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Canon

Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM

The 1999 500 mm f/4L IS super-telephoto: 2-stop IS, dust- and drip-proofing, a focus range switch and a drop-in filter, at 3.87 kg.

Used from
£869
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Used
eBay
eBay used
Lowest Buy It Now · marketplace
£603
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MPB
MPB used
Inspected used stock · 12-month warranty
£869
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Wex Photo Video
Wex Photo Video used
£1328
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New
No new stock at our retailers
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Core
Released
1999
Focal Length
500mm
Aperture
f/4
Compatible Mount
Canon EF
Filter Size
52mm
Dimensions
146mm diameter × 387mm length
Weight
3870g
Weather Sealed
Yes
Optics & Focus
AF Motor
Ultrasonic Motor (USM)
Optical IS
Optical IS, 2 stops
Aperture Blades
8
Magnification
0.12x
Min. Focus Distance
4.5m

Select up to 2 cameras to compare against the EF 500mm f/4L IS USM. It's always pinned as the baseline.

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24 cameras compatible with the Canon EF mount.

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GearScore™ — Suitability by Genre

Base score — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. Camera Match adjusts it for your skill level and priorities.

Portrait
6.7/10
Street
4.1/10
Travel
4.5/10
Wedding & Events
6.4/10
Filmmaking
4.2/10
Documentary
5.3/10
Sports & Action
8.3/10
Landscape
6.0/10
Wildlife
7.7/10
Casual
4.4/10
Food
4.9/10
Architecture
5.9/10
Underwater
5.6/10
✅ Great For
⚡
Sports & Action 8.3 Strong on autofocus, focal length and optical quality.
🦅
Wildlife 7.7 Strong on focal length, autofocus and optical quality.
⚠️ Not Ideal For
🌆
Street 4.1 Held back by portability and focal length.
🎬
Filmmaking 4.2 Held back by video handling and focal length.
📷
Casual 4.4 Held back by portability and focal length.
📝 How suitability scores are calculated GearScore™ genre scores are calculated from this camera's verified specifications — autofocus, sensor, weight, weather sealing and more — weighted by what matters for each type of photography. Where a spec sheet misses something (e.g. a manual-focus rangefinder for street), we apply a documented editorial adjustment. Scores are not based on customer reviews. See our full methodology →
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