Canon 300mm 2.8 history

<p>I want to move up to a Canon 300mm f/2.8 from my Sigma 300mm f/2.8. I see several for sale but need to know the difference between the 300 f/2.8 L ULTRASONIC (48) and the 300 f/2.8 L ULTRASONIC (GEL). Which is the newest?<br />Please do not tell me how good the Sigma is or anything about IS. The 2 lenses I am looking at are above.</p>

<p>Some information is here</p>

<p>http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canon_EF_300mm_f/2.8L_USM</p>

<p>The (48) refers to the size of the filter tray. The 300/2.8 L lenses don't take front filters, but use a filter tray to insert gels into the lens. Older lenses took a 48mm tray, newer ones use a 52mm tray. I'm not sure what (GEL) by itself means. I don't think there's a lens that predates the version with the 48mm tray.</p>

<p>I believe the one marked (GEL) should be the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS USM, which takes 52mm drop-in filters and has (I think) a rear gelatin filter holder also. It was introduced in 1999.</p>

<p>The one marked (48) is surely the EF 300mm f/2.8L USM (without IS), which was introduced in 1987 and takes 48mm drop-in filters.</p>

<p>Same thing AFAIK: the EF 300/2.8 L USM (often referred as Mk.I, sans IS) had a 48 mm drop-in gel filter holder. Date code is stamped on (almost..?) all Canon L lenses, BTW (serach for "how to date Canon lenses.") Very good lens, BTW. One caveat: Canon will not repair it should something go wrong (some third parties might, provided spare parts are available.)</p>

<p>Jimmy,</p>

<p>Not telling you to get the IS, but Michael's point is very valid. The MkI series teles are unfixable due to lack of parts, now you might think that is not too serious, no IS to break and if the focus goes wrong just manual focus it, the problem is you can't, manual focus works through the focus motor, if that dies the lens will not even manual focus. Something to be very wary of.</p>

<p>The Mk 1 EF 300/2.8 is not "unfixable" in any sense of the word. Canon won't fix it if they don't have parts. They officially discontinued support for this and many other older lenses some time ago, so they tend to cop-out with that excuse when one comes in for repairs. But plenty of 3rd party places can and will fix them. Midstate camera repair comes to mind, among others. and parts are still available on the secondary market, to some degree. </p>

<p>-Ed</p>

<p>Ed,</p>

<p>It is not supported by the manufacturer, parts are in very short supply and the key part, the focus unit, is around $500 plus fitting, if you can find a company with one. Whilst it is true that it might be possible to fix, my point is well made, it won't be fixed by Canon, and only if you can find NOS parts, hell Canon won't even look at them unless you are a CPS member. BUT, my main concern with these lenses, and the thing I think few people realise is, you can't manually focus if the the focus unit dies. That makes all the non IS teles a rather larger risk than most people might realise. The later lenses can be manually focused even if the focus and IS units die.</p>