The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM and the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 172mm. The Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM with a length of 100mm, is 72mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM has a larger diameter of 82mm compared to the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM's 76mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM weighs 720g, which means it is 40g (5%) lighter than the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM which has a weight of 760g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Zoom Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
The Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM has a filter size of 58mm whereas the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 58mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM and the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS USM has the same Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with the Canon EF lenses are Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K.
Focal Range
Canon 70-300mm f4.5-5.6 DO IS USM has a focal range of 70-300mm and
4.3X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
112 - 480mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 70-200mm f4L IS 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.
