Used Canon 100-300 f4.5/5.6 Ultrasonic (58) 35mm SLR Telephoto Auto Focus Zoom Lens

2012-07-22T21:00:00

I use this lens mostly indoors on a tripod right now and properly set does a beautiful job. I have a cokin 1.x close up on it so I can use it as a macro even though it isn't. Color rendering is perfect excelent clarity. I am shooting stopped down to F8.

Don

2012-03-09T19:00:00

This is a fairly decent entry-level telephoto zoom lens. It is discontinued and rather easy to find in the used market. Frankly, for a telephoto lens, you're seldom going to find a 300mm EOS mount zoom lens that performs as well as this does for the price it typically goes for (very low three-figures). Its only true Canon-lens counterpart in the same price range is the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III, a lens with inferior build, inferior autofocus, and soft image quality throughout the focal range. The build quality of the 100-300mm is good. It feels substantial in the hand without being too heavy, and features a metal mount. The wide zoom ring is smooth and effective, although it could stand to be firmer, the lens may extend by itself if left hanging downward. The focus ring is a little too thin, but perfectly workable, and full-time manual is an included feature. The front lens filter does not rotate, good for polarizers. USM autofocus is reliably quick and quiet, though it may struggle in lower light. Overall the quick USM focusing is likely its best feature. As far as image quality the lens is reasonably sharp from the 100-135mm range, which will improve when stopped down to f/5.6-f/8. When working in the 200-300mm range the image quality will become noticably softer with less contrast, which is typical for a consumer zoom lens of this type. Stopping the lens down to f/8-f/11 is a must for the best results when working in this lens's telephoto range. Overall this is a good telephoto lens for a beginner to cut their teeth on, so long as you understand its limitations. Primarily keeping in mind it is not a particularly fast lens, and it has no stabilizer. Getting sharp shots at 300mm will require a tripod, or a steady hand with plenty of light to allow a quick shutter speed, and/or a camera that performs well with high ISO settings. If you're on a budget, I would recommend this as a walkaround telephoto lens for use in the daylight.

CHRISTOPHER R.

2009-04-08T21:00:00

i needed a last minute lens for a rugged trip i was taking. got it the day i left at a great price. the lens took a beating on my trip but it gave me what i needed from it.

Jonathan

2009-02-19T19:00:00

This is a great lens for nature photography. My fiancee and I like to go hiking and we take both of our cameras with us. Until recently, we only had one 70-300mm zoom between us, the Canon ef 70-300mmm 4.5-5.6 IS (which is also a great lens). This meant that one of us had a telephoto and the other did not. So, I found a used 100-300 4.5-5.6 and I bought a monopod (since it does not have IS). Although it lacks IS, the manual override focusing makes up for it provided that you have a monopod or a tripod. Also, if you use a macro extension lens, this is a much better lens to use than the 70-300 with IS because the focal length does not change as you focus.

Grant

2008-09-04T21:00:00

This is much better than the EF 75-300 starter lens. The pictures I take are crisp and clear all the way up to 300mm.

Harris

2008-01-14T19:00:00

This lens is old - it came out in early 90s and has been quietly seated in Canon's lens lineup ever since. It has excellent Ultrasonic and Internal focusing - so it's fast in good light. At a certain point in your life, you may have a hard time justifying the purchase of a top-tier product - and must compromise. I wanted a long zoom lens - mostly for family sports and some casual wildlife shooting. I couldn't justify the cost or size of the larger L series lenses. So I picked this one ... It's small, lightweight, and very important to me: It doesn't look like an expensive lens. It has great optical contrast and colour and is more than suitable if you're working in well-lit situations or can take advantage of the higher-ISO settings on your Digicam. So, based on what I was looking for, this lens is perfect for me. It may not be perfect for you - but for someone who wants to play with long lens focal lengths but doesn't have the deep pockets to do so, this lens is excellent!

Frank H.

2007-07-10T21:00:00

Since I use the lens with my EOS 20D to shoot photos for my natural history, pre-history, history and travel articles, I am pleased with the light weight and high versatility of the EF 100mm - 300mm lens. I can carry it comfortably, a real plus since I spend a lot of time in the field. See the attached photos for examples of the lens' versatility.

JAY S.

2007-07-10T21:00:00

Pros: Very good images, strong lens. Cons: My fault. I thought the over length of the lens would not change during zooming.

L.L

2007-02-16T19:00:00

Surprising sharpness for such an inexpensive lens, great for a lightweight travel kit

phyrpowr

2007-02-14T19:00:00

Great lens for someone who would like a good zoom but not have to take out a second mortgage to get it. It's a little fuzzy at 300 with the very small details(nothing photoshop can't fix) and the zoom creeps with gravity (if its angled down, the zoom moves due to weight). I've used this lens with portraits and nature and distant sports with great results. Quick focus in good to poor lighting, and will focus if you're patient in darkness (got real clear shots of the moon, craters and all)

Lee

2007-02-11T19:00:00

Overall, this lens has met my expectations. I have seen other reviews that state that it is very soft at the 300mm setting. I am sure that it does not compare to a L lens, but I have found that it gives good results when used with a tripod. Of course, if your shutter speed is fast enough a tripod or monopod is not necessary. In addition, focusing with this lens is very quick and quiet.

None

2007-02-11T19:00:00

I've not been able to use this lense as much as I would like to have been using it. However, I did shoot some exposures with it and was pleased with the images. For the money, it's a good lense.

ArtzyOne