Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2556 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Canon
• Model: 6473A015AA
• Released on: 2003-08-14
• Number of items: 1
• Dimensions: 57.48" h x 77.17" w x 79.53" l, 1.06 pounds

Features

• Its optical system, construction and exterior design are the same as that of the EF 75-300 mm f/4-5
• 6 III USM
• However, this model s equipped with a classic autofocus motor
• Diagonal field angle:  : 32° 11'-8° 15' Number of layers for diaphtagm: 7Minimal opening: f/32-45Maximum magnification (x): : 0
• 25 (to 300 mm)

Manufacturer's Description
Developed to succeed the EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 II this compact, lightweight high-magnification telephoto zoom lens covers medium telephoto 75 mm to super telephoto 300mm. Like the EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM, it has a metal ring at the front of the zoom ring to give it an upscale image. It uses a DC motor as AF drive actuator. The optical system and controls are the same as those of the EF75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM. For environmental protection, only lead-free glass lens elements are used.

Box Contents

Customer Reviews

Great budget starter lens for the amatuer/hobbyist
I bought this lens about eight months ago for my Canon 350D. If like me you bought the kit that comes bundled with the 18-55mm lens you'll notice there is a big gap when it comes to zoom/telephoto shots, this is a great budget tele-photo zoom lens that does what it says on the tin, and fills the gap nicely.

I am an amateur photographer at best and still learning, but after using the lens for a while I was disappointed to learn that the f stop values really do make a big difference - the widest aperture you will be able to set this lens to is 4.0 at 75mm and only 5.6 at 300mm, if your really serious you need a fast lens like f/2.8, and definitely with IS (image stabilisation) - the lens is not that heavy (for me), but during a long shoot it starts to feel like a cannon (pardon the pun), the lens really protrudes out at towards the 300mm end, and if you hold the camera pointing straight down, expect lens creep. Add an external flash onto the hot shoe and expect a real workout!

My wife complains its way too heavy - especially with a speedlite mounted on top, just carry a tripod if you expect to be on a long shoot, or mount the external flash on a tripod (you'll need something like a speedlite wireless remote for this, expensive, but its tiny and weighs next to nothing and gets the speedlite off the camera).

Having said all that, I have got some really great shots with this, and overall for the price you pay for this lens it's a real good value for money. If I'm going to a function, like a party within a hall, I would almost always use this lens (not to good for mid range shots - 50mm better for this, which is why I carry another camera to save swapping lenses about), great for candid photography where you can position yourself at the other side of the hall and take shots without distracting or letting your subjects know they are being shot - just have a strong arm, and good light conditions/flash. For portrait shots, and shots where you slow the shutter speed use a tripod, or you get too much blur/softness. If you also intend to pan the shot, a tripod with a panning handle is also essential.

The other thing you need to bear in mind is the multiplication factor (of the focal length) of your camera. Unless your lucky enough to have a camera with the same focal length as a 35mm film camera, i.e. a full 35mm frame size, the camera may effectively crop the image to fit on the film sensor - the 350D has a factor of x1.6, this means this lens is effectively a 120mm - 480mm lens (!) This is great on the tele-photo side, you get more magnification than you pay for, but not so good for wide angle or down at the 75mm end, where you've actually got 120mm. (Because of this factor, if you want a wide-angle lens and you have a 350/400D then you'd be better off going for ultra wide 14mm).

Bottom line, it's a heavy lens, and no IS, but for the price of the lens very good value for money! I haven't regretted buying this, and unless you're a really serious photographer, and shoot within the limits of this lens you wont either.

Excellent value
This a perfect very low budget tele-photo lens that combined with a digital SLR will give you great results.
I have been using it for taking pictures of birds from the local nature reserve and then increase the magnification in the computer.
The lens weights 480 grams and the SLR will still feel well balance when taking pictures in the wild.
For under £150 you can't go wrong as a starting point for wildlife photography.
How ever if you want semi-pro results you will need a USM lens with a lower f value.
I recommend a Hamma filter to make the pictures slightly sharper and a lens hood to prevent glare in the open.

Good value lens
I got this lens for Christmas to go with my 350D. I'm not much of a photographer but I'm trying to improve and this lens gives a lot of flexibility to the camera. I use it mainly for portraits and taking pictures of landscape and architecture from a long way away. With the portrait you can get a good focus on the face and cut out everything else; with the buildings and the landscapes you can take advantage of the wide view and perspective you get when you spot a shot from a distance and also get a bit closer on the same lens as it has quite a wide range of focal lengths.

The lens is easy to fit and exchange and autofocus works well. It is quite a big lens and on the EOS 350D the camera becomes quite front heavy. However, if you are photographing slow moving objects or have a tripod it is no problem and I haven't experienced any larger amount of blurred images than I got from the kit lens and so I have put this down to my own lack of ability.

In summary if you have got a digital SLR lens kit and you are wanting to learn to be a bit more creative with your photograhy then this is a good choice.