Canon EF 100-300mm F/5.6L

Telephoto zoom lens • Film era • Discontinued

  • Announced:
  • · June 1987
  • Production status:
  • ● Discontinued
  • Country of design:
  • · Japan
  • Original name:
  • · CANON ZOOM LENS EF 100-300mm 1:5.6 L
  • Class:
  • · Slow full-frame telephoto zoom lens
  • System:
  • · Canon EOS (1987)

Abbreviations

EF The lens is designed for Canon EOS 35mm SLR cameras but can be also used on Canon EOS APS-C digital SLR cameras.
L Professional lens with high quality optics and robust build. Meets the highest standards and provides excellent performance and flawless image quality unachievable with traditional optical technologies.

Specification

Optical design:
35mm full frame
100mm - 300mm [3X zoom ratio]
F/5.6 across the focal length range
15 elements in 10 groups
1 FL, 1 UD
Canon EF [44mm]
24.4° @ 100mm - 8.2° @ 300mm (35mm full frame)
On Canon EOS APS-C [1.59x] cameras:
35mm equivalent focal length range:
159mm - 477mm (in terms of field of view)
35mm equivalent speed range:
F/8.9 (in terms of depth of field)
Diagonal angle of view:
15.5° @ 100mm - 5.2° @ 300mm
Diaphragm mechanism:
Diaphragm type:
Automatic
Aperture control:
None; the aperture is controlled from the camera
8 (eight)
Zooming:
Zoom mechanism:
Manual
Zoom control:
Zoom ring
Zoom type:
Push/pull (100mm → 300mm)
Zooming method:
Extends while zooming
Focusing:
1.50m
1:4 @ 300mm
Focusing modes:
Autofocus (AF), Manual focus (M)
Autofocus motor:
Arc-Form Drive
Manual focus control:
Focusing ring
Focus mode selector:
AF (LIMIT) - AF (FULL) - M
Full-Time Manual Focus (FTM):
-
Focusing distance range limiter:
MACRO - INF / 2m - INF
Image Stabilizer (IS):
-
Physical characteristics:
695g
⌀75×166.6mm
-
-
Accessories:
Screw-type 58mm
ET-62II - Snap-on round
Not compatible

Source of data

  • Manufacturer's technical data.

Manufacturer description #1

One element each of Fluorite and UD glass in its 15-element optical formula make the EF 100-300mm f/5.6L an extremely sharp zoom lens, one of Canon's professional quality L-Series. As an alternative to the EF 80-200mm f/2.8L, the EF 100-300mm f/5.6L offers longer range and lighter weight at a more affordable price. Particularly popular with nature photographers, this lens has excellent performance for close-up photography with a full-range continuous macro capability that can produce magnifications better than 1/4 life-size at optimum working distances for flash.

Manufacturer description #2

A super telephoto zoom with a high-performance 3X telephoto zoom featuring L lens image quality at an affordable price. To correct the residual chromatic aberrations (secondary spectrum) common in 300mm-class lenses, fluorite (an artificially crystallized form of calcium fluoride developed by Canon) and high-refraction/low-dispersion UD glass elements are used in the 1st and 3rd groups. Besides 3X super-telephoto zoom coverage, this lens provides sharp, high-contrast imaging performance at all focal lengths. A compact design is made possible by the four-group zoom system. A close focusing distance of 105m/4.9 ft is achieved throughout the zoom range, enabling close-up shooting of areas the size of a postcard at the 300mm position.

Manufacturer description #3

High-performance 3x telephoto zoom lens. Synthetic fluorite in group 1 and UD glass in group 2 achieve low refraction and low dispersion. They also effectively correct chromatic and other aberrations. Resolution is high throughout all focal lengths. Images are sharp and crisp. At the 300mm focal length, 0.25x magnification is possible.

Manufacturer description #4

A sophisticated professional lens, the Electro Focus EF 100-300mm f5.6L offers sharp images by using one element each of fluorite and UD glass to reduce chromatic aberration. With a close focusing distance of 4.6 ft. in the macro range, the lens has excellent macro capability. It has a built-in, full-range macro feature, and a three-group moving zoom system for compactness.

From the editor

Optically the lens is based on the Canon FDn 100-300mm F/5.6L (1985).

Compared to other telephoto zoom lenses in the Canon EOS system

  • Slowest speed (F/5.6), along with the Canon EF 100-300/5.6
  • Constant speed (F/5.6), along with 11 other models

Other telephoto zoom lenses in the Canon EOS system

■Canon EF mount (33)
Canon EF 50-200mm F/3.5-4.5 • ⌀58 • Push/pull 1987 ●compare23
Canon EF 50-200mm F/3.5-4.5L • ⌀58 • Push/pull 1988 ●compare23
Canon EF 55-200mm F/4.5-5.6 USM • ⌀52 1998 ●compare54
Canon EF 55-200mm F/4.5-5.6 II USM • ⌀52 2003 ●compare64
Canon EF 70-200mm F/4L USM • ⌀67Pro 1999 ●compare73
Canon EF 70-200mm F/4L IS USM • ⌀67Pro 2006 ●compare103
Canon EF 70-200mm F/4L IS II USM • ⌀72Pro 2018 ●compare123
Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8L USM • ⌀77Pro 1995 ●compare64
Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS USM • ⌀77Pro 2001 ●compare94
Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS II USM • ⌀77Pro 2010 ●compare104
Canon EF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS III USM • ⌀77Pro 2018 ●compare124
Canon EF 70-210mm F/4 • ⌀58 • Push/pullPro 1987 ●compare32
Canon EF 70-210mm F/3.5-4.5 USM • ⌀58 1990 ●compare74
Canon EF 70-300mm F/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM • ⌀58 2004 ●compare62
Canon EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS USM • ⌀58 2005 ●compare52
Canon EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6L IS USM • ⌀67 2010 ●compare94
Canon EF 70-300mm F/4-5.6 IS II USM • ⌀67 2016 ●compare83
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 • ⌀58 1991 ●compare42
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 USM • ⌀58 1992 ●compare52
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 IS USM • ⌀58 1995 ●compare42
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 II • ⌀58 1995 ●compare42
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 II USM • ⌀58 1995 ●compare52
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III • ⌀58 1999 ●compare52
Canon EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III USM • ⌀58 1999 ●compare52
Canon EF 80-200mm F/4.5-5.6 • ⌀52 1990 ●compare35
Canon EF 80-200mm F/4.5-5.6 USM • ⌀52 1992 ●compare44
Canon EF 80-200mm F/4.5-5.6 II • ⌀52 1995 ●compare34
Canon EF 80-200mm F/2.8L • ⌀72Pro 1989 ●compare45
Canon EF 90-300mm F/4.5-5.6 USM • ⌀58 2002 ●compare42
Canon EF 90-300mm F/4.5-5.6 • ⌀58 2003 ●compare32
Canon EF 100-200mm F/4.5A • ⌀58 • Push/pull 1988 ●compare24
Canon EF 100-300mm F/5.6 • ⌀58 • Push/pull 1987 ●compare01
Canon EF 100-300mm F/4.5-5.6 USM • ⌀58 1990 ●compare42

Lenses with similar focal length range

■Canon EF mount (10)
Cosina AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC Macro • ⌀55 • Push/pull
akaPhoenix AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7
akaPromaster Spectrum 7 AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC Macro
akaSoligor AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC Macro
akaTokina AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7
akaVivitar AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC
akaVoigtlander Telomar AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 VMV Macro		 ●compare13
Cosina AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC Macro • ⌀55
akaPhoenix AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7
akaPromaster Spectrum 7 AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC Macro
akaSoligor AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC Macro
akaVivitar AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 MC
akaVoigtlander Telomar AF 100-300mm F/5.6-6.7 VMV Macro		 ●compare12
Sigma 100-300mm F/4 APO EX DG [HSM] • ⌀82Pro 2005 ●compare65
Sigma 100-300mm F/4.5-6.7 DL ZEN • ⌀55
akaQuantaray AF 100-300mm F/4.5-6.7 LDO		 1997 ●compare23
Sigma 100-300mm F/4.5-6.7 UC ZEN • ⌀55 1997 ●compare23
Sigma 100-300mm F/4 APO EX IF [HSM] • ⌀82Pro 2000 ●compare55
Tamron AF 100-300mm F/5-6.3 Macro 186D • ⌀55
akaPromaster AF 100-300mm F/5-6.3 Macro		 1998 ●compare22
Tamron AF 100-300mm F/5-6.3 86D • ⌀55 1997 ●compare22
Tokina AT-X AF SD 100-300mm F/4 [IF] II • ⌀77Pro 1995 ●compare35
Tokina AT-X AF SD 100-300mm F/4 [IF] • ⌀77Pro 1993 ●compare35

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