• Focal length: 75-300mm
• Maximum aperture: 1:4-5.6
• Lens construction: 13 elements in 9 groups
• Diagonal angle of view: 32 (at 11 feet) to 8 degrees (at 15 feet)
• Focus adjustment: Front group rotating extension system with USM
• Closest focusing distance: 4.9 feet
• Zoom system: Rotating type
• Filter size: 58mm
• Dimensions: 2.8 inches in diameter, 4.8 inches long
• Weight: 16.8 ounces

First of all, it doesn't have USM (Ultra Sonic Motor) and though having built-in AF motor, it is anyway VERY slow. And since telephoto lenses in general are for capturing high-speed events (like sport, running animals etc), its low-speed focusing makes it no good.

Secondly, its light-factor is quite low (4.0 for 75mm and only 5.6 for 300mm) what forces you to use either high-speed film (not lower than ISO400) or to shoot in the bright light (what's not possible everytime you shoot).

And the last, but not less important thing. I'm not good in mechanics, but what I know for sure is that Canon's 75-300mm lens produce unsharp pictures. No matter if you use a tripod or not, the pictures still are very unsharp which is very bad for images, being zoomed by 300mm.

Anyway, I'd recommend you to buy the lens of the same focal distance but in another configuration: Canon EF 75-300 F/4.5-5.6 IS USM. Although it's a bit expensive and as you see, the light factor is a bit lower, too, it has an USM and IS (Image Stabilizer) what makes focusing drastically super fast and the pictures become more sharper with the help of IS. This lens deserves a high attention. But not this one...


Is this lens as bad as some people say it is?   April 8, 2006
 146 out of 150 found this review helpful

No it's not especially if you take into account its intended users. If you use a Canon digital SLR and are satisfied with the kit lens (18-55) then buying this lens can be the perfect next step for you. Practically speaking, you will be able to increase your zoom reach to the point where you can A) photograph birds in moderately distant trees, B) be able to zoom in on the other side of a valley and frame something of your interest. Those are just two examples. One thing you will NOT be able to do effectively with this lens, however, is to take sport shots with it. How so? Consider some of the following weakness:

*At 300mm zoom range the highest aperture is limited to 5.6 (You will have to use very slow shutter speed to snap fast action shots; remember the inverse relation between aperture and shutter speed.)
*The lens size/weight combination makes it hard to hold steady when attached to a camera like the Rebel XT
*Slow and often inaccurate auto focus (I just don't understand why Canon makes a USM version of this lens for $20 more, but never includes it in the triple rebate program)
*Chromatic aberration is significant in high contrast lighting like in full sun (if you do not know what Chromatic aberration means search the term online or check out my review of the Canon 28mm 2.8 on Amazon, but to summarize, it would be a discoloration at the fringes of objects in your picture)

Those kinds of weakness will limit your ability to use this lens in all sorts of other situations/circumstances. As a practical rule to follow, if the lighting is less than ideal this lens will give you a hard time. Meaning, it will be possible to use it, but you may get too many blurry images because of shake from slow shutter speeds. As for what are ideal lighting conditions? That would be full sun with few or no clouds and with the light bathing your subject/object from the front or the side.

So is this lens that bad? Not really, as with many other lenses, when the lens is coupled with a good camera it still out performs most Point and Shoot cameras. Plus it provides results at par or slightly below the kit lens (18-55). So if you are satisfied with your kit lens, which provides you with a zoom range comparable to 3X zoom (55/18= 3), why not add another lens that will expand your zoom range by another 4X (300/75=4)? Nothing wrong with expanding your horizon!

PS. TWO MORE POINTS ABOUT USING THIS LENS: First, if you're confident you can handhold this lens at slow shutter speeds (I know I can't) then the low maximum aperture shouldn't be a major problem. Second, if you're fine shooting at high ISO (more like 400 or 800) then again the low maximum aperture shouldn't be a problem. The nice thing about photography is that you can do one thing in so many ways, so don't be afraid to explore with this lens!


Canon's EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III...   November 9, 2000
 67 out of 94 found this review helpful

Canon EF Lenses Have A Built In AF Motor..Compared To Camera Body-Based AF Motors, Lens-Based Motors Have Driving Energy With Lower Transmission Loss...The AF Operation Is Therefore Quick, Quiet, And Highly Precise...All EF Lenses Also Have EMD (Electromagnetic Diaphragm) To Control The Aperture Electronically...The Aperture Can Be Set Either With An Electronic Dial Or With The Electronic Pulse Signal Sent According To The Exposure Reading...The Aperture Control Is Therefore Precise And Umnatched...

To Go With Canon's Reputation, They Introduce A Lens That Is Truely Immaculate...Its Telephoto Zoom From 75mm-300mm Is A Great Addition To A Current Setup With A 28-80mm Lens And Is Ideal For Shooting Sports, Wildlife, Or Portraits...It Can Compress An Image To Give Dramatic Effects...The Optics And Construction Are Compact And Lightweight (Compared To My Nikon FM Setup) And The 4x Zoom Is Great...A Very Steady Shot Even At Maximum Zoom...The Apature Stops Are Adaquate, Being f4-f5.6, But Could Be Wider...All In All An Awesome Lens For The Money...Another Canon Hit...

*Specs Taken From Canon's Catalogue...


Great Lens!   July 31, 2000
 49 out of 61 found this review helpful

I'm using this lens with a Canon EOS Elan IIE camera, and have been thrilled with the results. My pictures are all clear, and look like I was up close! It is very easy to use, and is the lens that "lives" on my camera.


Great Lens for a Great Price   June 16, 2000
 36 out of 40 found this review helpful

This lens has worked out great for me. I totally recommend it. The canon camera is really something. Just about all of my pictures come out great. It is really hard to take a bad picture with this equipment