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

• 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)
• 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

The optical system, construction, and exterior are the same as the EF 75-300 mm f/4-5.6 III USM's. The difference is that it uses a DC motor instead of a USM to drive the AF.

The first day I used this lens, I was shooting photos of a biplane plummeting at an airshow. Having been used to my older equipment, I thought, "No way can I hold 300mm still enough, but what the heck, film is cheap." I was wrong. That photo was crystal clear, and instead of a tiny blur in the midst of sky, I have a very clear image of the plane filling the frame.

The lens has been responsible for getting me up close in many places since, most recently capturing Al Gore and his entourage on the pilot house of the riverboat that travelled the Mississippi the day after the convention. If you are looking for a versatile lens that gives great results under many conditions, this is it. It really is hard to take a bad photo when using it.


Can you really do better for the money?   September 2, 2004
R. Mattick (Seattle, WA USA)
21 out of 21 found this review helpful

No complaints so far with this lens. Using it on my EOS 300. Great looking, sharp images at the lower zoom rates and completely acceptible and actually pretty darn good images at fullest zoom. With my testing so far it's plenty fast as long as you use a tripod at the longest zoom lengths. No prob for me since I most always use a tripod while photographing.
Have not experienced the lens extending out fully when aimed downward like others have. I'd even have to say mine feels "quite right" in terms of resistance on the zoom ring.
Bottom line, this lens is great deal at this price!!!!! If you can spend more get the IS model or some L glass .....I can't!


Great Lens for a Great Price   June 16, 2000
Ryan Johnson (Costa Mesa, CA United States)
37 out of 41 found this review helpful

This lens has worked out great for me. I totally recommend it. The canon camera is really something. Just about all of my pictures come out great. It is really hard to take a bad picture with this equipment


A Telephoto zoom lens to begin your journey in DSLR photography   February 7, 2009
Vinay Patil
18 out of 18 found this review helpful

For the price range of $150-200, this lens is the cheapest in the Telephoto zoom lens range Canon offers. The cheaper price is because this lens does not have a quiet-n-fast focusing Ultrasonic motor (USM) and neither does it have an in-built Image stabilizer (IS). Instead it has a comparatively noisier DC motor which is not quickest to focus. Also the lens exterior surface is mostly made up of plastic and appears little cheap compared to the USM version or the IS USM.
But in terms of picture quality this lens is not bad at all. In bright light with high shutter speed the lens performs at its best. The pictures come out sharp and clean (please check out the pictures I uploaded). In day light condition and at high shutter speed (1/100 sec and above), you can shoot really good pictures (even without a tripod). But I concede that in low light areas/overcast conditions/cloudy and evening light the lens shows its weakness. You will desperately miss the Image stabilizer function. But if you have a tripod then the lens works even in low light conditions and at shutter speed 1/30 sec or lower and an exposure of 1 sec to 15 sec.
Now for the whiner's who have been complaining: When you see a Canon Telephoto zoom lens displaying a price tag of $150-200, what outstanding features do you expect in it? As I said before, this lens does not have an IS or USM, then how can you expect it to focus quickly like the expensive ones. Apart from the picture quality and the zoom capacity, it's basically wrong to compare the features in this lens with other advanced & expensive Telephoto zoom lens. Given its DC motor and as a Non-IS lens of course this lens is not meant for Sports photography. If you're a sports photographer then why be stingy and then whine? Go for the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM Lens for Canon EOS Cameras or Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens for Canon EOS SLR Cameras both lens are great for Sports photography. But keep in mind, those two lenses are comparatively heavy to carry around as they weigh 25.4 ounces and 25 ounces respectively. Compared to those the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III weighs only 16.8 ounces.
So the bottom line is, if you're a photo enthusiast beginning DSLR photography, looking for low budget zoom lens, then this one will work best for you. For the given price and as a Telephoto zoom lens the Canon EF 75-300 f/4-5.6 III does what it's supposed to do.