The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is an important deciding factor when comparing two lenses. Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 193mm. The Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM with a length of 176mm, is 17mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM also has a larger diameter of 94mm compared to the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM's 80mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is as important as its external dimensions, especially if you are planning to hand hold your camera and lens combination for longer periods. Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM weighs 780g, which means it is 810g (50%) lighter than the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM which has a weight of 1590g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM and the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Canon 1D X III, Canon 6D MII and Canon 5D MIV.
Focal Range
Canon EF 70-200 F4L IS II USM has a focal range of 70-200mm and 2.9X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 112 - 320mm.
Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a focal range of 100-400mm and 4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 160 - 640mm.