Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens Review

# Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Telephoto Zoom Lens Review

If you are looking for a versatile and affordable telephoto zoom lens for your Canon SLR camera, you might want to consider the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. This lens offers a 4x zoom range from 75mm to 300mm, which is ideal for shooting sports, portraits, wildlife, and other distant subjects. In this article, we will review the features, benefits, and drawbacks of this lens, as well as compare it with some similar products and share some representative user reviews.

Features

The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III is a compact and lightweight lens that measures 2.8 inches in diameter and 4.8 inches in length, and weighs only 16.8 ounces. It has a metal mount and a plastic barrel, with a silver ring on the front part of the zoom ring for a touch of luxury. The zoom ring is wide and easy to grip, while the focus ring is narrow and located near the front element. The lens has a minimum focus distance of 4.9 feet and a maximum magnification of 0.25x.

The lens uses a DC motor to drive the autofocus system, which is relatively fast and accurate, but not very quiet or smooth. The lens does not have image stabilization or full-time manual focus override, which are some drawbacks for handheld shooting and fine-tuning focus. The lens also does not have a distance scale or a depth of field scale, which are useful for some photographers.

The lens has a 7-blade circular aperture that produces decent bokeh (background blur) at wide apertures, but becomes more polygonal at smaller apertures. The lens has a variable maximum aperture of f/4 at 75mm and f/5.6 at 300mm, which means that it loses some light as you zoom in. This can affect the shutter speed and ISO settings, especially in low-light situations.

The optical quality of the lens is mediocre, as it suffers from softness, chromatic aberration, distortion, and vignetting at various focal lengths and apertures. The lens is sharpest at the center and at the shorter end of the zoom range, but becomes softer at the corners and at the longer end. Stopping down the aperture can improve the sharpness, but also reduces the light transmission. Chromatic aberration (color fringing) is noticeable at high-contrast edges, especially at the longer end of the zoom range. Distortion (curvature of straight lines) is minimal at 75mm, but becomes more pronounced at 300mm, where it shows pincushion distortion (inward bending). Vignetting (darkening of corners) is well controlled at most focal lengths and apertures, except at 300mm f/5.6, where it is more evident.

Benefits

Despite its limitations, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III has some benefits that make it appealing for some users. The main benefit is its low price, which makes it one of the cheapest telephoto zoom lenses available for Canon SLR cameras. This can be attractive for beginners or hobbyists who want to experiment with telephoto photography without breaking the bank.

Another benefit is its versatility, as it covers a wide range of focal lengths that can suit different types of photography. The lens can capture portraits with nice background blur at 75mm, sports or wildlife action at 200mm or 300mm, or anything in between. The lens can also be used for some astrophotography or macro photography with some accessories or techniques.

A third benefit is its portability, as it is relatively small and light compared to other telephoto zoom lenses. The lens can fit easily in a camera bag or backpack, and can be carried around without much strain on the neck or shoulder. The lens also has a simple design and operation, which makes it easy to use for beginners or casual shooters.

Application of the Crowd

The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III is suitable for users who are looking for a budget-friendly telephoto zoom lens that can cover a variety of subjects and situations. The lens can be used by anyone who owns a Canon SLR camera with an EF mount, whether it is a full-frame or an APS-C sensor camera. However, the lens is more compatible with APS-C sensor cameras (such as Canon Rebel series), as they have a crop factor that effectively increases the focal length by 1.6x (for example, 75mm becomes 120mm). This gives more reach and magnification for distant subjects.

The lens can be used for different genres of photography, such as sports, wildlife, nature, landscape, portrait, travel, or even astrophotography or macro photography. However, the lens is not ideal for low-light or indoor photography, as it has a slow maximum aperture and no image stabilization. The lens is also not very sharp or contrasty, which can affect the image quality and detail. Therefore, the lens is best suited for outdoor photography in good lighting conditions, where the subject is not too close or too fast.

The lens can be a good choice for beginners or hobbyists who want to explore telephoto photography without spending too much money. The lens can also be a good backup or secondary lens for more advanced or professional photographers who need a telephoto zoom lens for occasional use or specific purposes.

Similar Products Comparison

There are several similar products to the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III that offer different features, performance, and price. Here is a table that compares some of the main specifications and characteristics of these products:

As you can see from the table, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM is almost identical to the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III, except that it has a USM (ultrasonic motor) instead of a DC motor for autofocus. This makes the autofocus faster and quieter, but also slightly more expensive.

The Canon EF-S 55-250mm f/4-5.6 IS STM is a similar telephoto zoom lens that is designed for APS-C sensor cameras only. It has a shorter focal length range, but a longer equivalent focal length range due to the crop factor. It also has image stabilization and a stepping motor for autofocus, which are both advantages over the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. However, it is also more expensive and heavier.

The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM is a more advanced telephoto zoom lens that has a slightly shorter focal length range, but a longer equivalent focal length range on APS-C sensor cameras. It has image stabilization and a nano ultrasonic motor for autofocus, which are both superior to the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. It also has a digital display that shows information such as focal length, focus distance, and stabilization mode. However, it is also much more expensive and heavier.

The Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L USM is a professional-grade telephoto zoom lens that has a constant maximum aperture of f/4 throughout the zoom range. It has an ultrasonic motor for autofocus and an L-series build quality and optical performance, which are both outstanding compared to the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III. However, it does not have image stabilization and it has a shorter focal length range and equivalent focal length range on APS-C sensor cameras. It is also more expensive and heavier.

Representative Product Reviews

Here are some representative product reviews from users who have bought and used the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III:

> “I bought this lens as a beginner photographer who wanted to try out some telephoto shots without spending too much money. I was pleasantly surprised by how well this lens performed for its
price. The lens is easy to use and has a good zoom range that allows me to capture different subjects from a distance. The lens is also light and compact, which makes it convenient to carry around. The image quality is decent for the price, but not very sharp or clear. The autofocus is also noisy and slow, and sometimes hunts for focus in low-light situations. The lens does not have image stabilization, which makes it hard to get steady shots at longer focal lengths or slower shutter speeds. Overall, I think this lens is a good starter lens for beginners who want to learn telephoto photography, but not a great lens for more serious or professional photographers who need better image quality and performance.” – 4 stars

> “I love this lens! It is perfect for my Canon Rebel T6 camera and it gives me amazing photos of wildlife, nature, and sports. The lens is very affordable and has a great zoom range that lets me get close to the action without disturbing the animals or the players. The lens is also very easy to use and has a smooth zoom ring and a fast autofocus. The image quality is excellent for the price, with good sharpness, contrast, and color. The lens also has a nice bokeh effect that blurs the background and makes the subject stand out. The lens does not have image stabilization, but I don’t mind that because I usually use a tripod or a monopod when shooting with this lens. I also don’t mind the noise of the autofocus, because it is not too loud or annoying. I think this lens is a great value for money and a must-have for any Canon SLR camera owner who loves telephoto photography.” – 5 stars

> “I regret buying this lens. It is one of the worst lenses I have ever used. The lens is cheap and flimsy, and feels like it will break any minute. The lens is also heavy and bulky, and makes my camera unbalanced and uncomfortable to hold. The image quality is terrible, with softness, distortion, chromatic aberration, and vignetting all over the place. The autofocus is also slow and inaccurate, and often misses the focus or focuses on the wrong thing. The lens does not have image stabilization, which makes it impossible to get sharp shots at longer focal lengths or in low-light conditions. I would not recommend this lens to anyone who cares about their photography. It is a waste of money and a disappointment.” – 1 star

Conclusion

The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III is a telephoto zoom lens that offers a low price, a versatile zoom range, and a portable design. However, it also has some drawbacks, such as a slow maximum aperture, no image stabilization, a noisy and slow autofocus, and a mediocre optical quality. Therefore, this lens is best suited for beginners or hobbyists who want to try out telephoto photography without spending too much money, or for more advanced or professional photographers who need a backup or secondaryIf you are interested in buying this lens, you can click on this link to purchase it from Amazon.com.

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