If you are a photographer who travels a lot, visits the catwalks of the world or takes a lot of nature shots, you need a telephoto lens like the Canon 70-200. The only problem is often – the weight when traveling. So the lens should not be too heavy, but still offer good image performance and have an acceptable price to boot. For shooting in your own region, weight is not so important, but on long-distance trips or photo expeditions, every gram often matters.
CANON 70-200mm f4 lens in review – The affordable L telephoto lens
So far, I’ve chosen the EF 70-200mm f2.8 when shooting sports and fast-moving subjects in low light conditions required a good lens. For travel and as a lightweight lens, the EF 70-300 f4-5.6 III was chosen. No comparison to the f2.8 lens, but often sufficient for shots in the desert, especially if you have enough time.
For many years an insider tip with many photographers is the EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM, which is currently under 1000 EUR, the cheaper model without “IS” is currently available at about 700 EUR.
When you take the “white” lens of the L-series out of the box, you already notice the high-quality workmanship, plus of course the lens hood and the protective pouch known from the L-series. Even at first glance, you notice the 18cm lens, it looks high-quality and yet incredibly light at the same time.
Anyone who holds the CANON 70-200 f2.8 L IS II USM lens in their hands will need a regular visit to the gym if it is to be photographed free hand throughout, the 70-200 f4 put down is surprisingly light. At about 700 grams, the lens is 800 grams lighter than the 70-200 f2.8, which naturally saves on luggage.
CANON 70-200mm f4 lens in review – The affordable L telephoto lens – autofocus & aperture
The autofocus of the lens works very precisely and very fast, thanks to the ultrasonic motor. Compared to the 70-300mm f4-5.6 lens, this lens is a whole other dimension. Select the subject, focus, and it’s sharp. No dodgy searching for distance or manual refocusing in difficult lighting conditions. The lens hits the target exactly.
Even when using sports subjects and subjects moving quickly toward the photographer, the lens tracks precisely and quickly and is accurate at the crucial moment.
I use the 70-200 f4 IS USM lens in conjunction with a Canon 5D Mark IV, as well as the Canon 80D (extended accordingly by cropfactor 1.6) and I am very satisfied on both cameras.
From an aperture of f5.6, the lens becomes ultra-sharp and even at open aperture f4, the values are already very good. In combination with a cropped subject, a great bokeh is created.
CANON 70-200mm f4 lens in review – The affordable L-telephoto lens – CONCLUSION and application
The CANON 70-200 f4 IS USM lens offers a very good entry into Canon’s L-series of telephoto lenses at an absolutely fair price with a very high-quality finish and good image performance.
Anyone who shoots a lot in the great outdoors under sufficient lighting conditions will make a very good choice with this lens, saving nearly 800 grams of weight in their photo luggage on long trips. In addition, the Canon 5D Mark IV with external battery grip and the 70-200mm f4 IS USM lens still feels very good in the hand even after long use.
Those who often shoot in difficult lighting conditions, want to professionally shoot weddings in dark churches and have little consideration for flight luggage will make a safe choice with the CANON 70-200 f2.8 L IS II USM, but will also have to invest almost 2,000 EUR for it.
For those looking for a very good telephoto lens for hobby and travel, the 70-200 f4 IS USM is a perfect choice. I will still use the lens very often on my travels and also for fashion photos.
