A perfect test of the new Canon
EF 70-300mm ƒ/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM lens came while photographing
seabirds on a foggy morning in Morro Bay, California. Bobbing around
in a small kayak, I used the lens with its Image Stabilizer technology
and composed dozens of sharp images during those early-morning hours.
A kayak is no place for a tripod, and with the lens mounted on a
handheld Canon EOS 20D, the resulting photos were remarkably crisp.
The 70-300mm was easy to handle since it’s a mere 3.9 inches
long and weighs just 25.4 ounces. Despite its performing at an equivalent
35mm focal length of nearly 500mm (112-480mm), the lens compensated
for both body vibration and the unpredictable movement of the boat.
One of the exciting features of the lens is the inclusion of the
Canon Diffractive Optics (DO) technology. First introduced four
years ago in the Canon EF 400mm ƒ/4 DO IS USM lens, this technology
addresses issues of color accuracy with digital SLRs by compensating
for the normal diffraction that occurs when light passes through
lenses, which leads to chromatic aberrations. Often described as
color fringing and commonly perceived toward the edges of the frame,
this diffraction reduces color accuracy and sharpness. By including
DO technology, Canon has produced a lens that delivers accurate
color throughout the frame, as well as good contrast and excellent
shadow and highlight details.
The zoom features a close-focusing distance of only 4.6 feet and
a non-rotating front element, making the use of a polarizer more
convenient. Surprisingly, the filter thread is only 58mm. Its small
attachment size makes filter purchases much more affordable; plus,
the filter size also matches a wide selection of other Canon lenses.
The compact size of the Canon EF 70-300mm and its excellent performance
make the lens a great choice for photographers who want to travel
light. Although its small size may be deceiving, the lens delivers
sharpness and color that ranks it up there with the big boys. List
Price: $2,000; Estimated Street Price: $1,299.
Contact: Canon, (800) OK-CANON, www.usa.canon.com.
[ Specifications ]
Focal Length: 70-300mm
Aperture Range: ƒ/4.5-5.6
Lens Group: 18 elements/12 groups
Size: 3.2x3.9 inches
Weight: 25.4 ounces
Filter Size: 58mm
Diffractive Optics (DO) technology improves color accuracy and image sharpness. DO has been around on high-end lenses, but Canon now incorporates it in a more moderately priced lens like the 70-300mm, due to improved manufacturing efficiency.
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