EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
4.6
5
30
30
Outstanding Lens!
Wow, not much I can say that others haven't already. This is my very first L series lens. I am defnitely an amateur and purchased my first DSLR about 3 years ago, a Canon T1i refurb. With that camera I also purchased the kit lens (18-55) and also the relatively highly regarded (for a kit lens) 55-250. Most of my shooting is at the longer end of the 55-250 and I typically shoot my kids at play (park, soccer, baseball) as well as the occasional air show and at a Formula 1 event (Austin). I also enjoy shooting wildlife and birds in flight. I always felt that I was missing out and that I assumed my T1i had some focus issues as images weren't as sharp as I had anticipated. Wow was I ever wrong.
I took a major step forward and purchased this lens and I am absolutely awestruck. Images are now FAR sharper, the IS works great and AF is super quick and is spot on and virtually silent. I can now crop images considerably and still have sharper pictures than I could with the 55-250 uncropped.
While this lens is quite expensive I consider it an investment that I can keep for many years even if I eventually upgrade camera bodies. This has made my T1i a new camera all over again and has encouraged me to actually learn how to shoot better. I have gone in the last month from someone that shoots full auto or one of the auto modes (sports, landscape, etc.) to someone that now shoot 80% on one of the manual modes (TV, AV, etc.).
I LOVE this lens! The only cons I listed above...for this kind of money, please Canon please include a better case and a tripod ring...this lens deserves those.
February 28, 2013
L series introduction
This is my first L series lens and it was selected for the range it provides (70-300mm) as that is what I've been shooting with for years. With just a few 'test shots' under purposely challenging conditions to see what the IS could compensate for I was already impressed. Full zoom, hand-held while sitting in a running vehicle is most certainly not ideal for ANY lens, but even those shots which were by design, difficult, turned out better than I'd expected by a long ways. Now on to applying more traditional techniques...outstanding results in every aspect. Having selected the center focus box on manual selection, I went and took some aviation shots where the only thing that provides a reference point is the aircraft itself. Purposely causing an out of focus scenario by removing the focus point from the aircraft, once placed back onto it again there was no 'hunting', focus was re-established almost instantly.
This isn't a lens for lightweights as it most certainly is not one either, but when considering how much glass and metal one is actually carrying around with this lens, it is not unreasonably heavy all things considered. I may need a tripod collar eventually as my niche is extended exposures/night shots/ lightning photography, but I have not a single regret in having selected this lens!
January 17, 2013
fantastic lense
If you could own only one telephoto zoom this is the lense I would choose. Canon has packed a lot of lense into a compact size. The focus is very fast and tack sharp,and the image stabilization works extremely well. The weight is significant but the overall size is very moderate.I am very very pleased with the purchase.
September 27, 2012
Still on trial
The lens is doing a great job. i have been using it for the last two weeks and will still need more time to give a better review.
So far so good and it does a better job then the previous lens i had.
September 26, 2012
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