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SUPERTEST
FEATURES
VERDICT
01
Unlike Canon’s non
L-series lenses on
test, this one is
supplied with a hood.02
The optional Tripod
mount ring A II is
pricey at £150/$150.03
The lack of image
stabilization can be
a real deal-breaker.04
Unlike most budget
telephoto zooms,
this lens is
compatible with
tele-converters.05
The metal mounting
plate lacks the
weather-seal ring of
most L-series lenses.FEATURESBUILD & HANDLINGPERFORMANCEVALUEOVERALLCANON EF 70-200mm
f/4L USM £589/$599
Something of a classic, it’s one of Canon’s oldest
constant-aperture telephoto zooms
ucking the trend, this lens is
the only one here to feature
a constant-aperture, in
which the widest aperture of
f/4 remains throughout the entire
zoom. It’s therefore at least one
whole f-stop faster than any other
lens on test, at least at the long end.
Whereas the stabilized version
(considerably more expensive) is
now in its second generation, this
one remains unchanged since its
launch back in 1999.
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trademark off-white, frequently
used in large L-series lenses to
reduce heat build-up under the sun.
AF is courtesy of a traditional
ring-type ultrasonic system and,
typical of 70-200mm constant-
aperture zooms, both of the zoom
and focus mechanisms are fully
internal. The upshot is that the lens
doesn’t extend in length at any
zoom or focus setting, although it’s
comparatively long to pack away, at
172mm. Unlike most L-series
lenses, it doesn’t feature weather-
seals but does come with a hood.
High-quality glass includes
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eight-blade diaphragm is fairlywell-rounded and Super Spectra
coatings are applied. The glaring
omission in this lens is that it has
no image stabilization, but a tripod
mounting ring is available as an
optional extra.Performance
Sharpness was exceptional at the
short end of the zoom, but average
at the long end, and lacklustre at
mid-zoom. Levels of colour fringing
and distortions are also average.
In real-world telephoto shooting,
the lack of image stabilization can
degrade sharpness. All in all, the
lens is less appealing than most
newer competitors.B
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f/4f/4f/2.8f/2.8f/5.6f/5.6f/8f/8f/11f/11f/32f/32f/22f/22f/16f/16
Short Mid LongSHARPNESS
A LONG STRETCH
Here’s how the range of popular focal
lengths works out in practice
t either end of their zoom ranges, the
competing lenses in our telephoto super
test stretch from as little as 55mm to as
much as 400mm. This series of shots shows how
much reach you’ll get at the most popular
minimum and maximum focals. They’re all taken
on an APS-C format body, so the 1.6x crop factor
comes into play (see over the page for more).A
55 mm^70 mm^