Lenses:

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0 L USM

Class:: Zoom Telephoto
Part number:: 2578A002
Introduced:: 1999

Similar Lenses

Canon	EF	75-300mm	f/4.0-5.6					$159.95	Details
Canon	EF	75-300mm	f/4.0-5.6				USM	$189.95	Details
Canon	EF	55-200mm	f/4.5-5.6				USM	$209.95	Details
Canon	EF	85mm	f/1.8				USM	$339.95	Details
Canon	EF	70-300mm	f/4.0-5.6			IS	USM	$559.95	Details
Canon	EF	70-200mm	f/4.0	L			USM	$584.95	Details
Canon	EF	70-200mm	f/2.8	L			USM	$1,139.95	Details
Canon	EF	70-300mm	f/4.5-5.6		DO	IS	USM	$1,149.95	Details
Canon	EF	70-200mm	f/4.0	L		IS	USM	$1,249.00	Details
Canon	EF	70-200mm	f/2.8	L		IS	USM	$1,699.95	Details

Thoughts

Like all of Canon’s 70-200 L lenses, this is an excellent telephoto zoom. Sharpness, contrast, color reproduction are all world-renowned. It’s very solid, and focuses and zooms internally.

Optical quality is great, with only slight distortion and vignetting. The lens is compatible with both 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters—but keep in mind that the 2.0x extender turns the lens into a 140-400 f/8, which means autofocus is lost on all but 1D camera bodies.

This is a good lens, and is naturally very similar to the 70-200 f/2.8. The largest difference is that the f/2.8 is a full stop faster, which is a clear advantage in low light situations, and lets it use the 2.0x extender while retaining autofocus. On the other hand, for the price of a 70-200 f/2.8, you could buy this lens and a 100mm f/2.8 macro, this lens, a 85mm f/1.8 and a Speedlite 580EX, or this lens and a 200mm f/2.8 L.

The f/4 has a smaller diameter than the f/2.8 lenses, and unlike most of Canon’s L-series lenses, uses a 67mm filter size. It weighs about a pound and a half, which is about half the weight of the f/2.8 lenses, and is far more comfortable to hold for a long period of time.

When it’s finally released, the 70-200 f/4 IS should also be considered.

Bottom Line

Canon’s other 70-200 L offerings are faster and/or offer Canon’s three-stop image stabilizer, but if you don’t need or can’t afford those options, this lens is the way to go. The 70-300 IS offers IS and another 100mm of reach at the same price point, but it’s slower, and doesn’t offer the same build or image quality as L-glass.