Tuesday, November 28, 2023
ReviewsTravel Photography

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

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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.

Price as reviewed: £959

Buy the Canon EF 300f/4L IS USM lens

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