Canon 300mm f/4 IS USM 'L' lens review with samples (Full-frame and APS-C)
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- Опубликовано: 7 фев 2025
- This is a pretty popular lens with sports photographers and some wildlife photographers (although I still think 400mm is way better for wildlife). It's getting on a bit these days, though - is it still sharp enough?
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In case anyone is wondering, my Canon 70D had to be sold! I'm getting married (in only 2 months now!) and saving up for the wedding/ honeymoon. :-)
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Please re-review this lens with the current mirrorless bodies! :)
Yeah like on the r6 m2 or something
It is okay on the r5 mk II but it is showing it’s nearly 30 year old design. It is very sharp but flare is an issue and the IS is always on if you have IBIS enabled. The IS is very effective but I am concerned with wear and tear if I don’t alway power down the camera.
I really hope Canon will update this to an RF design. It would be lighter, smaller, better flare, better IS…
@@stevenrn6640Yeah, and it probably would cost 4k$
Chris, thank you for this review. As always, it is short, concise, to the point, and a joy to watch.
This is the review I'm waiting for so long. Thanks so much.
Best value for money Tele lens, works great even with the 1.4 extender. It was my birding combo for my initial days.
Which TCL version do you have?
Great review. I've had this lens for about 5 years now using it on a 7dmk2 and a 5dmk2 and it's been great I've taken so many good wildlife photos with it. Also sometimes using a Canon 1.4 X teleconverter with it but this really slows the auto focus on this lens so I try not to use it unless I really need it.
Hi there Chris like your videos. Most of my lenses I bought were thanks to your reviews. Just picked up a 2nd handed canon 300mm f4 is for 430 USD. I tested it with canon R6, the lens itself works pretty good, but it tends to loose focus when it comes to flying birds. For anything else I'm happy thanks again for your great review keep up the good work.
I love your reviews!
Currently I am looking into the Canon 300mm f2.8 L II which unfortunately you dont seem to have reviewed. Apperantly it is the sharpest lense canon ever made. Maybe you could try to get your hands on one and see how it holds up with modern lenses and sensors?
Great video. I can tell your test methods are realistic. I see the same results on my copy of the lens and i use it with a Canon 7D and sometimes with a Kenko 1.4x teleconverter. The results are preety good. The best budget option for shooting birds.
Keep the videos rolling :D
I
Top stuff as always Chris.
I'm thinking of getting a used copy of this for my 70D. I pray it works well!
How did it work? I am considering that combo too!
I have the 300mm f4, but due to mainly taking bird shots I've gone with the 100-400.
I use it on a 7d, and take real pictures of distant moving objects with excellent results.
At the end of the day if i use fast lens I want to shoot it as wide as possible.
Seems pretty dumb to buy a f.1.2 50mm and shoot at 5.6, just buy a cheaper lens that's sharp at 5.6
I love your reviews. I owned this lens, but was never happy with it. Maybe a Monday morning example, but I did not like it. I bought a secondhand 70-300L en I really love that Canon zoom. The price is the same and do not worry it's a zoom. It is fantastic.
why you didnt like the 300mm f4 can you explain please
Don't understand your issue on the APS-C 70D. I recently hired one of these lenses together with a 1.4x III extender, it was razor sharp on my 70D. Only complaint was the slowed down autofocus speed, even though perfectly usable.
Yeah same. I use a similar configuration and I don't have any problems with sharpness.
Likewise but with the 400 5.6L. Fab lens
Shame about its performance on APS-C. I think I'll still get it for my 2000d, I'm fine bumping the aperture up a few stops since I rarely shoot handheld.
still available and great lens!
I bought one from ebay (japan) for 550 USD. super mint condition.
Are you serious??
How tf do people even find deals like this I don't know. I have interest in vintage lenses and I've never seen any product go for half it's usual price in mint condition. The only super cheap specimens were either broken or had fungus, or both.
@@fandyus4125 I brought one in 1500 AUD
@@fandyus4125 I just bought one, mint condition, from ebay Japan for $490. Just watch ebay closely.
i'm looking at one of these now , for Bird photography. it's a step up from my kit 75-300 which i have gotten great photos with. but been offered a mk1 100-400mm f4-5.6 L IS for about the same money and i just can't make my mind up. money is a factor as i'm just starting out at this is a hobby
Great review! 👍🏾
I wish you would review this lens again with R5 pls
hi Chris, love your videos, I wonder if you could do a video of your own personal kit some time, it would be quite interesting
+Berni Moulang I thought about it, but my kit keeps changing!
+Christopher Frost Photography oh well, thanks for the reply
I just got this lens and it is really soft what would you recommend for a canon 1300d looking for a budget wildlife lens or should I just upgrade camera?
I bought the non IS version of this on ebay for 150$ CAD. Best deal ever!
The trademark should be MADE IN JAPAN... That's all.
Precision, accuracy, excellence, quality, good taste, perfection ...
Chris please answer may question if you have time ... should I upgrade my 55-250mm stm to this? what do you think ...
I found a used one for about 500 euros, is it worthy? I also want a wide angle lens for landscape and astro (I thought about the samyang 14mm). Soo I must decide betwin upgrading my stm lens to this or buy the wide angle one.
I enjoy both wildlife and landscape shooting. What do you think should I do?
Personally I wouldn't bother, I'd save up for a decent wide angle lens instead
Great reviews and calming, articulate voice. So...between this 300Lf4IS and a 70-200 2.8LII IS with 1.4xIII extender? I had the 300L a long time ago and it was great image quality but not a focal length I need often. Still, I'd like a prime, longer than a 100
I'd go for the 70-200 plus extender option - it'll be about as sharp, and much more versatile
Christopher Frost Photography thank you! That was my intent when I sold my 300L, but the 1.4II wasn't that amazing. Is the III much better?
I've heard it's a little better, yes
Very informative, thanks
Amazing review as lways very informative very intresting non exhagerated calm talking, thats a very useful lens and perfect in every aspect but the size really seals it for me, if only canon would give it a more sane prise.... :) otherwise i whould not think twice !
Congratulations, Chris! Best Wishes to you and your future wife :)
thank you Chris I was waiting for this review
1 question should I get this with a 1.4x teleconverter or the 400mm?
+Elias Ali That's a hard question. This 300mm lens plus the 1.4 teleconvertor won't give you great image quality, the 400mm will be sharper, but it won't have IS...hard question!
+Elias Ali I'd say the 400mm prime. If you want IS, you may as well just go with the 100-400 IS. According to the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=111&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=1&API=1&LensComp=113&CameraComp=453&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=7&APIComp=0 the 100-400 is sharper in the center and slightly softer in the edges when at 420/400mm respectively and you have more versatility. You could also look at a Tamron/Sigma 150-600.
+Christopher Frost Photography the 300mm + 1.4 TC will give you excellent image quality:! test shot I took recently with this combo here : www.flickr.com/photos/129434925@N02/24155693535/in/dateposted-public/
I'm using the non IS version of this lens with 1.4x iii and I loving it. It's is so sharp even with the extender. If you ask why I didn't just went 400mm it's because I got the 300mm for 150$.
Stupid newb question. If I were to think about buying or renting such a thing to take moon photos, and was using it on a 1.6 crop sensor, would it have too much focal length? I would not think so. Should be a pretty good 480mm or so.
Too much?! No. You can never have too much when shooting the moon, unless you're talking about the Hubble Space Telescope
Great review as alwsys, thank you! I only own full frame lenses that I use on a Canon SL2, but that's also because I own a 5Dii. My 70-200 F2.8L mark1 is a bit soft wide open on my APS-C 24Mp, needs to stop down at f4. I'm still planning to get a 300mm f4, the price nowadays is just too good. Overall I think the quality of these kind of lenses on APS-C is still great and well worth, especially if you consider using them also on a full frame camera and the ability to hold their value so well in time, even value increase in some cases.
Alessandro Cernuzzi - Light & Music i have the sl3. Did u buy the 300 and is the combo good??.
It just looks soft wide open to me on both cameras.
have you tested on canon r? Does it have better results?
People say that works at least with r6 ok
Is there a better option for a crop body at the same focal length?
I'm wondering that myself but the answer, as far as I could see browsing around, is no. I only own full frame lenses that I use on a Canon SL2, but that's also because I own a 5Dii. My 70-200 F2.8L is a bit soft wide open on my APS-C 24Mp, needs to stop down at f4. I'm still planning to get a 300mm f4, the price nowadays is just too good. Overall I think the quality of these kind of lenses on APS-C is still great and well worth, especially if you consider using them also on a full frame camera and the ability to hold their value so well in time, even value increase in some cases.
Canon EF-S 300mm f4 STM would be a better way on APS-C.
+Gino Foto only for the cheaper prise and small size, the stm looses badly on every other aspect not eaven comperable at that kind of playground the L sits really up on the pyramid.
There is no such thing as an EF-S 300mm F4 STM.
Hi Christopher. Is it possible to send you a pm or did you disable this function?
Newbie here..will this fit to 1500d?
Hi... would you give an opinion on this lens and 400mm F5.6 adapted to a micro 4/3??
No idea, sorry!
A Nissan Figaro! ❤️
wish u a perfect marriage. gd review keep it up
Nice lens
can you do a review of Tamron 70-200 F2.8 VC?
+siddhant makhija Sometime in the future :-)
Sure. Thanks
I personally think the Bokeh feels quite messy in a few of those shots.
+Emperor_Xenolius thats not a bokeh lens its about long shots with intresting colors and background bokeh is the last thing on the list for a lens like this.
Just find me a better 300mm weather sealed with is, and with that small size, they just dont make them like canon...
+markos rockstarjz I don't disagree with you - Im just saying the Bokeh (The QUALITY of blur, not the QUANTITY) is quite busy and distracting in a few of these shots.
Emperor_Xenolius Your argument correct,it lacks a bit in the bokeh area and for the price it should be a perfect lens ,despite that i would personaly never consider this as a thing that would stop me from taking a wonderful pic,its not a perfect studio scene lens , its a use and abuse type of lens, or just get a 300mm at 14,000$ lens that weighs 4kg ,yes that would be a perfect lens....
Is there an email i can contact you on? I need some help with my camera and you're the best person to ask. 😎
Hey guys, so I know this is kinda off topic of the video but I really need some help from someone with experience.
I've done a lot of work in video and movie making but want to step my game up so to speak. I currently just have the Canon t5i with the kit lens, the 55-250, and the new nifty fifty. I want to start doing more professional video work and want to make my short films look better. I understand that it's more about the skill than the equipment but the way I see it, the lenses i have right now are of too low quality and look unprofessional. If I'm on set of a movie or being paid to make a video, I need a lens that looks good, is versatile and doesn't require me to swap out for every shot, and gives me good image quality.
I don't know if it exists but here are all the qualities I'm trying to find in a lens:
- Standard zoom (wide to something around 50mm because I'm probably going to be close to my subject. My camera is APS-C so like 35mm isn't really that wide for me)
- A fairly wide aperture (it doesn't have to be crazy but good for lowlight and bokeh)
- possibly IS. I'm looking into a shoulder rig but I think IS is just a really good feature for video
I've been looking for a few weeks and I'm not sure if I'm even searching for the right things. PLEASE if you can, point me in the right direction. Any other recommendations are greatly appreciated.
+UnratedAwesomeness Try the Canon 17-55 f/2.8 IS USM. Then stop worrying about your equipment and work, work, work!
+Christopher Frost Photography oh wow. Thanks man. I'll check it out :)
+UnratedAwesomeness Hello. I'm sorry for the intrusion, but consider these three lenses:
I select based on their need and Chris's statement, both the price and quality.
* Tamron 17-50 2.8 VC (Vibration Compensation)
* Sigma 17-50 2.8 (I have this one, and is more sharpness than Tamron
* Sigma 18-35 1.8 (The best one for the money and filmmaking, you can trust, this one is a dream.)
I hope I've helped you. Try all them and you'll choose.
Oh wow. 3 years later but I'm at the same dilemma. T2i, exact same combo of lenses. My heart wants a fast 24mm but I probably should get the sigma 17-50 IS f/2.8
Does anybody know if there's any significant difference between the non is version and this? Sharpness, etc?
I know this is 4 years old but the other than IS, the original 300mm F4 has a 1m further MFD at 2.5m. That's about it
I have 300mm f4 L without IS and it is 30 percent sharper than this IS mud, of course IS helps with videos and some images with worse light but If I need excellent shaprness 300mm f4 without IS is an option. This IS version is somehow not sharp...anyway, If you are guys interested lets check my review with full images of 300mm f2.8 L IS mark1 lens and Canon TC 2x mark3 ..everything wide open so that means 600mm f5.6 ...I also would like to do test of my 300mm f4 L without IS and show you the sharpness..
I've never had any problems with sharpness on the 300mm f/4 with IS. Obviously there will always be one or two manufactured with defects.
TBH if you got the 300mm without IS for wildlife photography, you would have been better off getting the 400mm f/5.6. Slightly better image quality, better AF, but you get more magnification for nearly the same price.
Thanks for aharing
why i don't see sharper image at f/4 & 5.6 like you say ???? to me sharp is sharp ..often i find your review not accurate !
That is indeed sharp. I've zoomed into the image quite far. If you don't believe me, look for other reviews online which confirm my findings.
Maybe you need glasses. Not trying to be offensive, but I can see a clear difference.