Today’s spotlight might raise a few eyebrows. It’s the Canon 70-300mm IS USM II, a lens that’s not exactly old—but it’s certainly not new-new either. So technically, that makes it new old glass. It counts.

I’ll be honest—getting my hands on this lens wasn’t exactly easy. It’s surprisingly tricky to find where I live, and with the sheer number of 70–300mm zooms Canon has released over the years, just identifying the right one can be an ordeal.

Pro tip:
If you’re not aware of how many versions exist, Google “Canon 70-300mm” and enjoy the rabbit hole. You’ll find a glorious mess of “amazing,” “great,” “less great,” and… “oh no.”

After digging through that mess, the Canon 70-300mm IS USM II stood out as a solid performer. My research suggested it was a good option—and I’m happy to report, it delivered. It’s sharp, the autofocus is fast, and it feels great to use.

Would I have preferred the L version? Sure.
Could I find one I could afford? Not so much.
So here we are—and honestly, I’m not mad about it.

I’ve been primarily using this lens for bird photography, paired with a Fringer Adapter on a Fuji body, and I’m happy to say: it works. Autofocus plays nice, image quality is solid, and it’s light enough to carry around for a good while.

There are some issues (aren’t there always?), but I’ll cover those in more detail in the full review.

Here are a few photos I’ve taken using the Canon 70-300mm IS USM II.

The Canon 70-300mm IS USM II might not be a true vintage classic, but for New Old Glass, it earns its place. It’s a solid lens, a practical pick for long reach on a budget, and it handles surprisingly well with modern mirrorless bodies via adapter.

Thanks for reading—and if you’ve ever wandered the Canon zoom labyrinth, let me know which one you came out with!