizer. It's a bit pricey but I purchased mine used under $1000 from B&H photo. I love this lens picture quality so much, I'm going to purchase two more of these exact lenses so that I'll have one in each of my camera backpacks.
Hello kif🥰 great review! I just want to ask if this is better lens over the ef 70-200mm f4 IS usm?
I had a similar choice, I went with this lens, I think more compact and better image quality but I shoot mostly sports outdoors
I’ve seen lots of CA on this lens, have you ever seen it? Would be great to add CA into your reviews 👍. Thanks for the review 👏
I am thinking about this lens or the $200 75-300mm lens for my Canon rebel T3, I am just starting out and I found this lens on Facebook marketplace for $550 and I don’t know which one to get? Can you help?
: I own one, I use it on my EOS RP. When using the cropping/aspect ratio this lens becomes a 112mm to 480mm lens inside the EOS RP with just the touch of the screen. Now you have a 70 to 480 mm lens on camera. If you use a 1.4x or a 2.0x extended telephoto you can have a 70mm to 960mm lens on camera. You basically only have to carry this one lens and a extender in your pocket. I prefer cargo pants. LOL. 🐢 📷 🐢 📷 🐢 📷
Yeah but you’re not really getting extra zoom, just everything I would see on my r6 with the same zoom but missing the area around it. If I crop my image to show what you see I get the same, albeit with a sensor that captures more light. It’s crop factor, not zoom, it’s all in the wording. The extender on the other hand does exactly what you are after, although this cuts down on light for the benefit of the extra zoom.
@@oo0Spyder0oo: Hello oo0Spyder0oo. Thank you for the commentary, but it's all in the eye of the beholder. May the person behind the camera be with us. 🐢 👁 📷
@@anthonyshepard9606 No worries, but that's just the fact of it.
@@oo0Spyder0oo: Peace my photo enthusiasts. 🐢📷🐢📷
@@anthonyshepard9606 yeah righto
Shoulda did a real world lens test out in the world. Jared Polin style.
Are you saying that smaller or variable aperture equates to sub-standard optics? I don't think aperture specification should have been taken into consideration when judging the quality of the glass and the resulting image quality. Your 8/10 should have been 9/10. I used to own a 70-200mm f2.8 which I bought (for it's low light capabilities) knowing that the 70-200mm f4 was generally sharper than the f2.8 version. I think that an aperture of f4 or f5.6 is no justification for marking a lens down on image quality. That's like subtracting points on image quality because Canon didn't supply a tripod ring mount.
Will you know if Canon is going to upgrade this lens?.
What do you think between canon 70 300mm f4 5.6 is 2 usm and canon 70 300mm f4 5.6L is usm. Even though the last one is about 10 years old.
I would always recommend the L glass lens regardless of the age. Make sure you are careful when it comes to buying as the condition of the lens may alter your desired photos! Hope this helps
@@PhotoFeaver thank you. As most of my photography will be telephoto, I'll get L lenses and regular lenses for landscape and might upgrade them with time. I am will buy the 24 105mm f4L as renewed from canon's store and a barely used 70 300mm f4 5.6L lens from amazon or ebay
I think you need to be clear what camera you tested lenses on. Resolution is an important factor when testing image quality.
A lens that works well on low resolution camera might not work so well on a high resolution camera, however a lens that works well on a high resolution camera will also work well on a low resolution camera.
If you are testing on a 70D , that is setting the bar almost as low as possible
Ich verwende das L- Objektiv an der Canon 5D mark III und an der Canon R6 Marl II. Es bringt eine erstaunlich gute Leistung. Für mich eines der besten...
good video, could you advise me? Which do you think is the best option, this lens or the 70-200 f/4L is ii usm? Thanks a lot
I would say the 70-200 F4. That is an amazing lens. Just make sure you get the IS one. Thats the one I have got and its amazing 😃
@@PhotoFeaver why would you choose the 70-200mm f4 IS over this 70-300mm? I'm debating between the 2 of them as well
hello, I know it's an old comment, I just want to ask if which one did you buy, I was debating with the lens too😁
Thinking of hiring this lens from Lenses for hire online as going to Brands Hatch next Sunday and only have Sigma macro lens and want to take some nicer photos is it worth hiring this lens for that.
Definitely. This is a great lens for sports and wildlife. Definitely worth a spot in your camera bad even if you’re just renting it for a day 😊
i just fuckin love this lens so so muchhhh
The non L version I think is for me. Can't justify that price tag. Will just have to bump up the sharpness and noise in LR
Incredible!
"I'm gonna start right now" followed by intro, waffle, 5 minutes later "without further a do..."
So you left out the most important thing and that's image quality
dont judge a lens on price. if someone cant afford it they will buy a cheaper version. Dont judge a camera on weight. If people are watching weight they buy the cheaper version.I Didn't care how much it weighs.
You mention the bag, but never show it. Good review otherwise....
The EF 70-200 2.8 with a 1.4 tele will get to 280mm at f4...1 stop better than this 70-300.
Hello dear.!!! I bought it two weeks ago and I CAN'T make a good focus with it, .. the truth is, I am very disappointed with the sharpness and quality of the images, .. I have a 75 - 300 of the Canon economic line and FAR the sharpness is superior to this very inferior lens ... I beg you can explain why this could be .. ??? Every time I go out with it, I return to the POC to see images and I am very disappointed with a very poor quality.- NOTE: I bought it NEW, not used - REGARD Santiago/Chile
Hola... estimado.!!! lo compre hace dos semanas y NO logro hacer buen foco con el,..la verdad me decepciono mucho la nitidez y calidad de las imagenes,..tengo un 75 - 300 de la linea económica de Canon y LEJOS la nitidez es superior de este lente muy inferior... Te ruego puedas explicar porque puede ser esto..??? Cada vez que salgo con el,Regreso al POC a ver imágenes y quedo muy decepcionado una muy mala calidad.-
I have had this lens for about 5 years and it really superb, therefore I suggest you return it as it is probably defective. Try another copy of it