Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens

I f you use a Canon digital SLR and are happy with your 18-55mm kit lens, then getting this telephoto lens is your natural next step. You will be able to increase your zoom reach to the point where you can photograph birds in somewhat far-off trees, and be able to zoom and frame several yards away on just about anything that interests you. What you cannot effectively do with this lens, though, is to take fast sport shots. It is just waaaaaay too slow. [g index]

If you need a fast low light lens, this isn't it. If your primary objective is to take pictures in available light situations such as weddings and concerts, then get the 80-200mm f/2.8 or the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS instead.

The lightest 4x telephoto zoom lens in its class. Ideal for slow sports, portraiture, animals, etc. The telephoto effect can make the picture look compressed or have excellent background blur. At the 300mm focal length, you can fill the frame with a postcard from 4.9' away.

This high-performance 4x zoom lens is distinguished by such features as a newly developed micro ultra-sonic monitor (USM) that makes autofocusing quicker and quieter, along with an improved mechanism to make zooming smoother than ever. Plus, the front part of the zoom ring now sports a silver ring, giving the lens a luxurious touch. As with all Canon lens, this 75-300 model carries a one-year warranty. Focal length: 75-300mm Maximum aperture: 1:4-5.6 Lens construction: 13 elements in 9 groups Diagonal angle of view: 32 (at 11 feet) to 8 degrees (at 15 feet) Focus adjustment: Front group rotating extension system with USM Closest focusing distance: 4.9 feet Zoom system: Rotating type Filter size: 58mm Dimensions: 2.8 inches in diameter, 4.8 inches long Weight: 16.8 ounces

• 58mm Snap-On Lens Cap
• Lens Dust Cap E (Rear)
• 1-Year Warranty

If you can afford an IS lens, don't buy this one, August 20, 2009

By A. Court

This lens is great for portraits if you have very steady hands or with a tripod. I bought this lens about 3 months ago and because I do not have such steady hands my photos lack of sharpness. However in photography you should always buy once cry once, so I do recomend to find a similar telephoto lens with IS capability

By B. Payne (Cincinnati, OH)

I purchased this lens a few days ago and have taken many action shots of birds and airplanes already and am very please. I was concerned by some of the reviews complaining about the lens being slow to focus. I did not find this to be a problem, however, it does on occasion decide to run the focus all the way one direction and then come back to the proper point.

Some people complained that it randomly decided what to focus on. To those people I say, READ YOUR CAMERA's MANUAL! There is an option to select what point in your view your camera's auto focus will focus on and this is NOT a flaw of the Lens!

When I left my Canon Rebel XS in Full Automatic mode, it decides on the point. Put it in a more manual mode, pick the point you want it to focus on, and it works fine. See page 102 of the Canon EOS manual.

Bottom line, if you are stepping up from a point and shoot or don't want to spend $500-$2000 on a lens, this is a great buy.