Just Bought A New Canon EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM And It Is Amazing

WCETECH
Enthusiast

Last Monday I came across a ad for a Canon L glass 300 2.8 lens, the seller wanted $1700 but we negotiated the price down to $1500 cash in hand, if the lens was a described.

Tuesday morning we met the seller and I found the lens to be in nearly perfect shape other than some minor scratches where the glare hood mounts to the lens, the glass was in excellent condition as well, so I bought it.

On the way back with my wife driving, because I took a pain pill in the morning my hip was hurting real bad and once I take one them I will not for 24 hours, I tried out the lens shooting through the passenger side window.

I was blown away by how quickly the lens would capture focus considering the speed we where going.

I have rented one of those lens's twice and owning one was on the top of my list after I retired, I just couldn't find one, but as my luck normally runs I now own one.

Canon did a real good job when they designed that lens, yea it's heavy but I am used to carrying heavy camcorders so the weight means nothing to me.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

2 ACCEPTED SOLUTIONS

zakslm
Rising Star
Rising Star

WCETECH,

Congratulation on you lens purchase!  Use it well and use it often!

I think one of the most satisfying things for me is finding, discovering or coming across what I would consider hidden gems and then producing great results with those gems.  By that I mean older EF lenses or equipment that can found used at reasonable or "bargain" prices. 

It appears that your new to you 300 f2.8 is just such a "gem" and hopefully you'll post some shots taken with that lens in the Gallery.

Regards,

LZ

View solution in original post

I don't see a stop production date, but the End of Service Life date was September of 2017! 

View solution in original post

15 REPLIES 15

wq9nsc
Elite
Elite

Congratulations on finding this great lens.  Although I use my EF 400 f2.8 IS II a bit more since I shoot a lot of sports, I believe that the EF 300 f2.8 IS is the sharpest lens I own.  Definitely one of Canon's great optical achievements!

Enjoy using it.

Rodger

EOS 1DX M3, 1DX M2, 1DX, 5DS R, M6 Mark II, 1D M2, EOS 650 (film), many lenses, XF400 video

March411
Whiz
Whiz

WCETECH, it's always nice when something works out better than you planned, congrats on the new lens! Glad it was a great experience and that you were blown away, always good to be blown......away 😃


Marc
Windy City

R3 ~ R5 ~ R6 Mk II ~ R50
Lenses: RF Trinity and others
Adobe and Topaz Suite for post processing

Personal Gallery

zakslm
Rising Star
Rising Star

WCETECH,

Congratulation on you lens purchase!  Use it well and use it often!

I think one of the most satisfying things for me is finding, discovering or coming across what I would consider hidden gems and then producing great results with those gems.  By that I mean older EF lenses or equipment that can found used at reasonable or "bargain" prices. 

It appears that your new to you 300 f2.8 is just such a "gem" and hopefully you'll post some shots taken with that lens in the Gallery.

Regards,

LZ

It appears that your new to you 300 f2.8 is just such a "gem" and hopefully you'll post some shots taken with that lens in the Gallery.

 

It will get used, not a lot but at that price it was low enough to justify owning one.

In the past I have rented one a couple of times when I had a assignment that required such a long lens, however rentals where not inexpensive.

They are however a good way to determine what lens to purchase when considering buying one try before you buy so to speak.

What is how I my wife and I did it before getting married, it was a odd beginning, her mother hated me because I was allowing her daughter to live a life of sin, while her father thought I was one of the best men he ever met, I could not only produce excellent shots I could develop and print my own pictures, on top of that I knew how to use my hands, doing a lot of welding and wood working, something his son had no interest in doing.

At our wedding they both gave us a couple of nice presents, my wife received a type of sewing machine known as a surger, I received a box containing 50 rolls of 36 exposure 400 ASA Kodak Tri-X for my Canon T-70 which in the day was a real nice SLR and a new welder to replace my rather beat up old one.

Now in closing I am sure I will capture some amazing shots with the 300 and will post some here to demonstrate how nice that lens is when properly utilized. 

        

   

 

 

By the way if anyone knows if and when Canon ceased production of that lens I would like to know.

I'm basing my guess they are out of production as I cannot find any new ones as the usual places such as B&H.

 

I don't see a stop production date, but the End of Service Life date was September of 2017! 

WCETECH
Enthusiast

Thank you.

WCETECH
Enthusiast

Another question someone might have the answer for my question.

Are there any UV or clear filters that can be mounted on the grooves at the front of the lens to hols a lens cap.

The reason I ask is normally I install a clear or UV filter in front of the front lens to provide protection for that element from flying objects and to keep it dust free as much as possible.

That stated I discovered another nice feature the mount has a o-ring improving the ability of the camera/lens to survive getting rained on, which something that happens in the real world.  

 

ebiggs1
Legend
Legend

A high quality UV filter that isn't necessary for a lens in that quality level would be very expensive. You can't put a Dollar General filter on a lens like that. Plus, I don't think any are available that can be mounted on that lens. I have one big white lens I have had for 30 years and it has never had a filter on it. One word Rocket blower.

EB
EOS 1D, EOS 1D MK IIn, EOS 1D MK III, EOS 1Ds MK III, EOS 1D MK IV and EOS 1DX and many lenses.
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