Camera Price Buster User Reviews
Canon EF 300mm f4L IS USM Lens
Average Rating: Excellent
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Review by Mark Coates on 25th October 2007
Rating: Excellent

Product: Canon EF 300mm f4L IS USM Lens
Great IQ, very sharp. Does anything else matter ?
Ok then.
The IS is ok but there are better versions out there now, its the first generation 2 f-stop sort.
I havent tried the IS panning mode yet, but thats just to look forward to.
Quite heavy but manageable unless you a slightly built.
Overall great vfm.
Heres an example;
http://www.flickr.com/photo_exif.gne?id=1469411426
Review by Steve Cooper on 23rd April 2007
Rating: Excellent

Product: Canon EF 300mm f4L IS USM Lens
First impression from the box is its big! The lens comes in the usual Red, White and Black box. As its an L Lens of course it comes with a case (though a canvas zip up case instead of the L cloth bags) and a hood. The hood on this lens is built into the body and can be used with screw in filters (77mm) attached.
As with other telephoto lenses the Ef300mm has a short/long focus switch (1.5/3 to infinity). Other switches are the manual/auto focus and the IS controls. IS has mode 1 and 2 on this lens, but doesnt recognise if the lens is tripod mounted. For tripod use it is recommended that IS is switched off. IS mode 1 works on all axis, mode 2 is used when panning.
Image quality was as Id expected as I have used it before. Though in practice using such a long lens does require more precision (in my opinion!). As first I didnt seem to get much out of the lens, a fair amount of images appeared a little soft. I dont know why this was. After a few days use, everything seems as Id expected it to be. Probably just me not been used to a heavy lens.
Nature photographers will tell you that 500mm is the minimum requirement, well to a certain extent Id agree. However dont get put off by the EF300mm as it is a capable lens. O.k. you cant get as close, but for some nature you can get fairly close. For some images, youll need a hide.
If you need a little extra you could always use an extender, of course Im in the position to own an EF1.4x. This extender increases the focal length to 420mm (f/5.6), now some might say why not just buy the EF400 f/5.6. Well with the 1.4x you actually get a 420mm with IS, something which is missing from the EF400mm. Its an argument that can go on and on (and probably will), after all I also have the EF70-200mm so you could argue I dont need the 300mm! But its nice to have options. It would complicate things more if I buy a 400mm (however I wont, yet).
Anyway, back to the lens. Auto focus is fast, though it depends on the focus switch. There is a fair amount of travel from 1.5 metres to infinity so best to get the switch in the correct position.
Many reviews note that the IS feature on the lens clunks a bit. Well it does, no real surprise it was one of the first iterations of IS. I guess if your in an environment where you have to be über quiet, then I could see a problem. For most it shouldnt be a problem.