Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM vs Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

Side-by-side comparison from our catalogue data. Better values are highlighted only where a clear difference exists.

Canon

EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM

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Canon

EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

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Verdict at a glance

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM is faster by 1 stop (f/70.0 vs f/100.0), letting in more light.
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM is lighter by 520g.
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM goes wider (70mm vs 100mm).
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM reaches further (400mm vs 300mm).
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is the newer design (2014 vs 2010).

Specification comparison
Spec	EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM	EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM
Brand	Canon	Canon
Mount	Canon EF	Canon EF
Type	Telephoto Zoom	Telephoto Zoom
Focal length	70-300mm (wider)	100-400mm
Max aperture	f/70.0 (faster)	f/100.0
Released	2010	2014
Blades	8	9
Format	full-frame	full-frame
Groups	14	16
Af motor	USM	USM
Elements	19	21
Weight g	1050.0 (lighter)	1570.0
Filter mm	67	77
Length mm	143.0	193.0
Stabilized	Yes	Yes
Diameter mm	89.0	94.0
Min focus m	1.2	0.98 (closer focusing)
Max magnification	0.21	0.31

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

A white-barrel L-series telephoto zoom with stabilization and weather sealing. Compact for its range and well regarded for image quality.

Pros

Weather-sealed
Sharp for a 70-300
Image stabilization
Compact

Cons

Variable aperture
Heavy (about 1 kg)
Shorter reach than a 100-400

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM

The EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM is a telephoto zoom with a twist-to-zoom design, improved optics and image stabilization. It replaced the push-pull original and suits wildlife and sports.

Pros

Twist zoom ring
Sharp across the range
Effective stabilization
Weather-sealed

Cons

Variable aperture
Heavy for a zoom (about 1.6 kg)
Large

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