Canon EF 300 mm F/2.8 IS L USM Lens

Love:

- Sharp wide open and that is what counts (sharpens nicely with software).
- Sharpens more when stopped down an f-stop (outstanding resolution).
- Fast auto focus (fastest I have seen).
- Solid build (switches and rings are precise without play).
- Replaceable flat front glass which protects the adjacent Ultra-Low Dispersion element.
- Autofocus stop buttons.
- Dust and water resistant.
- Programmable preset focusing.
- Removable tripod collar.

Like:

- Optical image stabilization (wish it had the newer 3-4 stop version).
- Hard case (good for storing lens in your house, vehicle or airplane).
- A good way to meet nice strangers (especially the ladies) who approach and raises questions about the lens.

Dislike:

- E-145 lens cap (will dislodge if lens is carried in the field with the lens hood reversed).
- Paint will come off on the barrel at the ET-120 lens hood contact point.
- Need to buy Canon touch up paint to repaint lens hood contact point on barrel.
- Not a dislike but the strap's buckle can scratch the prism housing (position the buckle close to the lens away from the camera).
- Weight (not really hand holdable and needs at least a monopod).
- Cost (but it's faster and sharper than the Canon 300/4 versions).

First and foremost, anyone who complains that this lens is heavy needs to get out and about more. Yes, it does weigh more than the 100mm Canon Macro, but I also have the Canon 500mm f4.0 lens & use it with a canon pro-body on a tripod and sometimes hand held but not for long. So, the Canon 300mm f2.8 weighs in a lot less than the 500mm and it can be hand held. Maybe not all day, but then I do not know many people who could shoot with it all day and hand holding it at that. The weight means strength and stability and durability and this really is one of Canon's sharpest Super Telephoto lenses I have ever used. The quality of the images is well worth the cost of the lens. I have also used this particular lens with and extension tube for getting in close to things that could not be gotten close to with out messing up the shot: it really works well with macro photography and the images are all extremely sharp. Yes, the famous blurred back ground is always there, especially in close. So friends, it is a really good bye considering the new replacement lens will cost us a lot more money.

This is without question the most amazing camera lens I have ever used. While I had read numerous other reviews about the sharpness associated with this lens, you simply can't understand it without seeing it first hand.

I have a number of other "L" lenses for comparison, including a most amazing 70-200mm 2.8L IS. While they all produce excellent images, none are quite in the same league with this one. A non-scientific observation is that photos taken with this lens are at least as sharp when viewed at 200% as compared with those taken with my other "L" lenses and viewed at 100%. This is not to say with certainty that the 300mm captures twice the detail, but there is a clear difference.

This lens works fabulous as a 420mm f/4.0 when combined with the Extender 1.4X II. Although I'm sure it is there, I was unable to detect any noticeable loss of image quality or lens performance when using this combination.

When combined with the Extender 2X II, the lens works well as a 600mm f/5.6. Again it is difficult to see much, if any, loss of image quality but lens AF performance does slow when using this combination.

I'd also add that this is about the largest lens anyone would want to hand-hold. I have seen others hold larger but they would require far more strength. My wife and I are both able to use this lens without a tripod or mono-pod. The Image Stabilization is superb and we have had little trouble with shots as slow as 1/125 on a 40D and even slower on a full frame 5D.

300mm 2.8L: Love it! Bought used lens that operates like reviews of new lens. Much sharper than my 100-400mm Canon Zoom, and perhaps the sharpest fixed lens I own (also have 85mm and 500mm). Used lens with both 1.4X and 2X teleconverters with good results on 1D4. Although I own the 500mm, nice to have the speed and flexibility of the 300mm -- it seems much lighter than the 500, and with the converters, easier to carry and almost match the 500mm. However, if you need longer glass for bird watching, etc., no substitute for longer lens if you want the best of the best pics.

I've been a photographer for about 14 years now, I've heard people talk about it, I've rented it... and all I can say is that it's if not the best, one of the best lenses out there.

The focal speed on this thing is lightning, even when paired with the 1.4x II extender, you loose an F-stop, but it's doesn't degrade your photos at all, still sharp and fast. If you pair it up with the 2xII extender, you get a whooping 600mm (on a full frame camera like the 5d mark II) at 5.6, and it's still sharp (good when you've got a lot of sun though).

With the IS, I can say that you can actually hold it for periods up to a few minutes without a tripod, after 20 minutes without a mono or tripod, it starts to get heavy. Obviously everyone has their own tolerances.

It took me a few years to save up to buy this baby cash, it's not cheap, but I guarantee you 2 things, 1) superb imagery, 2) just about anywhere you go, at least one person will point and say something about the lens... it's definite presence when you show up.

I showed up at a museum in Florida with a rental of this lens, there were many people photographing, and it was permitted to photograph for non-commercial purposes, the guards asked me to stop photographing because they didn't believe I was there as a tourist...lol

I'd say the only down side to this lens is I didn't buy it sooner, this is a must for people that want results!

James Donohue