Used Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM Autofocus Telephoto Zoom Lens

2019-04-24T20:00:00

This wonderful small package of power delivers sharp crisp photos without carrying around a really long, thick, and heavy Canon "L" lens and while the photos aren't quite as sharp as you would expect from one of the half-ton "L" lenses, it does an excellent job if you're hitting the trail and still need power - it's an excellent alternative. It's very fast and quiet at focusing, and with the different levels of IS, it gives you plenty of alternatives. A must carry for anyone carrying around a fair amount of equipment and the available power of 200-300mm.

Billyboy66

Originally posted at

2019-04-01T20:00:00

The chubbiness make this an uncomfortable device. Additionally, since there is no identifying manufacturing date on the device one is unable to determine the age of the unit.

Ashrac

Originally posted at

2017-11-11T19:00:00

This lens falls exactly where it seems like it should...Its pretty sharp, smaller than any other lens of this type, and works pretty well as long as you're not looking down because it'll creep in from gravity. I use it for video, which it seems well-suited for, keeping the camera-size down. It racks focus without breathing heavily, which was a little surprising to me. also the barrel racks thru entire focal range in a quarter turn, again good for video. It's basically a 5.6 lens when used for video. not fast but pretty good for its size and price.

JayDub

Originally posted at

2014-04-03T20:00:00

Maybe it was my mistake but I had high expectations on this lens. I had the opportunity of taking the EF 400 F4 DO IS on a couple of air shows. The Diffractive Lens technology works great on this lens but its not the same with the 70-300. It is a light wight lens and that makes it nice for traveling and not being very flashy as the big white L's. But unfortunately it is not a very sharp lens. Not hapy with it.

Ggforce

Originally posted at

2014-02-24T19:00:00

Superb build quality. It is nearly identical in size to the 24-105 F4l. Solidly built. The interest in this lens is the 300mm reach in a greatly shortened barrel length. It does not broadcast your presence the way a 70-200 tube does. Good for street shooting. Disappointing results. The zoom ring was very difficult to twist to lengthen and the movement was not smooth. Prevented easy zoom to length if you have the camera to your eye. The images were not sharp, especially when cropped. I replaced the lens with much cheaper 70-300mm F3.5-5.6. Although plastic built it is lighter and the image quality SO much better. IS works effectively. I replaced the $650 DO with a refurbished lens from Canon USA for $260 and could not be more pleased.

BRYAN C.

2013-03-27T20:00:00

I really wanted to love this lens - small form factor, cool diffractive optics tech, and decent IS - but in the end the image quality just wasn't there. Sharpness and contrast on the long end of the range was routinely disappointing on my 7D. I have high hopes for the 70-300 L IS USM I just purchased to replace the DO lens.

howiez

Originally posted at

2013-02-02T19:00:00

This makes a good travel lens. It is versatile, relatively low weight and not too flashy. If you are looking for a sharp tele-zoom this is not the lens you need.

Pf456

Originally posted at

2012-08-26T21:00:00

General all around lens with good reach. Having issues with an ERR wide open where I have to remove the battery to clear the camera (5D Mark III). Otherwise, I'm liking the lens.

STEVE P.

2012-06-17T20:00:00

If you really need a small and lightweight lens, this is probably the best one you'll find. The rapid focus, small size, and solid IS is nothing short of amazing. I've successfully taken some pictures handheld at night and bumping around in crowds. On the downside, the images are hazy. A large diameter unsharp-mask and black level adjustment are needed in post processing, which about doubles the noise level. Closing the aperture too much while zoomed in causes the front fresnel lens to appear in the photo. After a few years of light use, I've accumulated quite a bit of dust inside the lens. The internal electronics also needed to be replaced out of warranty.

kmcmurtrie

Originally posted at

2012-04-18T20:00:00

I bought this lens a couple of years ago and have used it significantly while traveling. It is a nice lens, relatively light for the range and convenient in size. Pictures lack the sharpness that i was expecting from an expensive lens. in my case I don't think the convenience in size compensates for the average quality of the images in the far end of the range.

pabs

Originally posted at

2012-02-15T19:00:00

I have used this lens for over 3 years and I have found that the Canon 70-300mm DO IS lens to be real work horse in photographing historical and battle reenactments and on my travels. I can use the short end to set up the scene and the 300mm for close in and detail pictures. I bought this lens as a step up from the 100-300mm USM and have been extremely pleased with the results. This lens is sharp, the build quality and light weight of the lens holds up well when running around the battlefield, it encompasses the needed focal lengths and it is reliable! It might not be an “L” series lens but I wouldn’t replace it for anything. Keeping in mind the demands of the consumer, product quality, price point and intended use, Canon has done an excellent job with this lens. I have owned and used Canon cameras and lenses for over 40 years. I am one of those old fashion photographers that still uses film, I even use my old Canon AT-1 with the 28-85mm FD lens, so I don’t just rattle off a dozen pictures without thinking. Would I recommend the Canon 70-300mm DO IS lens to anybody, you can bet on it.

Napoleon

Originally posted at

2012-02-09T19:00:00

This lens is for someone who... ...doesn't need L quality ...can afford up to $1000 ...wants a small lens for travel and/or candids . My wife and I call this the spy lens. We do a lot of traveling, and only take carry-ons so size does matter. More importantly (as others have said, people get uncomfortable when you point a huge lens at them. I get great candids with both this and my 85mm 1.8 without subjects realizing they're being shot. I've actually had people get out of my way because they thought I was shooting a building or statue behind them. The IS is also great when the light fades. . I have also shot auto races with this lens. The USM is fast and steady. It keeps up with the 6 fps of my 50D nicely. . I have limited experience with other Canon zooms. This seems slightly better than the other 70-300, same or better IQ and a bit faster USM. It isn't as sharp as the 70-200 2.8 L, however. . The MSRP is too high for a non-L lens. I bought it used for just under $900. If you can get it for under $1000, it's worth it.

Spy L.

Originally posted at

2012-01-29T19:00:00

I tried this lens at different lengths while photographing my heatpump at about 30' away. I was impressed at how I could read the label on the unit. The size 10 font was extremely crisp at 300mm. I have not used this lens long so I cannot really say overall how well it will work, but I have to say that I was impressed. I suspect that they have tightened up on their manufacturing process. David

DAVID N.

2011-11-27T19:00:00

This lens is very good wide open to 250mm. At 300mm f8 is best. The construction is solid and focus is fast. I've been using this lens for travel for over a year and have been to some rugged dirty places and have been very pleased with how it's held up and the photos made with it.

ROBERT G.

2011-10-02T20:00:00

Never could get a decent photo out of this lens, photos always slightly out of focus, couldn't handle high light conditions at all. NOT the all around lens I expected. Replaced it with the 38-300 L lens.

PJDsr

Originally posted at

2011-09-04T21:00:00

Not the sharpest long zoom, but still pretty good. USM focus works well, as expected. If you are traveling with limited space and weight, this is a very good long zoom travel lens option. Keep the lens hood with you. Use it and you will avoid most or all of the reported front light issues mentioned regarding this lens. Very short lens (at 70mm) for a 300mm. Solid construction. Lens lock holds lens in short position for travel. Lock is covered by the lens hood when reversed. Not a problem if the first thing you do is put the lens hood on for shooting. If you are traveling and don't have space/weight considerations, take a 70/200 (plus teleconverter) or the 100-400. I would give this a 4.5 if allowed. Can't give it a 5 due to sharpness compared to the $1500 to $2500 lenses mentioned above.

Krisk

2011-02-08T19:00:00

I have used this lens on a trip to South Africa and the quality of shots I got were amazing especially the numerous birds using 250mm to 300mm tele range settings. The big five and other animal shots that this lens helped me get just made my trip. The cost of this lens really gives you a bang for your buck. The only con I have for this lens is that you cannot add a tele extender.

BillWSW

Originally posted at

2010-12-27T19:00:00

I have owned this lens for three years and have photographed with it in India, Africa, and Europe. I wouldn't travel without it. It is light and easy to carry and the pictures are sharp and clear. This is a must have for traveling.

Big J.

Originally posted at

2010-01-25T19:00:00

This lens is great if you don't want everybody to know you're shooting them. The pics come out pretty sharp but not the sharpest I've seen. No doubt this lens flares I guess because of all the optics that Canon had to use to keep the size down. The lens balances nicely on the camera body. The range is nice (70-300mm but because of the factor of 1.6 you actually get 112-480mm and can zoom in from amazing distances. I use it to shoot action sports, people at the beach, scenery, sunsets and sunrises. I have had some great results and I am very happy with the portability of this lens (very short although the focal length is long.) Great for all round shooting while just wandering the earth. Combined with a say a 15-85mm (crop factor being 24-136mm) lens it's all you need to cover the entire shooting range. Only one extra lens to carry around what a concept ! This would be my combination for a trip around the world !

FotoFreak

Originally posted at

2009-10-15T20:00:00

Fjor shooting face shots at weddings or other interiors, this is without peer. Fills the frame , works v. well with flash, iso at 1000-1500. Clients love output. Have had/traded several of these, sharpness varies, good to very good, sharpen in post-production. On the other hand, comparable to old canon 135 soft focus if lose focus. Have read other comments, have 70-200 f4 is, v. sharp lens but lacks reach and is conspicuous. Sim, have 100-400 is, great birding lens, but way to heavy and conspicuous for weddings and indoor photos, and it's not that sharp really, is it.

jwk305

Originally posted at

2009-09-05T20:00:00

I needed a short and relatively light-weight lens that went out to 300mm. It had to fit in my regular camera bag. This lens was perfect. Originally purchased for a Rebel XT it worked great. Since then I've purchased a 5D mkII and, quite frankly, I'm going to let my wife keep this lens with the XT she inherited as the image isn't as sharp as my "L" series lenses and the lense is a bit sloe for concert photography. Saving my pennies for a 100-400mm or maybe even the 400 f4 prime. Nevetheless, this is a very goods lens on a 1.6x sensor. If you need compactness and light weight with a far reach on a 1.6, this is the way to go.

Randy

Originally posted at

2009-07-21T21:00:00

one lens does it all for me

hockeypuck

2009-06-02T20:00:00

I have used this for newspaper concert coverage in very low light situations and for freelance work for winter sports and it has performed well even at 20 below zero. The size of the lense is an added plus while photographing concerts in varying light conditions. Not as sharp as fixed lenses, but for newspaper coverage and sports photography the quality of the images is excellent. A very useful lense. The autofocus has performed well for alpine ski racing in very harsh conditions. I have used a tripod with a 2 second delay for low light concert photography with very good results.

pro p.

Originally posted at

2009-05-01T20:00:00

There are two kinds of wildlife photography - setting up with a long lens on a tripod and waiting and those shots where you have to move and shoot quickly before the subject disappears. This lens is absolutely perfect for the second kind where you have to be ready to react and shoot in an instant. The sharpness is very good; color rendition excellent; and the size makes it virtually instantly deployable. Combined with an SLR with the smaller sensor ( a 1.6x effective focal length boost), you can have, in effect, up to a 480mm magnification. Yet, because of the IS, it is very steady and camera motion is quite effectively dampened. Its only two slight drawbacks are that the IS is somewhat noisy and that the lens barrel is slightly loose...even after I sent it back to Canon for adjustment. It does not seem to affect the crispness or clarity of the shots, however. This is one lens I would not be without.

Bob

Originally posted at

2009-02-05T19:00:00

This is a great travel lens. Its inconspicuous, compared to a large white zoom. This lens is very susceptible to lens flair because of the additional glass. I bought this lens used and it didn't come with a hood. I was able to find one online and it makes a lot of difference.

Nathaniel W.

2008-08-05T21:00:00

Compared with the 70-300 mm EF-S lens which I previously owned, the DO lens is more compact which makes the camera easier to carry and less obtrusive. The images are very sharp but I can't compare them directly with the EF-S lens because I changed bodies as well from 350D to 450D. I certainly feel that the combination of the DO lens and 450D is significantly superior to the EF-S lens on a 350D, in terms of sharpness and texture. The image stabilisation works well and the lens can be hand-held at 300 mm in favourable conditions. The zoom is a bit stiff compared with the EF-S lens but I have got used to that now. If it is not locked in the wide angle position, it will slowly drift down to the telephoto position whlle being carried. Fortunately, the lock is easy to use. I haven't had it long enough to comment on durability but it seems well made as expected from Canon. I don't expect it to be as dust and moisture resistant as the professional L lenses, though. Highly recommended.

HarryRM

2008-04-11T21:00:00

If you understand the lens dynamics it's probably one of the best lens for walking around. It's not for a novice, unless your willing to put the time in and learn how to use it. This is a lens you need to practice with, at least I did. It can be one of the sharpest, and contrasty lens I've ever owned. Color is great, the brokh is different, but nice. It's best to Avoid shooting into strong backlite subjects. It's also a tad slow for some sporting events. But, Don't be fooled by those who don't like it because it's not "F/2.8 or F/4". It's plenty fast for 85-90% of general photography. The USM is fast focusing and the IS is realy nice. The quality is near "L" quality, and if you want to get some candids, it much easier to hide than a big white lens

Rob

2007-06-13T21:00:00

I shoot travel, landscapes, backcounty, emphasis on skiing. Very light, compact, unobtrusive IS zoom. Rest of my lenses, x wide angle zooms, are IS. Dislike tripods. Preferable to 70-200 F4L zoom because of 300mm and IS capacity. Gives up some sharpness to that lense tho, fixable by photoshop, etc. Replaced this with 70-200 F4L IS zoom. That is the lense to buy, as sharpness much better than non-IS 70-200 (let alone this), while IS is better than on this lense.

Kase

2007-02-28T19:00:00

The lens is easy to use and carry around...small and light and takes excellent pictures. The only draw back is that gravity will change the length and the only lock is at 70mm.

John

2007-02-12T19:00:00

I use this with a Canon 30D along with a Canon 17-85mm IS lens for most of my outdoor photograpy. Almost all of my photos are hand-held. Together, the two lenses cover almost every shooting situation. The size and weight of this lens makes in an easy addition to my camera bag. I can't imagine having to lug around the usual 300mm zoom.

Clean G.