Amazon.com: Customer reviews: Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2012

When considering this lens, you will obviously think about comparing it to the competition:

Sigma/Tamrom 70-200 2.8 for 600-1200

Canon 70-200 2.8 I ~1200

Canon 70-200 2.8 II ~2000???

I WANTED the canon 2.8 I for 1200, it is reasonable and 2.8 is amazing for any lens. I settled for this lens due to being basically half the price.

This lens is basically very good. It is very light weight(compared to the 24-70 2.8L, it is nothing) I don't even mind the size!! Goes well with the Canon t2I body due to the 1.6x magnification crop sensor. I will always keep this lens on that body, now that I also have a Canon 5d Mark II. I will have to find a good wide angle lens for that body.

I just checked, and it can fit inside of my SMALL camera bag, just barely. This is amazing, I can now carry two bodies and two lenses(this and a wide angle lens) in my camera bag. My camera bag is very small, too small for a laptop or a paper notebook, yet I can fit this lens,attached to a camera body (w/o hood) and have it ready for quick shots.

I like how the lens does not extend like other zoom lenses. My 24-70 2.8L lens does this which can be a problem. The lens hood would normally protect the extended area, and it can suction dust into the lens when you change focal length. Now I don't have to worry.

In my dim lit house, lit by normal bulbs about 25 feet off the ground, I can shoot at 1/80, F4 at 6400. Not bad at all, I was expecting a lot worse!! Still, it is very difficult to get a sharp shot at 200(more on a 1.6 crop) at 1/80. Due to this, I would want a 2.8 lens still. This is not a concern at all in cloudy/sunny shots during the daytime.

I was also surprised that the minimum focus distance is 4 feet, but that is not too bad. Should have researched more.

The bokeh at F4 is not amazing in cluttered scenes. If there is a shot with something close in the BG, it will be impossible to blur and make it look pretty.

The auto focus is very fast, yet in dark scenes and at 200MM it searches for focus A LOT. Not bad enough to be concerned about.

Handheld shots at <1/120 will be very hard to do.

The sharpness is great when you can hold it steady

So the ONLY thing to consider when comparing this to the other lenses is what situation you will use it in. For day time shots, this lens will do. If you do indoor or night time shooting, I would go with the 2.8.

This lens is fun and amazing. I will buy the 2.0x extender and the 2.8 version when I get more money!!

5 people found this helpful

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Ezra

Historic Telephoto Zoom Masterpiece

Reviewed in the United States on January 11, 2015

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

The Canon 70-200mm F/4 USM is quite an amazing telephoto zoom lens. I wanted to wait a while before writing a review, but I must say that I am thoroughly impressed with this lens. Although this version is an older model with no IS, it still performs very well and I am always impressed with the quality of my photography. This was my first telephoto lens and I knew I had to own one since the day I saw it at an electronic store through the glass display window; I was in awe!

One of the main purposes of the 70-200mm F/4 is for medium range photography where subjects can be shot at a distance. The minimal focal distance already starts at 70mm, so more than likely indoor or close quarter photography may not by the best environment for this lens. Obtaining a shallow depth of field at maximum aperture F/4 produces really sharp results. The Ultra Sonic Motor (USM) helps the lens' Auto Focus (AF) operate very fast and quiet simultaneously; other standard models tend to make louder AF sounds and may struggle depending on what the camera is attempting to identify as the subject. If you struggle with the AF, MF is always to secondary option to manually control your own shots. I suggest using a lens filter to protect lens glass to prevent or eliminate scratches or worse. The 1.4x and 2x tele-converters can be used with this lens, I have the 2x version already. Even at 135mm to 200mm (which I hear is really 216mm to 320mm for my Rebel T5 APS-C 1.6x crop factor sensor), any perceived distortion is not even noticeable to the naked eye. However, I will admit that once the focal length maxes out at 200mm, hand held camera shake or other instabilities can blur potentially great photos. I do understand why IS was built into the newer models. Compared to other telephoto lens, the 70-200mm is very lightweight, but still on the long side, which I don't mind. The body is very well built and has a stunning cream white, black and red ring design, which looks very attractive, even to to onlookers.

I do truly love the 70-200mm F/4 lens and while most of my environments that I take photos in do not warrant its use, it feels 'new' when I do I have the opportunity to use take great shots with it. By today's standard, the 70-200mm F/4 is quite affordable as well. Truly a masterpiece and most owners will attest to its quality craftsmanship and continuous dynamic results.

10 people found this helpful

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Anton Duc Hung Tran

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L - Amazing piece of glass!

Reviewed in the United States on November 22, 2011

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

Briefly - What a great lens this is!

First of all, a little bit about me: I am a student and I am getting more and more serious about photography as a hobby and passion. So far, I have learned more and more, but surely I am far from understanding the beautiful world of photography.
Currently I own the Canon 7D, which is a very versatile and great camera! I own the above named lens, plus the 50mm f/1.8 and the 28-135mm USM IS, which I will replace soon.

1. The price:
Yes, this is what we call a bang for the buck. In relative terms though. Relative to other L lenses this is one of the moest inexpensive lens (I avoid using cheap, since cheap is always associated with low quality as well). Nevertheless, in these times, I am certain that the vast majority of us is on a tight budget. and about $600-700 is quite a little fortune for most of us - for a piece of glass.
Nonetheless I am more than happy with my lens. It is worth its money, every penny! And there was not a moment, since I have used this lens, that I regret spending the money for this purchase!

2. The build quality:
As you may expect from an L lens the build quality is second to none. Yes, this lens, as well as the f/2.8 version are not weathersealed. Yet, they are very robust, one can survive with this lens easily in harsher weather.
Once you open the box and have this lens in your hand you can just feel the quality and the work that has been put into this little piece of excellence.
In order to store it properly, this lens comes with a nice leather bag (and a lens hood, which is very useful to protect your glass physically and protect it against unwanted light influence).
For a telephoto lens this is also one of its lightest in its class. The weight feels reasonable, comfortable on a Camera such as the 7D. One could walk with this combination for a couple of hours and would not break one's arm. Of course, each person's preference is different. To me, the weight of this lens is optimal.

3. Optical quality:
Is this the best lens of Canon's L family? Probably not. Does that say anything? Probably not. It all comes to what you need and what you want and also: what you are capable of as a photographer.
As for me, this lens is perfect. I mostly shoot in good light condition, because I just love the natural sunlight as my source of light. Also I like to shoot in dawn and so far no problem for me.
The f/4 aperture might scare some people away, but if you really think about it, ask yourself, how often do you really use an aperture of f/2.8 with a focal length of 70-200m (multiplied by 1.6 with Crop Cameras such as the Canon 7D).
If you do a lot of shoots in poor light conditions, yes the stop that you get from the 2.8 version might reason the $1000 difference in price.
For me, I am totally satisfied with the lens as it is.
Also the lack of IS has not been an issue for me so far. In low light, it would be helpful at times, nevertheless with a tripod and/or a good flash, shooting at night will not be a big problem.

4. Should one buy this lens?
YES - clear yes! If you do not need an IS and/or an aperture of 2.8 this lens is one of the best bargains you can make. I love this lens and so far I do not intend to trade this one in. And don't forget, that there is always a learning curve! Shots might be not as magnificent at the beginning, but once you get to know this lens and understand more about photography, this lens is a superb one.
Moreover this lens is great to shoot outdoor action such as sports. Even as a portrait lens this one serves very well!
All in all, you cannot do a lot wrong by purchasing this lens.
I had a hard time thinking about weather to buy it or not and I am honestly very glad that I did purchase this lens.
If you saved up enough, get this lens, you would not regret it. Try it out for a while and then judge it. One of the biggest benefits of this lens is, that the price does not decline significantly over time, even used, due to its high quality.

Get this lens, go out and enjoy shooting with it!

19 people found this helpful

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Logan Higgins

Very good lens, stabilization is a problem

Reviewed in the United States on February 23, 2024

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

If you lens doesnt have ibis, dont bother. Work on getting a better camera first. Holding this thing and keeping it steady without a monopod or tripod is pretty close to impossible. Shots above have been shot with ibis on my camera with a lens adapter. Overall, zoom and quality is very good. Auto Focus is very good making it easy to shoot basketball with. Package came with newspaper wrapping, a special letter, lens hood cover and dust cover aswell as a carrying case. Overall, for new photographers. Buy this.

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Lexalotacus

A taste of an L series without the price.

Reviewed in the United States on May 27, 2012

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

This is an amazing lens. There are some things I dont like but overall worth the money for what it can do.

Ok so Ill just say that the Canon 70-200mm f4 lens on the 5d mark ii is a fantastic alternative to the more expensive counterparts. It's extremely fast autofocus is quiet and accurate. You even have 2 settings to further improve its already-fast speed. Next, 70-200 is a huge amount of space to work with. Not quite telephoto enough for wildlife shots or planets on a Canon 5d mark ii, but still a great range if you do weddings or sports, etc... This lens is also fantastic with a macro extension tube (but get the Canon tubes NEVER the cheap ones). The lens is sharp, very clean, and very accurate. If you know how to meter your shots right and expose properly then all you have to do is point, focus and shoot and this lens will ensure clean images.

Ok so its clean and sharp and fast on the 5d mark ii, but there are a couple things I dont like that aren't a big deal but remind me that this is the cheapest of the L series lenses. First, it doesn't seal as well as you'd expect from an L series lens when connecting to the body. There is a little tiny bit of play there that doesn't quite seem as 'weather-resistant' as they advertise. Again, maybe this is only because its the cheaper version. I still used it in rain and wind but ended up having to clean my sensor and both ends of the lens optics. Second, that's it. This lens is great.

4 people found this helpful

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CG

Perfect image quality + outstanding value

Reviewed in the United States on June 29, 2010

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

This review is for the Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 L USM zoom lens. I initially had some reservations about this particular lens, but it's been excellent since day one and I'm glad I bought it. It has earned a permanent place in my camera bag, and I highly recommend it. Here's why.

So many versions of the 70-200mm L USM lens are available. You can get it with or without IS, as f/2.8 or f/4, and now the f/2.8 IS USM Mark II model is on the market. The f/2.8 versions are quite a bit more expensive, and from what everybody says, heavy.

My camera is a Canon 50D. I try to only buy lenses that have an aperture of f/2.8 or faster, but the outstanding price of this L lens together with reading all the complaints about the weight on the f/2.8 version were enough to persuade me to buy this lens. I really haven't noticed much benefit from Image Stabilization on other Canon lenses I own, and actually find that under low-light conditions IS can sometimes cause the AF to hang-up and flash a "busy" message, so I didn't see the need to pay extra for the IS version of this lens. I just planned on using a tripod all the time with this lens.....turns out that under most conditions, this is not necessary.

My first photos taken with this lens were hand-held and under low light, and the color and sharpness was fabulous - just what I've come to expect from L glass. A few days later went out for some landscape shots and forgot to bring my tripod. Again, excellent color and clarity, and no blurry shots at 'reasonable' shutter speeds. For landscape I found I could get a decent panorama at 70mm and then zoom in on a monument at 200mm. During this shoot I needed to take a few portrait shots, and again thanks to the 70-200 range there's no need to change lenses. Even at f/4 you can get awesome portrait-perfect bokeh with this lens.

Fast-forward to my daughter's first swimming class. Olympic-sized pool housed in a poorly-lit building, shooting hand-held from the bleachers a couple hundred feet away, so flash is not a realistic option. This lens nailed every single shot at 200mm - I was amazed! No tripod, no flash, and out of 42 shots not a single one out of focus or over/under-exposed. Once again, faithful colors and detail so sharp you can see the water droplets in mid-air. This lens is quite light for its length - even lighter than my shorter Canon 24-70mm f/2.8 L USM lens. I've read other reviews for this lens complaining about the weight, but I disagree. The weight of this lens is never a problem, the only concern walking around is the length (7 inches without the hood).

Sure, if I had more money, I'd love to have the f/2.8 version for those moments when you really need a large aperture and the extra weight doesn't matter. Also, this lens does not come with a tripod ring, and it's a pretty good idea to have on on hand, especially if you're using a battery grip. There are several cheap ones available, but I've had good luck with the extremely overpriced OEM one: Canon Tripod Mount Ring A II (W) For 70-200mm f/4L Lenses . And if dust & moisture is a concern, only the IS models have environmental sealing, so you might want to pass this one up. I rarely go out shooting in damp or dusty climates, and I baby my gear so I should be fine for a few years. The bottom line: I love it!

16 people found this helpful

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Mike H

Amazing lens at a fair price

Reviewed in the United States on December 28, 2009

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

I bought this lens as my first DSLR lens about 4 or 5 months ago. I needed a high quality lens at a decent price that would have some versatility. I shoot for my college paper and my college's main sport is soccer. So I ended up getting it because mostly I'll be in decent lighting and could really use the 200mm. My big worry before buying this lens was whether or not the aperture would be fast enough. I've shot at 1600 ISO indoors with this thing and it does a decent job, I wouldn't recommend it for that but with some decent noise reduction in photoshop or similar software you can still get some keeper pictures. Again, I wouldn't recommend this for low light unless you've got a mounted flash such as the 430x speedlite. But I still was able to get some decent shots in a gym shooting things like volleyball luckily. For low light-basketball and such I'll probably purchase the 85mm 1.8 usm.

I've also now been able to compare this lens to the much more expensive 70-200 2.8L. The 2.8L is about twice the price of this lens and is about twice as heavy, but lets in a full stop more light. 2.8 STILL isn't enough for most indoor shots without flash, and the 70 end is pretty long for indoors as well.

As far as sharpness goes I didn't actually compare the shots from this to the 2.8 with the pictures side by side(as I uploaded the pictures to a school server and not my home computer). 2.8 gives better background blur, but because of the long focal length it's still easy to get the shallow depth at f/4.

Another much more expensive possibility for you is the IS version, IS will definitely help for sports, but I find with a monopod the lens is stabilized enough even indoors. I'd rather have the non-is 2.8 than the IS f/4.

If you can deal with less versatility, a slightly more expensive alternative could also be the 200 f/2.8L prime. Sports photos will mostly be at the 200 end and the extra stop will help quite a bit. But sometimes the action gets close and you'd be out of luck for all of those shots.

The USM AF motor gives silent and quick focusing, pretty much a necessity for action photography or wildlife where every millisecond is one which could have had the perfect shot.

My lens is tack sharp at f/4, but it does gain a bit of sharpness when stopped down to 5.6 specifically at the edges of the pictures.

The sharpness on this lens will impress, thrill, and maybe even hook you into saving up for more L lenses as well. .

They call that "L fever" and this lens might just give that to you.
I'd definitely recommend this lens for anyone who wants an extremely sharp, fairly long tele zoom at a very affordable price(for an L).

5 people found this helpful

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The Sideout Rocker

Expect More of a Learning Curve for Beginning Photographers Due to No IS

Reviewed in the United States on May 21, 2016

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

I am a professional wedding, event and portrait photographer, and my review will be directed more towards beginner photographers.

There will be a higher learning curve than with more experienced photographers who have a solid grasp on shutter speed working in conjunction with focal length because there is no image stabilization (IS) on this lens. For videographers, a tripod or monopod is pretty much a must-have when shooting in lower light (even in the shade) that is not bright sunlight. There are ways to compensate for no IS with the most common being increasing the ISO. However, unless you have one of the more modern cameras like a Canon 70D or Canon 6D which produce much lower noise (distortion) at higher ISO's, you will more than likely need to make sure you have a flash to compensate for no IS.

Build quality is solid; no plastic parts here. However, even with it being an L series lens, this does NOT have weather sealing. If you are a nature/outdoor photographer shooting in wet and dusty climates a lot, this is something to consider. For me, it is negligible. Image quality is excellent; what I expect from an L series lens. The other nice thing about this lens is that the aperture remains the same throughout the focal length as opposed to the cheaper lenses that have a "variable" aperture which means the aperture will change automatically as you zoom in. The weight of this lens is significantly less than the much pricier 70-200mm f/2.8 version which I have shot with numerous times. A lot of lenses produce soft images when shooting at its maximum aperture (or wide open). However, this lens produces sharp images at f/4.

I shoot with both a Canon 7D and Canon 5D body. The 5D is a full frame camera body where the *viewable* focal length is 70-200mm. The Canon 7D is a crop-sensor body (as well as the Canon 10-70D and Rebel bodies) where the *viewable* focal length is 112-320mm. I already own a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 and a Canon 50mm 5/1.8 lens to help cover any low light shots. I also have a Canon 10/22 f/3.5-4.5 lens to cover wide angle shots. So, the 70-200mm f/4 compliments what I already have.

In conclusion, and in my humble opinion, there is no lens that comes close in image quality at this price range; this is the most affordable of the Canon "L" series lineup. However, for beginners, expect a little more of a learning curve in using this lens properly and knowing when to use it. If IS is a must-have for you and you don't mind paying a little more, then get the f/4 IS version which is right at about $1000. But if you want the L series image quality at an affordable price, this is it!

216 people found this helpful

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Cyril J. Stanton

My First "L" Series Lens leaves me wanting more

Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2013

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

Ok, first of all, I am NOT a professional photographer; I'm just a reasonably good amateur who always wants to improve. A friend of mine, who is a much better amateur that I, has a couple of "L" series lenses he uses with his 5D Mark III (green w/ envy) and after hearing him sing the praises of these "L" lenses, I knew I had to have one. The problem is, as a hobbyist, I could not justify spending more than my Canon 7D cost for a lens. Then I found this one and started reading the reviews. At the time I was able to get this lens new from Amazon for $689, so I took the plunge. Seemed like a reasonable way to enter the "L" Series world. Glad I did!

The first real test of this lens was up at Angel Fire New Mexico this past August (2013) for the Red Bull BMX bike competition. I took over 1380 pictures that day! All I can say is WOW! The clarity and sharpness of the pictures taken with this lens are nothing short of spectacular, if I do say so myself. The lens is great for outdoor sporting events like this! It is reasonably light weight also considering it's a 70-200mm zoom; It's easy to lug around in other words. A couple of observations. The lens is F4, which worked great as long as there was plenty of light, but not so great when the light wasn't fairly bright (in the shadows or when sun went behind a cloud for example). Also, I tried a friend's 2X extender and found that there was too much loss at F4 except in the brightest of conditions, so I gave up using that. This lens does not have Image Stabilization (IS), but that wasn't a factor except in a few instances. Overall I love this lens and would definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to get into the world of "L" lenses without breaking the bank. The only problem is, once you see the results with this lens you will want more "L" lenses which may break the bank after all! (I know I have my heart set on a good Wide Angle "L" Zoom now for landscape photography). It's on my bucket list!

7 people found this helpful

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shotokun16

Sharp, Sharp, sharp! its so sharp it hurts

Reviewed in the United States on June 12, 2013

Style: Lens OnlyVerified Purchase

Bought this from Amazon and have to say its super sharp. Remember if you have a crop sensor camera like me (e.g. T3i = x 1.6) you will be taking photos in the 112mm-320mm range. But rest assure this beautiful glass will take some magical shots. Over the weekend i took some photos of a few baseball games and the equipment that i usually carry for events like this are the following: Canon EF 24-105mm f/4 L IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras , Black rapid sports strap, and a monopod Manfrotto 680B Monopod 4-SCTN Replaces 680 (Black) This is what i got at 1/1000- 1/2000 F/4 ISO 100-400 around 11am-4pm in one the games.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/shotokun16/IMG_5825.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/shotokun16/IMG_5828.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/shotokun16/IMG_6259.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v201/shotokun16/IMG_6230.jpg
*copy/paste these to your URL and they should work.

Build Quality:
A (doesnt have weather seal but a lot Canon equipment can take a beating; on a off-topic note, my t3i survived hurricane Isaac when i was in Louisiana)
Value:
A+ (got it around the $570 mark *Spring 2013*)

Conclusion:

I recommend this lens to any amateur photographer who enjoys hiking, sports, landscape shooting, and who wants to experience L glass quality. I recommend not getting the IS version since it will cost you another $500+, i would recommend getting the Manfrotto 680B Monopod 4-SCTN Replaces 680 (Black) and
Fotodiox Pro, Premium Grade Tripod Mount Lens Collar for Canon EOS EF USM Lenses, 70-200mm F4L, 300mm F4L and 400mm F5.6L Lenses as Canon A-2 Collar . The monopod is just 2-lbs (little heavy) but your shots will be much more stable comparing to the IS and you will look like a pro photographer. Cheers! Save that extra money and avoid the IS i would rather get F/2.8 non-IS or build up your lens collection. IMHO (in my humble opinion) IS is kinda a gimmick unless you're a die-hard videographer; if you wanna use both worlds of photography and videography get that monopod.

Sincerely,
just another amateur photographer with his awesome Canon T3i

PS: all of the following photos i posted have B+W 67mm XS-Pro Clear UV Haze with Multi-Resistant Nano Coating (010M) filter =D. Leave comments i need someone to critique my baseball shots.

3 people found this helpful

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