Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS

Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS (Full-frame, 1.3x and and APS-C coverage, 77mm filters, 41.6 oz./1,180g lens only, 45.8 oz./1,298g with collar, 4.9’/1.5m close focus, about $1,350 after rebate).

Introduction      

This Canon 300mm f/4 is high performance, fast and lightweight telephoto lens for every Canon DSLR and 35mm EOS camera. It has great optics, fast autofocus and top-notch build quality.

While most people prefer a 70-300 or 100-400mm zoom, other people prefer this fixed 300mm f/4 to Canon’s 70-300 zooms for it’s higher speed (better for action shots) and better optical quality. It’s preferred over Canon’s 100-400mm zooms for its lighter weight, lower price and higher speed.

Just grab the focus ring at any time for instant manual-focus override.

The tripod collar slides off the back, but leaves several metal nubbins poking out.

This professional L lens is a bargain today because it’s been in Canon’s catalog so long. Canon has long since paid for its development cost, so it sells for much less than similar but newer lenses. The only gotcha is that this is one of Canon’s first Image Stabilization lenses, and thus IS doesn’t work to speeds as slow as do newer lenses.

It’s much lighter than 70-200/2.8 or 100-400mm zooms, and much sharper than a 70-200mm with a teleconverter.

Specifications

Name

Canon calls this the CANON LENS IMAGE STABILIZER EF 300mm f/4 L IS.

IMAGE STABILIZER and IS mean that you don’t need a tripod.

EF means “electronic focus;” there is an autofocus motor inside the lens.

L means as expensive as L.

Optics

Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS internal diagram. UD Glass.

15 elements in 11 groups.

Multicoated.

Internal focussing.

Focal Length

300mm.

When used on an APS-C camera, it sees an angle of view similar to what a 485mm lens sees when used on an FX or 35mm camera.

Angle of View, full frame

8.2º diagonal.

4.5º vertical.

6.8º horizontal.

Diaphragm

Canon 300mm f/4L IS at f/4. (EF diaphragm not visible).

8 straight blades.

Stops down to f/32.

Close Focus

4.9 feet (1.5m) from the image plane.

Maximum Reproduction Ratio

1:4.2 (0.24x).

Image Stabilizer

Rated two stops improvement.

Hard Infinity Focus Stop?

No.

Focus Scale

Yes.

Depth-of-Field Scale

No.

Infra-Red Focus Index

No.

Filters

77mm.

Size

Canon specifies 3.5″ (90 mm) diameter by 8.7″ (221 mm) long.

Weight

45.770 oz. (1,297.5g), actual measured, with collar.

41.617 oz. (1,179.9g), lens alone without collar.

4.150 oz. (117.7g), collar alone.

Canon specifies 42.0 oz. (1,190g).

Hood

Built-in telescoping hood.

Hood locks in extended position with screw threads, bravo!

Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS with hood extended. 

Caps

New 77mm Canon pinch-type front cap and standard EOS rear cap.

Tripod Collar

The tripod collar comes off from the back.

It’s called the Tripod Mount Ring B (W). The 180/3.5 Macro uses the same ring, in black: Tripod Mount Ring B (B).

Case

Canon includes a very nice padded nylon LZ1128 case.

This is a very useful sturdy padded case. You can use the double-handled zipper for solid closing, and once open, there’s velcro on the top for shot-to-shot open and closing. Bravo!

Introduced

March 1997.

Canon Model Number

2530A004.

Included

Lens.

Tripod collar.

Caps.

LZ1128 case.

Price, USA

2014 December: $1,350 after rebate.

Performance

Overall

The Canon 300mm f/4 L is sharp and easy to use.

Focus

Auto/Manual Switching

Just grab the ring anytime for instant manual-focus override.

AF Speed

AF is fast; not instantaneous, but fast.

It’s a little faster than the original 300mm f/2.8 L.

AF Accuracy

AF is always dead-on.

Recommendations

This lens is for photographers who demand the highest optical quality, and are willing to forego the convenience of a zoom to get it. It also weighs much less than the 70-200/2.8 and 100-400mm zooms.

Photographically, a 300/4 throws backgrounds much further out of focus than a 70-200 does at 200mm. This is why the 300/4 makes a great portrait and headshot lens. It lets us stand farther away for better facial rendering (perspective), and at f/4 blows-out any annoying background into a wall of soft color far better than any 200mm lens can at f/2.8.

If money and weight are no object, I prefer the new 100-400mm IS II, but if you don’t need a zoom and don’t need great Image Stabilization — or if you prefer its faster aperture, lower cost or lighter weight — then get this 300/4 IS.