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

This is most likely the first Telephoto Zoom Lens you would look at having purchased your Canon DSLR. Its a good lightweight medium range zoom lens that ticks most boxes for the Digital Virgin. It does come up a little short as far as sharpness at the long end is concerned. But providing you are not hung up on using this lens at the 300mm end (480 Digital)at infinity then this is a very good option to 'learn the ropes'on. It wouldn't be fair to mark this up as an 'average' lens which some would say it is. If l am honest its a little better than good really. If you are already used to using "superior" lenses then you will have cut your teeth on something like this and you wouldn't be looking at a 400 L lens that you may have. If you intend purchasing the steep end of the lens market then please don't do it until you have learned how to use something like this lens first, it could be an expensive mistake. No point running before you can walk. Its nicely built, easy to handle and fit.

Its reasonably quiet and auto-focuses quickly, only being let down by my not being as quick as it is. Purchased at the time because l wanted a lens that had as wide a range possible on a budget, you can get some good results in wild-life and landscape situations. I have used this also at airshows with limited success but l think as my technique improves then my results will improve in this particular field.
I would still recommend this to a starter although at £239 list, new, you could be forgiven for doing what l did and buy a good quality second-hand unit for around £90. Prime lenses will always surpass a telephoto on reproductive quality, even though Primes can be less flexible in that zooming is only achieved by the operator moving closer or further away from the object, so you have to be prepared to compromise...even with an L type lens. This particular lens makes a good stepping stone to the L range, which one day l hope to be able to afford one. True there maybe better lenses out there than the 75-300USM , but few that offer the range, quality standard,handleability and price that this one does.