This long, Tele stabilized zoom replaces Canon's popular 75-300mm f/4-5.6 full-frame IS lens, the industry's first IS/VR lens, introduced in 1995. The new model delivers better image stabilization (to three stops instead of two) and a wider zoom range.

This medium telephoto zoom is one of a number of lenses that Canon make in the 70–200, 300mm range. It is middling in price and performance, ideal for anyone looking for a good lens for occasional use.

This is a sweet and smooth lens in use; Auto focus is fast enough and the feel of zoom and focus controls is good; It is light enough to carry around without getting a pain in the neck, yet not so light that there are worries about durability

There is slight barrel distortion at the wide end – nothing to worry about in field use – and slightly more pincushion at the 300mm end; It is easy enough to correct in Photoshop

At ￡432 the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens should come with a lens hood, but it doesn't. However, it does come with a soft case to protect against scuffs and scrapes and features an Ultra-low dispersion (UD) element and Super Spectra coatings to help reduce fringeing, ghosting and flare.

Designed to deliver ultra-high quality images along with lightning fast operation, the new Canon EF 70-300 f/4-5.6L IS USM telephoto zoom lens brings a favorite zoom range to the celebrated Canon L-series of lenses.

Canon's EF 70-300mm f4-5.6L IS USM brings L quality to this popular zoom range. You get tough build quality, quick and quiet USM autofocusing, full-time manual focusing, effective image stabilisation and great optical quality in a barrel that's comfortably shorter (albeit fatter and heavier) than...

We've just tested the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM L IS within its native full format scope so you may forgive us that we've pretty much copied the introduction. The Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 USM L IS is the latest addition to their tele zoom lens lineup making it, by far, the most extensive system...