Rent Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS USM Lens

Flexible telephoto reach for wildlife, birds, sports, airshows, and distant details.

Why Rent It

The Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS USM gives you serious telephoto reach without committing to a large fixed-focal-length lens. Its broad zoom range lets you quickly move between a wider view of an animal in its environment and a tight portrait when the subject comes closer.

This is the original version of Canon’s 100–400mm L-series zoom, recognized by its push-pull zoom design. It remains a practical rental for wildlife outings, sporting events, airshows, coastal photography, and any situation where you cannot physically move closer to your subject. Built-in Image Stabilization helps when working handheld, while the tripod collar makes it easy to use the lens with a monopod or tripod for longer sessions.

What’s Included

• Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS USM lens
• Front and rear lens caps
• Lens hood
• Tripod collar
• Protective rental case

Key Features That Matter

• Versatile 100–400mm zoom range: Reframe quickly as animals, athletes, or other distant subjects move.
• Canon L-series optics: Designed to deliver strong contrast, color, and detail throughout the zoom range.
• Built-in Image Stabilization: Helps reduce the effects of camera movement when photographing handheld.
• Ring-type USM autofocus: Provides responsive autofocus for moving subjects.
• Push-pull zoom design: Move from 100mm to 400mm with one direct motion rather than turning a conventional zoom ring.
• Adjustable zoom tension: Set the zoom action looser for quick movement or tighter to help prevent the lens from extending on its own.
• Two stabilization modes: Choose standard stabilization for stationary subjects or panning stabilization when following movement.
• 77mm filter thread: Compatible with 77mm polarizers and other front-mounted filters.

Ideal For

Wildlife, birds, outdoor sports, airshows, motorsports, compressed landscapes, moon photography, and photographing performances or events from a distance.

It is also a useful choice for photographing sea otters, harbor seals, shorebirds, and other wildlife around Monterey Bay and Elkhorn Slough.

Popular Add-Ons

• Canon EOS DSLR camera body
• Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R for compatible EOS R mirrorless cameras
• Monopod or tripod
• 77mm circular polarizing filter
• Additional camera batteries and memory cards

Rates & Requirements

Rental pricing and available dates are shown above. A valid government-issued photo ID and credit card are required when picking up rental equipment.

Pickup & Returns — Berkeley

Rental equipment must be picked up and returned at Looking Glass in Berkeley. Rental gear does not ship.

Please inspect your selected dates carefully when making the reservation and allow enough time at pickup to become familiar with the lens before your shoot.

Compatibility & Notes

This is a full-frame Canon EF-mount lens. It mounts directly to compatible Canon EOS film and digital SLR cameras.

It can also be used on compatible Canon EOS R-series mirrorless cameras with a Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. An adapter is required and is not automatically included unless shown as part of your reservation.

On Canon APS-C cameras, the lens provides an angle of view comparable to approximately 160–640mm on a full-frame camera, making it especially useful when additional reach is the priority.

This is the original push-pull version of the Canon EF 100–400mm, not the EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS II USM. At approximately 3.1 pounds, it is substantial enough that a monopod can be helpful during long events or extended wildlife sessions.

Rent the Canon EF 100–400mm f/4.5–5.6L IS USM locally from Looking Glass in Berkeley and give yourself the reach to photograph subjects that would otherwise remain too far away.