Canon’s EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens is a lightweight, compact L Series telephoto zoom lens with Image Stabilizer. The optical Image Stabilization in the new EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM lens provides up to an incredible four stops of shake correction-a first for Canon IS lenses. The use of fluorite UD lens elements provides excellent optical performance in terms of resolution and contrast. (Canon)
Reviews
Optically excellent, superbly constructed, with 3 stops’ gain handheld, it’s well worth the price.
Just get one, I did and I love it.
The Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS is as perfect a zoom lens as I have ever used, and its ergonomics are also first-rate, never getting in the way of a great photograph.
Fred Miranda Forums User Reviews
This is probably the best lens I’ve ever used with respect to its overall image quality. It’s very sharp across the frame (5D), very contrasty, produces great colour and produces quite nice bokeh for its f/4 aperture.
It focuses quickly, it’s light, has great build and is really versatile with superb IS. At f/4, my copy is virtually indistinguishable in terms of centre sharpness to either 100/2.8 USM Macro or 135/2L.
The F4.0 IS model may well be the sharpest zoom lens in the entire Canon line at the moment. Canon’s own MTF charts bear this out, as do other independent tests. Distortion is essentially identical between the F2.8 and F4.0 units I tested. For my use, the additional vignetting wide open is not significant enough to be a factor in a purchasing decision, and it is correctable in post processing regardless. The Canon EF 70-200 F4.0 IS L lens saves some weight on my back and room in my pack. Adding 4-stop image stabilization to the mix makes this lens unbeatable.
Every now and then EOS, the goddess of mercy, seems to speak to the Canon lens designers and this time they listened carefully. The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4 USM L IS may well be the very best tele zoom on the market today – it is certainly the best Canon zoom lens tested locally to date. The lens was capable to deliver a near-flawless performance is all categories. The resolution figures are stunning regardless of the setting.
Everything you’ve read about this lens is true: it is the sharpest Canon zoom lens made to date. Its delineation & contrast is equal to or even superior to most primes, including the L ones. This lens was designed to be shot wide open, it improves little when stopped down. It has something that even both the f/2.8L versions don’t have: a Fluorite lens element, which has optical characteristics unachievable with ordinary glass.
Where to Buy
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[tags]canon, EF, 70-200mm, f/4, L, IS, USM, review[/tags]