Photo: John Torcasio (CC BY-SA 3.0)
EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
- 70-300mm
- f/70.0
- Telephoto Zoom
- Stabilized
- 1050 g
- Min focus 1.2 m
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Quick answer
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
Verdict
A quality walk-around telephoto for EF. Consider it for L build without a 100-400's heft.
About this lens
A 70-300mm f/4-5.6 telephoto zoom lens, the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM is designed for Canon EF mount bodies, from the Canon L series with Image Stabilizer and ultrasonic-motor autofocus. The range suits sports, wildlife, events and portraits.
Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM specifications
- Brand
- Canon
- Mount
- Canon EF
- Focal length
- 70-300mm
- Maximum aperture
- f/70.0
- Lens type
- Telephoto Zoom
- Format coverage
- full-frame
- Released
- 2010
- Optical construction
- 19 elements in 14 groups
- Aperture blades
- 8
- Image stabilization
- Yes
- Autofocus motor
- USM
- Minimum focus distance
- 1.2 m
- Maximum magnification
- 0.21x
- Filter thread
- 67 mm
- Weight
- 1050 g
- Length
- 143 mm
- Diameter
- 89 mm
Specification source: global.canon
What can you shoot with the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM?
- Wildlife
- Sports
- Travel
- Outdoor
Its smaller maximum aperture favours daylight shooting and keeps the lens compact.
Full-frame equivalent and field of view
Calculated from the focal length and crop factor. Not measured.
| Sensor | Crop | Equivalent | Horizontal FOV | Diagonal FOV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full frame | 1.0x | 70–300mm | 6.9–28.8° | 8.2–34.3° |
| APS-C | 1.6x | 112–480mm | 4.3–18.3° | 5.2–21.9° |
Frequently asked questions
Is the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS weather sealed?
Yes. It has L-series dust and moisture resistance, which many non-L 70-300mm zooms do not.
Does the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L have image stabilization?
Yes, it has built-in IS with a panning mode. This helps with handheld shooting at the long end.
EF 70-300L vs EF 100-400L II: which should I buy?
The 100-400 reaches farther and has a twist zoom but is bigger. The 70-300L is lighter and more compact.
Alternatives for Canon EF from other brands
All Canon EF lensesSame mount, overlapping focal range, closest maximum aperture first.
Tamron
AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro 1:2
70-300mm · f/70.0 · Canon EF
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SP AF 70-200mm f/2.8 Di LD (IF) Macro (A001)
70-200mm · f/70.0 · Canon EF
Tokina
AF 100mm f/2.8 AT-X Pro D M100 Macro
100mm · f/100.0 · Canon EF
Tamron
AF 28-300mm f/3.5-6.3 XR Di LD Aspherical (IF)
28-300mm · f/28.0 · Canon EF
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