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Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens

BH #CA6004L3 • MFR #3329C002
24 reviews
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Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens
Key Features
  • EF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/4 to f/32
  • Super UD, Fluorite & Aspherical Elements
  • Super Spectra and Air Sphere Coatings
Cherished for sports and wildlife applications, the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is a Canon L-series super telephoto lens distinguished by its advanced, lightweight design, quick and intuitive handling, and high speed performance. Using fluorite, Super UD, and aspherical elements, both chromatic and spherical aberrations are kept to minimum in order to realize sharp, clear image quality with accurate rendering and color fidelity. Both Super Spectra and Air Sphere Coatings also contribute to color accuracy and helps to control flare and ghosting when working in backlit and harsh lighting conditions.
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Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Overview

Cherished for sports and wildlife applications, the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is a Canon L-series super telephoto lens distinguished by its advanced, lightweight design, quick and intuitive handling, and high speed performance. Using fluorite, Super UD, and aspherical elements, both chromatic and spherical aberrations are kept to minimum in order to realize sharp, clear image quality with accurate rendering and color fidelity. Both Super Spectra and Air Sphere Coatings also contribute to color accuracy and helps to control flare and ghosting when working in backlit and harsh lighting conditions.

In addition to its optical merits, the 600mm f/4 is also characterized by its advanced five stop-effective Image Stabilizer system, which has three separate stabilization modes to suit various shooting applications. Also complementing handling is a sophisticated ring-type USM, which provides quick, quiet, and accurate autofocus performance along with full-time manual focus override. A customizable electronic focusing ring further contributes to precise manual focus control, by affording three focusing sensitivity levels for different applications. Additionally, this lens is weather-sealed for use in trying environmental conditions and it has a removable rotating tripod collar to benefit working atop a tripod or monopod.

Super telephoto prime is designed for full-frame Canon EF-mount DSLRs, however can also be used with APS-C models where it provides a 960mm equivalent focal length.
Bright f/4 maximum aperture affords control over depth of field for working with selective focus techniques.
Super UD and fluorite elements are used to greatly reduce color fringing and chromatic aberrations in order to achieve greater clarity and color accuracy.
Aspherical elements help to limit spherical aberrations and distortion for greater sharpness and accurate rendering.
Super Spectra and Air Sphere Coatings have been applied to individual elements to control lens flare and ghosting for greater contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions.
An Optical Image Stabilizer helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake by up to five shutter speed stops to better enable working in low-light conditions and with slower shutter speeds. Three distinct IS modes are available: standard single-shot mode, a panning-optimized mode, and a mode that only activates the Image Stabilizer during the exposure.
A ring-type Ultrasonic Motor (USM), along with optimized focusing algorithms and a high-speed CPU, is employed to deliver fast, precise, and quiet autofocus performance as well as full-time manual focus override.
Customizable electronic focusing ring provides three sensitivity levels for how quickly and precisely the lens can manually focus.
Focus Preset function is available to quickly recall a programmed focusing position.
Rounded nine-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing out of focus quality that benefits the use of shallow depth of field and selective focus techniques.
As a member of the esteemed L-series, this lens is sealed against dust and moisture for working in inclement environmental conditions and also features a fluorine coating on the front and rear elements to guard against water spots, smudges, or oil residue.
Removable rotating tripod collar is included and benefits working with the lens atop a tripod or monopod.
Compatible with optional EF 1.4X and EF 2X teleconverters.
UPC: 013803315325

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Specs

Key Specs
Focal Length
600mm
Maximum Aperture
f/4
Lens Mount
Canon EF
Lens Format Coverage
Full-Frame
Focus Type
Autofocus
Image Stabilization
Yes
Filter Size
52 mm (Drop-In)
Maximum Aperture
f/4
Minimum Aperture
f/32
Lens Mount
Canon EF
Lens Format Coverage
Full-Frame
Angle of View
4° 10'
Minimum Focus Distance
13.78' / 4.2 m
Maximum Magnification
0.15x
Optical Design
17 Elements in 13 Groups
Aperture/Iris Blades
9, Rounded
Focus Type
Autofocus
Image Stabilization
Yes
Tripod Mounting
Removable and Rotating Collar
Filter Size
52 mm (Drop-In)
Dimensions
ø: 6.61 x L: 17.64" / ø: 168 x L: 448 mm
Weight
6.71 lb / 3050 g
Packaging Info
Package Weight
16.5 lb
Box Dimensions (LxWxH)
26 x 16 x 15"

Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Reviews

re: the one bad review of 600 f/4 usm is iii

By sfoAlan
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2022-02-03

Looks to me more like diffraction softness than a lens defect. Most of the newer lenses are sharpest at around f/8 or f/11. While I appreciate the need for smaller f/stops with a 600mm lens, the difference in sharpness, whether lens performance or diffraction, though noticeable to a critical eye when enlarged to this extent, it is in my experience well within the capabilities to be equalized by the better sharpening programs say from Topaz Labs, ON 1, Projects and Landscape Pro. I am less sure of the ancient sharpening algorithm used by PS but I find that every digital photograph I've seen in the past 10 years, no matter what the lens/camera combination, benefit by some post shooting sharpening. I photograph mostly fast moving objects, airplanes, birds and cars, so having a lens that weighs almost 2# less, has better balance and may focus just a little faster matters quite a lot to me when photographing two airplanes converging on each other at 1000 ft/sec. And the weight and balance matters even more when you are at events that last 6-7 hours. I also am a user of the 1DX III and the full range of Canon EF lenses from 11mm-600mm -sfoAlan

690mm usmIII

By DominickT
Rated 5 out of 5
Date: 2020-07-18

Hemingway, even at his sesquipedalian best would fail to provide sufficient praise for a lens of this caliber. Mind you, the circus I went through to purchase it bears mentioning; Over a certain price threshold the accounting department requires a wire transfer, but nobody will inform you at the time of purchase. No email is sent out, one must wait on a phone call they do not anticipate. I did not receive this call, and endured some less-than-productive time being anointed with idiotic opinions from the staff of an indifferent call center. FORTUNATELY!! A member of the Executive Response Team stepped in and took personal oversight of the situation until everything was resolved. As for the quality of the lens? I’m still overwhelmed with a feeling of near enlightenment with the luscious background blurring from such a perfectly designed aperture. The weight savings is so gloriously noticeable that your inner soul will feast upon it with every mile hiked, and every rapid shot taken. Honestly the best part is being able to drop that gem of a line from Ferris Bueller the rest of your life, “If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

See any errors on this page?

Does this ship with the LS600 soft case or the ...

Does this ship with the LS600 soft case or the 600c hard case as standard?
Asked by: Joseph
Included In the Box would be the following Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens Canon E-185C Lens Cap Canon Lens Dust Cap E (Rear Lens Cap) Canon ET-160 (WIII) Lens Hood Canon LS600 Soft Lens Case Canon - Drop-In Filter Holder for 52mm Screw-In Filters Strap Limited 1-Year Warranty
Answered by: Moe
Date published: 2021-03-25

Anyone bought recently and NOT have the IS issue?

Anyone bought recently and NOT have the IS issue?
Asked by: Tammy
This lens should not have any IS issues currently.
Answered by: Rob
Date published: 2021-02-18

When using this lens with an adapter EF lens to ...

When using this lens with an adapter EF lens to Sony E mount, can you still use a teleconverter ?
Asked by: Tarek
Yes, so long as the teleconverter being used is an EF teleconverter, you can use a compatible teleconverter when adapting the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens to an E-mount camera.
Answered by: Michael S
Date published: 2024-10-16

Will this lens work on a 5D Mark III? any issues ...

Will this lens work on a 5D Mark III? any issues with IS on 5D Mark III
Asked by: Thomas
The Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM Lens is designed for Canon full frame DSLR, such as Canon EOS 5D series ( Mark I, II, III, and IV). The lens has a five stop-effective Image Stabilizer motor which is fully compatible with Canon DSLR's and Mirrorless cameras.
Answered by: Llinelva D
Date published: 2024-05-03

Ryan, if you're out there, I would be very ...

Ryan, if you're out there, I would be very interested to know if Canon's 18Nov2019 firmware update solved your IS issues (which you posted a detailed review about on 11Sep2019)?
Asked by: Stephen
Update: the following issue has been addressed via a firmware update. Note that a 600mm III lens image stabilization problem was being reported by, initially, some 5D Mark IV and other camera users. Reportedly, this lens produced a ghost-like blur at longer shutter speeds when shooting through the viewfinder with IS enabled. Initial reports indicated that 1/250 or 1/200 and longer shutter speeds produced this effect and further reports specify that the blur disappeared at 1/250 and only longer shutter speeds are concerned (1/160 was reportedly the worst). Again, this issue has been addressed by firmware update v1.1.2.
Answered by: Rob
Date published: 2020-08-19

Does the lens hood lock on like on the Canon ...

Does the lens hood lock on like on the Canon 100-400 II?
Asked by: Tammy
It locks on but not in the same way. The 100-400mm has a traditional bayonet mount: align, twist, and it clicks into locked position. The 600mm hood fits on to the hood mount and then you tighten the lock knob to secure it. See page ENG -19 OF MANUAL: http://gdlp01.c-wss.com/gds/9/0300033279/01/ef600f4lisiiiusm-im-eng.pdf
Answered by: Patrick
Date published: 2019-07-02

I own version II of this lens and want to upgrade ...

I own version II of this lens and want to upgrade to version III. I also own both a 5D Mark IV and a 5R. I am concerned that version III image stabilization will not work well with either camera. Is there any update on this issue particularly with the Canon 5R?
Asked by: Ronald W.
Eric, unfortunately, I just traded it about a week ago. I would have considered an outright buy.
Answered by: Ronald W.
Date published: 2021-11-04

Does I need to buy an additional filter and drop ...

Does I need to buy an additional filter and drop in filter for the 600III or does the camera come with a ready to use filter? Do I have to buy a drop in if I do not immediately have a need for ND or a polarizer?
Asked by: Suzana
This lens already comes with a drop in filter holder with a protective filter. A CP or ND filter can be purchased seperately.
Answered by: Rob
Date published: 2021-05-24
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