Canon EF 70-200 mm f/4L USM review - Build quality

Have you rated your lenses yet?

Canon EF 70-200 mm f/4L USM

22 September 2007

Arkadiusz Olech

3. Build quality

Photographers who used to their 70-300 mm or 100-300 mm class amateur lenses will be shocked looking at the 70-200 mm f/4L for the first time. Although its focal length range is smaller, the lens is quite large and very long given its 200 mm focal length. It is probably worth adding that Sigma’s 70-300 maximum size set up at 300 mm is still a bit smaller than the L-grade lens. This is thanks to the lens’s specific build. The lens doesn’t change its size with the focal length change. This is what we “pay” for such sturdiness. The indestructible magnesium body that doesn’t move and doesn’t change shape – and thus doesn’t acquire dust, dirt or moisture – is what professionals working in difficult conditions appreciate the most. On the other hand, the tested lens at 705 grams is quite compact when we compare it to a fixed f/2.8 model.

Canon EF 70-200 mm f/4L USM - Build quality

As we could expect of a professional lens, the inner construction isn’t simple. There are 16 elements set up in 13 groups. Three of the lenses are made of low dispersion glass (two made of UD glass and one of CaF₂ fluorite) that should eliminate all optical defects.

Please Support Us

If you enjoy our reviews and articles, and you want us to continue our work please, support our website by donating through PayPal. The funds are going to be used for paying our editorial team, renting servers, and equipping our testing studio; only that way we will be able to continue providing you interesting content for free.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - advertisement - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

It is hard to set up the 70-200 f/4L on a tripod due to the lack of a tripod adapter as well as due to its size and weight. The lighter the body, the bigger the problem. Working with the small and plastic 350D one may come across problems with vibrations and motion, but the force could also pull the lens out together with the body mounting.