The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II 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 a crucial factor to consider 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 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II with a length of 79mm, is 114mm 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 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II's 69mm 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 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II weighs 250g, which means it is 1340g (84%) lighter than the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM which has a weight of 1590g.
Filter Threads
The Canon 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II has a filter size of 52mm whereas the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM has a 77mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 52mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II:
And these are the 77mm filters that we recommend for the Canon 100-400mm f4.5-5.6L IS II USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II 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 80-200mm f4.5-5.6 II has a focal range of 80-200mm and
2.5X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
128 - 320mm.
On the other hand, the 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.