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

This is so far the best lens I ever had. I really like the weight for a L lens (lighter than the 24-105 L for example). Extremely sharp, no visible aberration or distortion. It is almost a work-around zoom with my 5D MK2 and a nice nature zoom with my 30D. I tried the 70-200 f2.8: obviously faster lens but much heavier (because of IS feature) and not better from an optical performance point of view. The lack of IS is OK with the 5D MK2 as I can use high ISO setting, it is however more difficult to use with 30D in low light conditions. Overall, extremely happy and would definitely recommend to fellow photographers who have limited budget or who wants a relatively light lens (important if you are on a day long journey with the camera on the neck).

Amateur photographer getting back into the art after letting the digital revolution and the high prices of quality equipment get me down for quite some time. My amazing girlfriend recently bought me a Canon Digital Rebel XSi 12.2 MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 IS Lens (Black). I have been expanding my bag.

THIS LENS IS AMAZING!

Snapped this onto my XSi, and started shooting. The quality of the image simply blows you away. The colors, detail, everything! The lens is as high as you want to go (for zoom) before using a tripod. I would not go higher than 200mm without using a tripod. Quiet, fast focusing. Amazingly sturdy build. Not too large to carry around.

I have the kit 18-55 (will try to upgrade to L quality), the Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II Camera Lens ("nifty fifty") for low light, and now this. Coupled with a Canon Speedlite 430EX II Flash for Canon Digital SLR Cameras, my Tamrac Explorer 2 DSLR Camera Bag (Blue) is pretty complete for anything I'll want to do.

I tried to upload some photos to show the quality of this lens, but Amazon doesn't let you upload high res jpegs.

I have owned this lens for about a year and a half now. I have taken about 6,000 shots with this lens, and I am very happy with the results. In fact, this lens has produced three award winning photographs in the time that I have owned it.

The lens is very sharp, lightweight, and the color contrast is excellent. As with all lenses, wide open, the sharpness does decline, but at f/5.6 or slower, this lens is a true performer and delivers tack sharp excellent images. This is not to say that the lens wide open is soft, it most certainly is not, but is not as sharp as at f/5.6 or slower. The USM motor is very quiet and fast autofocusing. When I was looking to purchase this lens, I compared it to the Canon 75-300mm IS USM. Although this lens only has a 70-200mm reach, the image quality difference more than makes up for any reach that is missing from this lens. Furthermore, the fixed aperture is a huge bonus when compared to the 75-300 IS USM. The lack of IS was not a problem for me. I also considered buying the Canon 70-200 f/2.8 (non-IS) lens. However, the price difference was the biggest determining factor when choosing this lens over the more expensive but faster f/2.8 version since I did not need a faster lens for my most common photographic uses.

This lens is, in my opinion, the absolute best deal in the entire Canon lineup. For the price, the quality of this lens cannot be beat. In the sweet spot (~f/6.3), this lens is stunning. The lens is very lightweight and can easily be carried around all day without fatigue.

Furthermore, as with all Canon L series lenses, the build quality is fantastic. The lens, although not weathersealed, is still very durable and has been through several hiking trips, vacations, and biking excursions into the middle of nowhere with me. This lens has never failed me once.

(P.S. Make sure you use your lens hood that comes with this lens. It will keep that glass safe!)

This is the first lens I purchased for my Canon Rebel XSi. I bought this after doing a considerable amount of research - the majority of which gave this product outstanding reviews. I am happy to report that my experience has been a very good one. I was a little concerned about not having some sort of image stabilization feature, but since most of my photograghy is outdoors - it has not been a problem. The lens delivers outstanding pictures,is a breeze to use and is so light that I can use it for hours at a time without tiring. I saw this lens on many sites for hundreds more than I paid for it from Amazon - so do a little research before buying. A great product and I would highly recommend it to anyone looking to add to their collection.

For the serious amateur, this is an excellent lens to start off your collection of well-known "L" series lenses. The image qualities are stunning as long as it gets enough light. The lens is much lighter in weight compared to its other 70-200mm counterparts (f/2.8 and/or IS) and a breeze to carry around.
If available, either rent/try out the other versions of this lens at a local rental store before you buy so you don't end up with a "shoulda/woulda" moments.