Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM Super Telephoto Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

by Canon

• EF mount; super telephoto lens
• Fluorite and Ultra-low Dispersion-glass; image stabilizer; internal focusing; full-time manual focus
• 500mm focal length
• f/4 maximum aperture
• Ring-type UltraSonic Motor (USM)

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 25.5 x 14 x 14 inches ; 8.5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 29.1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S. and to APO/FPO addresses. For APO/FPO shipments, please check with the manufacturer regarding warranty and support issues.
• ASIN: B00009R6X4
• Item model number: 2532A002
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: April 15, 2004

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Always a favorite of motor sports, wildlife and nature shooters, the relatively lightweight 500mm lens now adds Image Stabilization for an unbeatable package of handling and sharpness. Fluorite and UD-glass--a combination available from no other lens manufacturer--provide great performance, even with the EF 1.4x II or 2x II tele extender attached. It focuses down to less than 15 feet (4.5m), and offers the same weather-resistant design and incredible AF speed as its 300mm, 400mm and 600mm siblings.

See a Different Dimension
A super telephoto lens can make an ordinary scene into an extraordinary one. Its ability to see surpasses that of the human eye. It can compress images and make them look as if they come from another dimension. It opens up new realms of photographic expression. All EF super telephoto lenses are L-series lenses to provide the highest quality. The USM provides quiet and high-speed autofocusing. These lenses promise outstanding delineation and put your imagination to the test.

Product Description

Next-generation super telephoto L-series lens with an Image Stabilizer, it's one of the world's best lenses for wildlife and nature photography. The optical system is newly designed with a maximum aperture of f/4. One fluorite element and two UD-glass elements effectively correct aberrations resulting in sharp and excellent delineation.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

61 of 61 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Bird Photography March 26, 2005

By Gerald Reed

After noting the captions of exceptional photographs that appeared in nature and photography magazines were often shot with this lens, I began to read the reviews. Based on the uniformly excellent reviews, I bought this lens and spent two weeks this January in the Florida Everglades taking pictures of birds. Based upon my experience with the lens, I would rate this as second in sharpness and contrast only to the 300 mm f2.8 Canon L series lens. The lens is handholdable for short periods to shoot birds in flight, but it is best suited for use on a solid tripod with a Wimberley tripod head to allow tracking of birds in flight.

Jerry Reed
Giclée Maker
[...]

45 of 45 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars The best 500mm wildlife lens November 14, 2006

By Mark W. Bohrer

I needed more reach than 400mm gave on my EOS 1D, so I purchased Canon's 500mm f/4L IS three years ago. It's incredibly sharp out to the corners at f/4. With bird and mammal portraits, you see every feather, every hair.

The lens is light enough to use on a Wimberley Sidekick. Some claim to be able to handhold it, but I think its eight-plus pound weight is a bit much for that. I carry mine in a long lens case with backpack harness from Kinesis Gear.

This lens' image stabilization works very well. I've used it on a tripod with one-second shutter speeds and good telephoto technique, and gotten sharp, publishable images.

With an EOS 1D or 1Ds, lens and camera are rain-proof in mild storms.

I also got mine through Adorama, and had no problem with delivery or post-sale advertising.

If you buy one expensive long lens for wildlife, choose this one.

22 of 24 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars So good it feels like I'm cheating April 18, 2010

By David C. Stephens

I only got deep into bird and wildlife last summer when I purchased Canon's EF 400mm f/5.6L. That's a fine lens and I thought that the image quality was very good, but I longed for more "reach" and a faster aperture that would autofocus with my 1.4 teleconverter.

A professional photographer freind let me handle his EF 600mm f/4L and his EF 500mm f/4.5L (both are older models) and the added length and weight of the 600mm focused me totally on the 500mm for my bag. My friend is using his 600mm on a full-frame camera while I'm using my 500mm on a 1.6 crop-sensor Canon 7D. On that sensor the 500mm gives a field of view equivalent to 800mm (1.6X500). When I add my 1.4TC II the equivalent focal length is 1,120mm!!! That's amazing power for a lens that will fit in my LowPro backback.

For stunning pictures at all shutter speeds and shooting over an extended periods of time, a stout tripod and gimbal is suggested. I'm using the eight-ply, carbon fiber Induro C414 tripod with an Arca-Swiss Z1 ballhead and the Wimberley Sidekick half-gimbal. This setup is extremely stable and you can turn off the lens' IS. I leave it in mode 2 for panning. That said, this lens yields very sharp images when handheld. The IS is truly effective. To see it, just focus on something stationary without pushing the shutter button to activate the IS. You'll see the image moving and shaking, then push the shutter button and the subject almost "locks" into place, as if it's on the tripod. Yes, there's still small movement, but at 1/1000th to 1/2000th shutter speeds typical in bird photography, everything is sharp. (Remember the old rule, for every 100mm of focal length you need 1/100th second of shutter speed, so the minimum with this lens would be 1/500th, even when shooting something that's not moving.... (Factor in a crop-sensor that might be 1/800th second). At those speeds the IS gives very clear results.

The auto focuse of this lens is really fast and mostly "snaps" instantly into focus. You DO need to be aware of the subject distance and move the switch for a close subject and remember to move it back for a distant subject. Be aware of your camera's AF mode. For instance, for birds in flight I use 9 sensors in a square box in the middle of the sensor. For birds in the bush, I use single point in order to look past twigs and such. For things like a passing boat or car it hardly matters which mode your camera is in. When used with my 1.4TC II, the AF snaps seemingly just as quickly.

My Flickr site is [...] Cut and paste if you want to see examples, Tagged "EF 500mm f/4L IS"

I see much superior image quality to my EF 400mm f/5.6L. A big part of this is the effective focal length over 1,000mm when used on a crop-sensor camera and with the 1.4TC, which gives you a frame-filling subject. I still need to crop many of my bird images, but it's mainly for compositional values. This lens is large and does attract a crow (probably the biggest negative) but it gets the job done. Read more ›

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars If you're on the fence - take the plunge! March 24, 2008

By Bruce Gove

This is a magnificant lens! I'm still learning this beast, but I certainly don't regret buying it. With the 2X teleconverter on a sturdy tripod, it gives me an effective focal lengh of 1300mm (500 X 2 X 1.3 - conversion factor for the Canon 1D Mk III) - you'd have even more focal length with a camera with a larger conversion factor - 1.6 for cameras like the 30D, but in most instances that would be too much FL. With out the 2X TC, the AF is lightning fast, and even with it it's pretty fast. You only get the use of the center sensor with the 2X, so if you're working small subjects like humming birds, it works well to focus on the eye, lock focus and recompose. With a little practice, this lens will give you amazing sharpness. If you're a serious bird photographer, this will be your favorite super telephoto. It's lighter and cheaper than the 600 f/4 and you're only giving up 100mm. I've only been using this lens for a week, and I absolutely love it!

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Great lens for the price/weight! January 13, 2010

By Bryan Matthew

Deciding between this lens and the 600/4L IS was indeed a chore - but I convinced myself that if I were to buy the 600/4, I would not even bother taking it on hikes due to the extreme weight. I would also need to upgrade my tripod to a heavy Gitzo GT3541LS Series 3 Long 6X Carbon Fiber 4-Section Systematic Tripod with G-Lock - Replaces GT3540LS, and get a full proper Wimberly II Gimbal Head.

(I currently use a Gitzo GT2542L Series 2 6X Carbon Fiber 4-Section Tripod with G-Lock - Replaces GT2541L, and a Jobu Design BWG-LW2 Black Widow Lightweight MK-II Gimbal Head for 200 f/2.8, 300 f/2.8, 70-200 f/2.8 Lenses for my gimbal needs)

Though if I had the money, i'de go for the 800/5.6L IS instead due to the extreme reach on a FF body, and no longer the need to use a crop body (you lose the outer "bokeh" and vignetting).

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1-month update
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After being able to use it for 1 month now, it simply confirms that the 500mm f/4L IS was the right choice over the 600mm f/4L IS. Though often I wish I didn't have to use extenders on my 1Ds III, I quite like the fact that I can hand-hold this lens all day for nature photography.

One day soon i'll get the 800mm f/5.6L IS, but until then the 500mm f/4L IS is an excellent lens for the price you pay.