The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM and the Canon 300mm f4.0L 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 300mm f4.0L IS USM is the longer of the two lenses at 221mm. The Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM with a length of 105mm, is 116mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM also has a larger diameter of 90mm compared to the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM's 87mm 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 EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM weighs 950g, which means it is 240g (20%) lighter than the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM which has a weight of 1190g.
Below you can find the dimension and weight table of the Telephoto Prime Lenses in Canon EF Mount for size comparison purposes.
Telephoto Lenses in Canon EF Mount for Size Comparison
Filter Threads
Both the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM and the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM have the same Filter thread size of 77mm.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for these lenses:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM and the Canon 300mm f4.0L 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 EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 85mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
136mm.
On the other hand, the Canon 300mm f4.0L IS USM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 300mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 480mm.
