Product Description

Telephoto lens newly equipped with an Image Stabilizer enabling hand-held shooting for easier movement. The fluorite element and two UD-glass elements effectively correct the chromatic aberrations prone to occur with telephoto lenses. With the EOS-1v and EOS-3, the AF speed becomes the world's fastest. To reduce the overall weight and enhance portability, the lens barrel and many other exterior parts use magnesium-alloy. Also, the detachable tripod collar revolves smoothly and locks securely.

Product Details

• Brand: Canon
• Model: 2531A002
• Dimensions: 12.00" h x 14.00" w x 17.00" l, 5.73 pounds

Features

• EF mount; telephoto lens
• Ultra-low Dispersion glass with Fluorite elements; inner focusing ring; full-time manual focus; image stabilizer
• 300mm focal length
• f/2.8 maximum aperture
• Ring UltraSonic Motor (USM)

Amazon.com Product Description
The high-performance L-series EF 300mm super-telephoto lens is a terrific choice for sports photographers and other long-distance users. Sports action requires a fast shutter speed and a long focal length. This lens easily complies thanks to its large maximum aperture--which supports a faster shutter speed--and its 300mm length. The lens also boasts a built-in, dual-mode Image Stabilizer (IS) function. This creates an equivalent shutter speed of up to four stops faster than the same size lens without an image stabilizer, letting you capture long distance hand-held shots far more assuredly. And thanks to the fluorite element and pair of UD-glass elements, the lens effectively corrects the chromatic aberrations that are prone to occur with telephoto lenses. Other features include the world's fastest autofocus (AF) speed with an improved Ring Ultrasonic Motor (USM) and new algorithms; a rugged, lightweight magnesium alloy lens barrel; and a detachable tripod collar that removes smoothly and locks securely. All Canon lenses carry a one-year warranty.

Specifications

• Focal length: 300mm
• Maximum aperture: f/2.8
• Lens construction: 17 elements in 13 groups
• Diagonal angle of view: 8 degrees at 15 feet
• Focus adjustment: Inner focusing system with USM
• Closest focusing distance: 8.2 feet
• Filter size: 52mm drop-in
• Dimensions: 5 inches in diameter and 9.9 inches long
• Weight: 90 ounces
• Warranty: 1 year

From the Manufacturer
Image Stabilization adds to what’s already a legendary professional lens. The 300mm f/2.8L IS lens focuses closer (down to 8.2 feet/2.5m), offers the world’s fastest autofocus when used with EOS bodies having 45-point AF, is gasketed and sealed against dust and moisture, and has a lightweight magnesium alloy barrel and tripod collar. Its image quality, aided by both Fluorite and UD-glass, is stellar, and its advanced IS even works on a rock steady tripod--as well as on a monopod or when hand-held.

Long and Fast
A telephoto lens is essential to any serious photographer. For sports action, you will need a fast shutter speed and a long focal length. A large maximum aperture allows a faster shutter speed. In this telephoto lens line-up, the focal lengths range from 135mm to 300mm. If you want compactness, choose a lens with a smaller maximum aperture.

Customer Reviews

Unbelievably sharp lens.
If you're looking at this lens, you're ready to spend some serious dollars. Is it worth it? Short answer, yes, but I'll elaborate.

I've shot with a variety of Nikon and Canon lenses for about 25 years. The 300 f/2.8L IS is without a doubt the sharpest lens I've ever had, and it is unbelievably consistent across every aperture. With the 1.4X Canon extender - other its becoming an f/4 lens - I could not see any appreciable change in its performance. Unbelievable.

I got my introduction to image stabilization on the 70-200 f/2.8L IS, and it is even more useful on the 300. I handheld consistently crisp shots at 1/60 and sometimes at 1/30. With my old Nikon 300 mm, anything below 1/250 was out of the question and 1/500 was a good idea. The whirring of the IS is a bit louder on the 300 than the 70-200.

When shooting action in AI Servo mode, the autofocus was as fast as on my shorter prime lenses.

In some forums, people swear by third party long lenses that they say produce as good an image at less than half the cost. All I can say is that their experience probably reflects the limitations of their skills rather than the comparability of the lenses.

With the 1.4X extender and my 1D Mark IIN's 1.3X FOVCF, this becomes a 546 mm lens. On a 1.6X FOVCF camera it's a whopping 672 mm.

Here are some other Canon alternatives and why you might want to go with them instead of the 300 f/2.8L IS:

- Canon 300 f/4L IS - less than half the price; it is lighter and has a built-in lens hood that doesn't require assembly; you lose a stop, and while a very sharp lens, not in same class at the f/2.8. good choice if you don't have the money for the f/2.8 or want to spread it among other lenses.
- Canon 400 f/2.8L IS - a longer reach without losing a stop but the price and weight increase significantly; not really hand-holdable; lens of choice for outdoor sports action.
- Canon 500 f/4L IS - if you want to shoot birds, you'll need the extra reach. It's cheaper than the 400 2.8 but a couple thousand more than the 300. Sharpness is comparable to the 300.
- Zoom lenses (70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS; 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS) Cheaper, lighter and more flexible but a serious compromise on image quality vs. 300 f/2.8L IS.

Best argument against the 300 f/2.8L is that you won't shoot often enough at that focal length or you want to buy more lenses for the money.

I'm saving my pennies now to add the 500 f/4L IS for bird and other wildlife distance shooting. It will take a few years.

Simply the BEST!!
If you're considering this lens then you must already have, or can get the means in which to pay for it. With that being said... GET IT!! I waited and am kicking myself for doing so. Sure the 70-200mm f/2.8 IS L series I bought at the time is still a GREAT lens, I just wished I'd have had this for the last 3 months. Esp if you add a 2x canon tele-converter. or if you have one of the camera's with the cropped sensors. I can tell you that my 5D loves it. The pictures as stated before are tack sharp and when you crop for that KILLER shot whooo baby. If you have any doubt, I would suggest trying to rent one first, but I tell you..... if you do rent one, you will end up buying one. It is simply that good.

an excellent lens
This lens is very fast, it can focus very rapidly and follow accurately flying birds, this is the main reason I bought this lens. It excels in every respect, it can be hand held, very sharp even when the aperture is wide open, image stabilization is excellent and it is very fast lens, fast focusing. It can be used to photograph butterflies, dragonflies as I tested it on my 1.6 crop factor camera and found that it can photograph a 15 by 10cm rectangle, thus I can say that it has a maximum magnification of 1:6.7.
This is an expensive lens, so if you think you will use it only occasionally, then I advice you not to buy it, otherwise it worth the price.