Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens

The Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM Lens is a telephoto zoom lens designed for Canon EF-mount cameras, introduced in June 1992 as part of Canon’s original EF 75-300mm lineup, giving photographers an affordable way to extend reach for wildlife, sports, and general telephoto shooting with the benefit of USM autofocus.

Optically, the lens is built from 13 elements in 9 groups, covering a 75-300mm focal range with a variable maximum aperture of f/4 at the wide end narrowing to f/5.6 at full telephoto, down to a minimum aperture of f/45. A 7-blade diaphragm contributes to the lens’s background rendering, and the lens achieves a maximum magnification of 0.13x at its closest focusing distance of 1.5m (4.9 ft.).

Autofocus is handled by a USM (Ultrasonic Motor), delivering notably quicker and quieter focusing performance than Canon’s non-USM telephoto zooms of the same era, well suited to both stills and casual action photography. The lens uses an extending-front zoom design with a rotary zoom mechanism, meaning the barrel lengthens as it’s zoomed toward 300mm.

Build quality uses a plastic barrel paired with a metal mount, keeping the lens lightweight at approximately 495g and measuring approximately 71 x 122.1mm. It accepts a 58mm filter thread and does not include image stabilization or weather sealing, consistent with its affordable, entry-level positioning within Canon’s telephoto zoom lineup.

As a full-frame-compatible lens, the EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 USM produces its standard 75-300mm field of view on full-frame Canon bodies and an effective, longer telephoto-equivalent field of view on APS-C bodies.

Key Features
– 75-300mm telephoto zoom for Canon EF mount
– Maximum aperture f/4-5.6 (variable)
– 13 elements in 9 groups optical construction
– 7-blade diaphragm
– USM (Ultrasonic Motor) autofocus
– Rotary, extending-front zoom design
– Minimum focusing distance of 1.5m (4.9 ft.); 0.13x maximum magnification
– 58mm filter thread
– No image stabilization
– Lightweight plastic barrel and metal mount construction (approximately 495g)
– Compatible with full-frame and APS-C Canon EF-mount cameras