Canon RF 75-300mm F4-5.6

A new mirrorless lens, or a skeleton from Canon's DSLR closet?

- Matthew Richards

Roll the clock back to April 1999. Canon launched the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III for its EOS 35mm film cameras, but the lens failed to impress. The basic version had a sluggish electric autofocus motor. There was no manual focus override and the focus ring and front element rotated during autofocus. It also had no optical image stabilisation, no weather-seals and the hood was an 'optional extra'. Is Canon ploughing the same furrow with the RF 75-300mm f/4-5.6? It seems like a replica of the old Mk III EF lens, with the same number of optical elements and groups, aperture range, electric autofocus system, lack of stabilisation and the same handling flaws. It also shares the same minimum focus distance, magnification ratio, filter thread and uses the same ET-60 hood, again sold separately.

Build and handling

Let's take the Canon RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 on its own merits. Whereas many mirrorless zoom lenses have apertures that shrink to smaller values at the long end, like the impressive Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM, this lens has a more DSLR-friendly f/4-5.6 rating, better suiting the autofocus abilities of entry-level DSLR cameras. That's no bad thing, as the full extra f/stop at the long end compared with the RF 100-400mm lens makes it easier to freeze action under low lighting, without bumping up your camera's ISO.