Notable 300mm Lenses

Concentrating on fast 300mm lenses, i.e., 300mm f/2.8s.
Chronological by date introduced.

Lens Year Elements Groups Flourite UD Min f/stop Blades Focus Closest Focus Stabilizaton Stops Filter Hood Tripod Mount Length Diameter Weight Price New Notes
Tokyo Kogaku R. Topcor 300mm f/2.8 1958 5 3 f/22 Manual 4.50 m 39 mm Built-in 402 mm 137 mm 3104 g $1,125 700 made for the Topcon/Exakta mount
Canon FL-F 300mm f/5.6 FLOURITE 1969 7 6 2 f/22 8 Manual 3.50 m 58 mm Built-in 168 mm 75 mm 850 g
Canon FD 300mm f/5.6 1971 6 5 f/22 8 Manual 4.00 m 58 mm Built-in Removable 173 mm 70 mm 1155 g
Nikon ED 300mm f/2.8 1971 6 5 2 18 Unit 4.00 m 122 mm Screw-in 251 mm 125 mm 2600 g
Canon FD 300mm f/5.6 S.C. 1973 6 5 f/22 8 Manual 4.00 m 58 mm Built-in 173 mm 70 mm 1125 g
Canon FL-F 300mm f/2.8 S.S.C. FLOURITE 1974 6 5 1 f/32 Manual IF 3.50 m 34 mm Built-in 231 mm 2340 g Wide silver ring
Canon FL 300mm f/2.8 S.S.C. FLOURITE 1975 6 5 1 f/32 12 Manual IF 3.50 m 34 mm Built-in Rail 231 mm 112 mm 2340 g Wide silver ring
Canon FD 300mm f/2.8 S.S.C. FLOURITE 1976 6 5 1 f/22 Manual IF 3.50 m 34 mm Built-in Removable 230 mm 112 mm 1900 g
Nikon AI 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF 1977 8 6 f/22 9 Manual IF 4.00 m 122/39 Built-in Rotates 240 mm 137 mm 2450 g $1,500 2600 made from 1977 to 1982
Canon New FD 100-300mm f/5.6 1980 15 9 f/32 8 Manual 2.00 m 58 mm BT-58 172 mm 71 mm 705 g $290 Push/pull zoom
Canon New FD 300mm f/2.8 L 1981 9 7 1 1 f/32 Manual IF 3.00 m 48 mm Built-in 245 mm 127 mm 2310 g $3,500
Canon New FD 300mm f/4 L 1981 7 7 2 f/32 Manual IF 3.00 m 34 mm Built-in 207 mm 85 mm 1060 g $1,150
Canon New FD 300mm f/5.6 1981 6 5 f/32 Manual IF 3.00 m 58 mm Built-in 199 mm 65 mm 635 g $260 DKA owned
Nikon AI-S 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF 1982 8 6 Manual IF 4.00 m 122/39 Built-in 2500 g 6000 made from 1982 to 1985
Zeiss Tele-Apotessar 300mm f/2.8 T* 1982 7 6 2 8 Manual IF 3.50 m Built-in 244 mm 120 mm 2730 g Contax/Yashika mount
Nikon AI 300mm f/2 ED IF 1983 11 8 3 f/16 9 Manual IF 4.00 m 52 mm Built-in 331 mm 183 mm 7100 g $6,500 With TC-14C extender; 441 made through 1985
SMC Pentax-A* 300mm f/2.8 ED IF 1983 8 8 f/32 8 Manual IF 3.00 m 49 mm Built-in 236 mm 133 mm 2970 g For Pentax K system
Tamron SP 300mm f/2.8 LDS IF 60B 1984 10 7 2 f/32 Manual IF 43 mm 217 mm 133 mm 2474 g Nikon mount
Canon New FD 100-300mm f/5.6L 1985 15 10 1 1 f/32 8 Manual 1.00 m 58 mm BT-58 172 mm 71 mm 710 g $590 Push/pull zoom
Minolta AF 300mm f/2.8 Apo 1985 11 9 2 f/32 9 IF AF 2.50 m 114/42 Built-in 238 mm 128 mm 2505 g A-Mount
Nikon AF 300mm f/2.8 ED 1986 8 6 AF 3.00 m 39 mm 2700 g
Nikon AI-S 300mm f/2.8 ED-IF 1986 8 6 IF 3.00 m 39 mm Built-in 2400 g 8000 made from 1986 to 2005
Tokina AT-X SD 300mm f/2.8 1986 9 7 2 f/32 7 IF 2.40 m 112 mm MH-112 215 mm 117 mm 2140 g Canon FD, Nikon F, Contax/Yashika M42 mounts
Canon EF 100-300mm f/5.6L 1987 15 10 1 1 f/32 8 AFD 1.50 m 58 mm ET-62II 167 mm 75 mm 695 g $480 Push/pull zoom; DKA owned; DKA currently owns
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L USM 1987 8 6 1 1 f/32 8 Ring USM 3.00 m 48 mm ET-118 Rotates 253 mm 125 mm 2855 g $3,300 Front protective plate & rear filter; w/case & hood; DKA owned; DKA currently owns
Nikon AF 300mm f/4 ED 1987 8 6 2 f/32 9 IF AF 2.50 m 82/39 Built-in Fixed 219 mm 89 mm 1330 g DKA owned
Minolta AF Apo Tele 300mm f/2.8 1988 11 9 2 9 IF AF 2.50 m 114/42 Built-in 239 mm 128 mm 2480 g Minolta A
Nikon AF 300mm f/2.8 ED 1988 8 6 AF 3.00 m 39 mm Built-in 2700 g
Sigma 300mm f/2.8 APO Zen 1988 12 9 2 f/22 9 IF 2.50 m 31 mm 223 mm 120 mm 2030 g Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F
Arsat Yashma-4H MC 300mm f/2.8 1990 8 6 f/22 Manual 3.00 m 37 mm 232 mm 121 mm 2177 g Nikon mount
Canon EF 300mm f/4 L USM 1991 8 7 f/32 8 Ring USM 2.50 m 77 mm Built-in 214 mm 90 mm 1165 g
Tokina AT-X AF SD 300mm f/2.8 1991 9 7 2 f/32 7 AF 2.40 m 112/35.5 MH-112 214 mm 117 mm 2040 g Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F
Tokina AT-X AF SD 300mm f/2.8 II 1991 9 7 2 f/32 9 AF 2.40 m 112/35.5 MH-112 214 mm 117 mm 2200 g Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F
Mamiya Apo 300mm f/2.8 1992 9 8 2 f/22 IF 3.50 m Drop-in Built-in 237 mm 140 mm 2700 g For Mamiya M645 system
Nikon AF-I 300mm f/2.8 D ED 1992 11 9 AF-I 2.50 m 39 mm HK-19 2950 g
SMC Pentax-FA* 300mm f/2.8 IF & ED 1993 10 7 2 f/32 8 AF IF 2.00 m 112/43 MH-RA112 247 mm 123 mm 2495 g For Pentax K system
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8 D ED (Black & White) 1996 11 8 AF-S 2.50 m 52 mm HK-22 3100 g
Canon EF 300mm f/4 L IS USM 1997 15 11 2 f/32 8 Ring USM 1.50 m 77 mm Built-in 221 mm 90 mm 1190 g
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS USM 1999 16 12 1 2 f/32 8 Ring USM 2.50 m 3.0 52 mm ET-120 252 mm 128 mm 2550 g
Sigma 300mm f/2.8 APO EX 1999 11 9 2 9 AF IF 2.50 m 46 mm 212 mm 119 mm 2300 g Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F, Pentax K
Tokina AT-X Pro 300mm f/2.8 II 1999 9 7 2 f/32 9 AF 2.40 m 112/35.5 MH-112N 187 mm 117 mm 2300 g Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4 D ED 2000 10 6 2 f/32 9 IF AF SWM 1.45 m 77 mm Built-in Removable 223 mm 90 mm 1300 g $1,500 Includes CL-M2 case
Zeiss Tele-Superachromat T* 300mm f/2.8 FE 2000 9 8 f/22 8 IF 2.50 m 277 mm 138 mm 3800 g $21,290 With case, 1.7x extender, for 200 series Hasselblads
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8 D II ED (Black & Gray) 2001 11 8 3 f/22 9 AF-S 2.20 m 52 mm HK-26 274 mm 124 mm 2560 g $4,500
Tochigi Nikon 300mm T2.2 (f2.0) 2001 12 3 f/16 Manual 52 mm HK-29 Fixed 329 mm 163 mm 7280 g $20,000 20 made
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 APO EX IF HSM 2002 18 16 3 f/22 9 IF AF 2.50 m 105 mm LH1134 Removable 269 mm 113 mm 2600 g Rotary zoom; Canon EF, Nikon F
Minolta AF Apo Tele 300mm f/2.8 D SSM 2003 13 12 3 f/32 9 SSW 2.00 m 42 mm Clamp-on 242 mm 122 mm 2150 g Minolta A
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8 G ED VR 2004 11 8 3 f/22 AF-S SWM 2.20 m 3.0 52 mm HK-30 268 mm 124 mm 2870 g $5,800
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 APO DG HSM EX 2005 18 16 4 f/22 9 IF AF 2.50 m 105 mm LH1134 Removable 271 mm 113 mm 2680 g Rotary zoom; Canon EF, Nikon F
Sigma 300mm f/2.8 APO DG EX 2005 11 9 2 f/32 9 2.50 m 46 mm LH1196 215 mm 119 mm 2400 g $2,700 Canon EF, Minolta/Sony A, Nikon F, Pentax K
Sony 300mm f/2.8 G 2006 13 12 3 f/32 9 SSW 2.00 m 42 mm ALC-SH0012 242 mm 122 mm 2150 g $7,000 Based on the Minolta 2003 design
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/2.8 G II ED VR 2009 11 8 f/22 9 AF-S 2.20 m 3.0 52 mm HK-30 Removable 268 mm 124 mm 2900 g $5,497
Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 APO EX DG OS HSM 2010 23 18 2 1 f/22 9 IF AF 2.50 m 4.0 105 mm LH1128 289 mm 114 mm 2950 g $3,200 Rotary zoom; Canon EF, Nikon F
Canon EF 300mm f/2.8 L IS II USM 2011 16 12 2 f/32 9 USM 2.00 m 4.0 52 mm Removable 248 mm 128 mm 2350 g $6,099
Sony 300mm f/2.8 G SSM II 2012 13 12 3 f/32 9 SSW 2.00 m 42 mm 243 mm 122 mm 2340 g $7,500
Nikon AF-S 300mm f/4 PF ED 2015 16 10 1 f/32 9 IF AF SWM 1.40 m 4.5 77 mm HB-73 Removable 148 mm 89 mm 755 g $2,000 1 fresnel element, includes caps, hood, CL-M3 case
Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM (300mm f/5.6) 2020 20 14 7 f/51 9 USM 1.2 m 5.0 77 mm ET-83F Removable 208 mm 94 mm 1370 g $2700 Rotary zoom, lens extends; extenders partly work; includes case & hood
Nikon AF-S 120-300mm f/2.8 E FL ED SR VR 2020 25 19 2 1 f/22 9 2.00 m 4.0 112 mm HK-41 Removable foot 306 mm 128 mm 3250 g $9,500 Internal rotary zoom; hood, caps, LN-2 strap, and CL-L2 case included
Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM (300mm f/8) 2021 12 9 1 f/45 9 USM 1.05 m 5.5 67 mm ET-74B 165 mm 80 mm 635 g $650 Rotary zoom; extenders work; hood/case not included; DKA currently owns
Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM 2023 23 18 1 4 f/22 9 USM 1.89 m 5.5 112 mm ET-124 Click stops; removable foot 323 mm 128 mm 2650 g $9,500 Internal rotary zoom; extenders work; hood, soft case, strap included
Sony FE 300mm f/2.8 GM OSS 2023 20 16 f/22 11 2.00 m Yes 41 mm Removable foot 265 mm 124 mm 1470 g $6,000 Internal focusing; extenders work; hood, soft case, strap included

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 Created:  09 Nov 2023
 Modified: 06 Aug 2024