Our verdict
Canon’s EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM lens doesn’t have the impressive numbers you would expect from a professional optic, especially in the aperture range, and its compact size has meant some of the sleek features such as internal zoom haven’t been possible.
However, this lens is small in stature and in price, and while you could buy a 70-200mm f/4 for less, by the time you added the 1.4x extender the price would be practically the same and the unit would be considerably larger.
Where this lens excels, though, is in the quality, holding its own against a lens considered to be one of the best in its day. For this reason, not only does this lens deserve its professional status but it is also a great buy.
