REVIEW: Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM lens
Whisper-quiet and lightweight, this long lens is great for sports, sunsets & landscape photos on the fly
Serious photographers always travel with a DSLR, but few take the plunge and choose a 300m lens as a companion. However, this lightweight model from Canon makes the decision to zoom-in much easier.
Get closer
Unlike most lenses, the Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM attaches to the tripod itself, with the camera body strapping on to the lens. On a recent trip to the UAE the lens proved invaluable not only for sports photography, but for close-up shots of Moon-rises in the dunes, and portrait photography with immense depths of field. However, the inclusion of some nifty Image Stabilisation tech make the Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM useful away from the tripod, too.
Bright & colourful
In our test, the Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM lens produced by far the best shots when open all the way to f4 in reasonably bright conditions, which was no surprise. The autofocus worked well, though its is a tad slow. What the Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM lens does have that proved so useful was Image Stabilisation; our images of F1 cars benefitted immensely, especially when hand-holding, initially at fast shutter speeds but decreasing as the light levels dropped at sunset during a night F1 race. Arguably it’s that Image Stabilisation that makes this lens usable in anything but bright light. Both colours and contrast impressed.
Affordable & lightweight
A handy, lightweight, and reasonably affordable lens whose only drawback is its fixed design, the Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM is great for sports, sunsets & landscape photos on the fly.