Can a compact, professional-standard, mid-range zoom lens costing £1,200 really deliver? Mat Gallagher discovers that there’s more to life than an f/2.8 optic
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM review
Canon’s lens range is already extensive and includes two 70-300mm models: the f/4-5.6 IS USM and f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM optics.
The new Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM is one of the company’s professional L-series models, in traditional off-white with the distinctive red ring around the front.
It sits alongside the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM and EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM as a reasonably priced middle-ground optic, giving full-frame users a nice extra stretch from their standard zoom and APS-C users quite a powerful zoom with an equivalent focal length of 112-480mm.
This 70-300mm lens is certainly a better option than the 70-200mm f/4 models, and costs nearly £1,000 less than the EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. However, the deciding factor will ultimately be the quality.