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 EF 70-300 F4-5.6 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 EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM is the longer of the two lenses at 146mm. The Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM with a length of 105mm, is 41mm shorter. On the other hand, the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM has a larger diameter of 87mm compared to the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM's 80mm diameter.
Below you can find a scaled side-by-side image of Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM and Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM to get a better idea of how their sizes compare in real life.
Comparison image of the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM and the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM Size and Weight 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 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM weighs 710g, 25% (240g) lighter than the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM's weight of 950g.
Filter Threads
The Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II 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 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II USM:
Lens Mounts
Both the Canon EF 85mm F1.4L IS USM and the Canon EF 70-300 F4-5.6 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 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 EF 70-300 F4-5.6 IS II 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 .
