Customer Reviews

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I get frustrated by all the negative reviews this lens gets on the web. Yes, the AF is slow and the IS is first generation. Yes, it's not totally sharp and it's slow at the long end. But what other $440 (inc shipping) 300mm lenses with IS is there?

* The DO costs $1100 and is shorter but heavier and the optics are not much better.

* The 100-400L costs $1400, is much larger and just as slow.

* The 70-200/4L is 50% more expensive, only 200mm and lacks IS.

* The new 70-300 IS that replaces this lens will probably be a better lens than this version but it costs 50% more and currently (Oct 05) is still not available in the US.

The 75-300mm IS is my zoo lens so I don't use it nearly as much as my standard zoom for everyday photography. On my Digital Rebel with its 1.6x crop factor this lens is the equivalent of 120-480mm in 35mm terms, and with the image stabilization feature it makes for some exotic optics. Play to this lens' strengths (middle of the aperture range [don't be afraid of higher ISO settings to achieve this] and not the extreme long end) and your images will be able to be printed at 8x10 without an issue.

You're not going to be able to easily track a speeding cheetah with this lens but that is not what this lens is for. It's also unfair to compare this lens to L series alternatives - if you can afford L series lenses then use them but don't cut those of us down without your disposable income just for enjoying this lens. If you own this lens and you want to improve the quality of your images remember to always use a lens hood. Also, the IS is amazing but there are limits; a monopod will improve image sharpness no end. But both these tips apply equally to most lenses both cheaper and more expensive.

This lens has earned a permanent place in my camera bag. It's cheap enough and light enough to carry just in case you might need a strong telephoto. The IS really works and is really useful on a telephoto with this kind of zoom range. Don't be put off or intimidated by lens snobs and line counters. This lens also holds its value well; buy it, and use it, now while you're saving for your L dream telephoto and you will be able to sell it for not much less than you paid for it when the time comes to upgrade. When that time comes you just might decide that you want to keep the 75-300mm IS around as well. This lens is great value and very useable even if it is not a great lens.

I shot a roll of a film with a newly purchased 75-300 IS and returned it shortly afterwards. I was satisfied with the image quality (although it could be sharper at the 300mm end), however I found the performance of the lens to be unacceptable. The focusing speed is WAY too slow. For those of you who don't already know, there are TWO kinds of USM motors. One of them is very fast and allows focus override, one of them is very slow and does not allow for focus override. This lens has the latter. This lens flaunts the fact that it has a USM motor, but believe me, in terms of focusing speed, you will not be able to detect any difference between this lens and the non-USM 75-300 lens. The fact that the lens is a slow, dark f/5.6 at 300mm doesn't help things either. The image stabilizer does work well, but the focusing motor is just too slow. This is the first lens Canon made with IS and therefore contains the older USM motor (as far as I know, none of the other IS lenses contain this type of motor). Canon should really update this lens and put a better focusing motor in it. If they were to do that, this would be a KILLER lens.

During the event I shot using the 75-300 IS USM, I lost many good shots because the lens kept hunting instead of locking onto my subject. At one point I actually ended up throwing it into manual focus because it was just easier that way. Unfortunately, if you want a long telephoto zoom that focuses quickly, you have to throw out a lot more money and buy something like the 100-400 IS USM (which contains the GOOD USM motor) or the 70-200 USM (also containing the good focusing motor).

I'll close by saying that this lens will *probably* work well for you if you know you'll always be shooting places where there is VERY sufficient light (aka outside). Otherwise, I'd stay away from this lens.

This is my third lens, I already have the amazing f1.4 50mm and the truely great 28-135mm IS. Comparing this lens to the 28-135 IS, this lens is very slow to focus, has difficulty focusing in low light, and the photos it takes are not nearly as sharp. On the other hand... it's a 300mm lens - it'll take you quite close to a subject, and the IS means that you can handhold it in reletively decent light. Two big drawbacks - the IS doesn't work on tripod, and it doesn't have a "real" USM motor, so you can't mix AF and MF modes, you have to choose between modes with a switch. If I had to do it over again, I'd probably still get this lens, since the next level up (70-200 IS) is four times more expensive, and even the 50-500 is twice as expensive. If you intend to handhold shots, the IS is probably worth it over the non-IS version.

For the average user (that's me), this is an excellent choice for a zoom telephoto. The Image Stabilization feature works very well in outdoor settings. It focuses quickly - even on a moving subject.

This is the lens I take to airshows. Nearly every picture is perfect. As long as I keep the subject in the viewfinder (often moving over 300 MPH), it will quickly focus, and I get sharp pictures - usually so clear that I can read the (small) writing on the side of planes that were over 1/2 mile away when I photographed them. And, there is no need to use a tripod.

This is not a good lens for indoor or low light photography. But I didn't purchase a telephoto to use indoors. I am very pleased that I spent the extra $$$ for Image Stabilization.

I love this lens. I read some of the reviews above and I believe they are nit-picking on small issues. I have used this lens in various settings, and I have not had a problem with it. The quality of the images I get are terriffic. They are always crisp and clear. The focus speed hasn't been a problem for me.

If you're looking for ultra-professional performance, perhaps you should be looking at those gigantic lenses you see on the sidelines of pro sporting events that cost 5 times as much. Otherwise, if you're just shooting your kids at the park, animals at the zoo, and general family and recreational based photos, this lens will work wonderfully.

The image stabilization is teriffic. I get crystal clear pictures at 300 while holding the camera by hand.

Just terrific.

I use this lens with my Digital Rebel 6.3 megapixel camera. I'm one of those shaky photographers, and I knew from past film camera that anything beyond 150mm I would not be able to keep steady enough. I also wanted to have the ability to take photos in low light situations beyond 100mm.
This lense is basically the most affordable that Canon offers with this range flexibility (100-300mm) and with autofocus and image stabilization. Canon makes a wide array of higher end lenses, and some will offer faster image stabilization or clearer picture quality, but for most photographers, you'll find this lense works very well.
If you use the image stablization a lot (like for every picture) you may want to carry a spare battery too, as the IS feature does cause some minor battery drain depending on how much you use it. I found with my Rebel that adding the battery grip with both batteries installed not only lets me take pictures (tons of pictures!) but it also further helps balance the weight of the camera with this lense attached.

Image quality is so-so, and the USM is not ring USM, so you can't adjust the focus manually without turning off the AF. The image quality is not terrible, and is actually quite acceptable.

If you don't need IS, I would recommend that you get the EF 100-300 f/4.5-5.6 USM instead, which is about $150 cheaper, has ring USM, and gives you noticeably better images to boot. But if you need image stabilization in this price range, this is the lens to get, as IS is not available on the 100-300.

This would also make a good lens for the 10D/Digital Rebel/300D, since the 1.6x cropping eliminates the various flaws and distortions at the image edge that you'll see at the longer focal lengths & wider aperatures when shooting with this lens on film.

This lens almost never leaves my camera. I love it! The image stabilizer is fantastic, you simply zoom in, push the shutter release half way and the image stabilizes. It is incredibly useful especially in unplanned situations without a tripod. I've used it to capture sports action shots, parachuting, portraits, you name it. Incredible zoom that practically eliminates blur due to camera shake.

Owned 2 weeks:

The only thing to cause me to stop short of 5 stars is the weight of the lens. Stabilization is great and worth every dime. Don't even think about the other 75-300mm non-IS version, it is junk - I tried it. You can hand hold this lens at 300 mm at 1/60!! No kidding. Focus is fast and accurate with my Digital Rebel - almost no hunting like on the other 75-300mm. You *must* get a skylight filter to protect the front element.

I'll update this review after a few months' use.

I ordered this lens after reading mixed reviews of it, but I was really pleasantly surprised.

It focusses reasonably fast, and the pictures I have taken of bugs, squirrels, kids playing, and still objects were all sharp with nice color. I can't wait to try it at the zoo!

It is best in bright sunlight and about F8, which I expected, but what I did not expect was that it is surprisingly good at 300mm wide open too. Also, the IS is a must-have for me. It enables me to handhold shots at 300mm, which I would normally not be able to do and get sharp pics.

All in all, I would highly recommend this lens to anyone who wants good telephoto pictures and doesn't have $1500 or so to get these same features in an "L" lens.