Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras: Customer Reviews & Product Details

First off - let's hit the obvious thing that might concern many - the lack of IS on this lens. At longer focal lengths with slower shutter speeds, this can be an issue on this lens..BUT with how well newer Canons are handling higher ISOs, many of the camera shake issues that you would need IS for can be addressed by cranking up ISO and shooting at a higher shutter speed...I won't lie though, IS is a nice addition to a mid-range zoom, but does it justify the cost increase to the IS version? That will really depend on the user and their financial situation.

I use this lens mainly for portraits along with my 24-70 F2.8L. The 70-200 is a perfect complement to that zoom range, and if you really want the ideal situation, having the 70-200 F2.8 in addition to the 24-70 F2.8 is a great way to go...but, again, cost rears its ugly head when we look at the jump from the F4 to the F2.8 in the 70-200 lenses.

I bought this lens because I knew I wasn't going to be using it in situations where I needed IS and because I wasn't going to need F2.8 either. With those two considerations in mind, you can't go wrong with this lens. It is pin-sharp throughout the entire focal range and produces wonderful bokeh for portraits. I use this lens all the time for doing kids portraits and outdoor candids - the zoom range lets me stay out far enough that the child doesn't really know I am taking his picture (that sounds creepy - but you know what I am getting at here if you've done child's photography - the second they know the camera is pointed at them, they often stop being cute and start being awkward). At 200mm, I get superbly sharp features in the eyes - sparkles are there, eyelash details, etc., while at the same time having wonderfully smoothed backgrounds. The subject really 'pops' from the background. This lens is also great for a formal portrait session if you are able to stand far enough away from the person. So, if you are into portraits and need a mid-range zoom, or maybe just bought a new Canon 7D or Rebel XSi or XS or a used XT series and want some L-series glass at a reasonable price, you can't go wrong here.

Some people consider using this with a Canon extender like a 1.4x or 2x. That I cannot recommend if you want to preserve optimal image quality. It will bump up the zoom, but your images will lose their L-series quality. If you already own the extender and just want some extra reach without being too terribly worried about those details, go for it.

This lens is also much, much lighter than its F2.8 counterpart. In my review about the 24-70 F2.8 I recommend that you often go for as much aperture as possible when buying a lens - I still stand by that when the price isn't a big difference (in my review about the 24-70 I was comparing it to the 24-105 - so there wasn't a huge price difference). If you can afford it and don't mind the extra weight, the F2.8 version of this lens is the choice, hands down. But if you want a lighter lens and have a specific plan for this lens that won't involve a lot of low-light shooting (like using it in flash photography a lot), I don't think you can go wrong with spending around $600 for an absolutely wonderful lens.

Please let me know if you have any questions about the lens, I'm happy to answer what I can.

I have had this lens for more than 4 years. I have mounted this on Rebel XT (350D) and been to events, weddings, zoo, etc. This is by far the best purchase that I have made in the last 5 years after moving to DSLR.

This is a very sharp, silent, and fast focusing lens and I enjoy the most among my lens collection.

I have considered moving to Nikon or Sony (peer pressure!) from Canon. But, due to quality of Canon glasses such as this, I have decided to stay with Canon!

I hummed and hawwed for quite a while before buying this. My 75-300mm f4-5.6 was was too soft at 200+ and using a CP was nearly impossible. Would this lens be worth all the extra though?

I think it is, my photo's haven't magically leaped forward overnight but out of the 500 photos i took over the past 2 weeks (the majority with this lens) I'm happy with most of them something which never would have happened before. Those i'm not are mainly due to fast moving birds.

The build quality is very good as you'd expect. The constant f4 and internal focusing almost justifying the lens on their own in my opinion. I've also obtained much sharper images then i would have before, even <1/200 at full zoom.

I'm really glad i bought this, and am not even missing the IS at present.

I have had this lens for several years. It produces color accurate pictures. It's a great lens for portaits.

Fantastic lens for the price. A must have for the serious Amateur photographer. The 70-200 F4L has good length, good weight, great glass and amazing results.
While its not the most amazing lens for bokeh, it does yield pleasant results in that field as well. On a crop-body (aps-c) this lens gives an effective zoom of 112-320mm. With a F-stop range from 4 to 32, you can shoot in almost any condition and get great, sharp shots. Combine this lens with a good off-camera flash, and you can get some really great shots.

Downsides
- the AF tends to hunt
- only F/4.0
- No image stabilization

These factors are minor and easily compensated for. Because the lens is FTM, you can use your auto-focussing to get you close, and then fine-tune manually. At F4, it's not the best lens in low-light - but with an corded or off-camera flash, you can make up for low-light. Lack of Image stabilization hasn't prevented me from taking amazing pictures, however, I'm sure with it, I could take better.

At ~$600-700, this lens is worth every penny.