Buying my 3rd Canon lens seems like the most natural thing to do as I progress on. While doing my research, I have read about a very common and popular lens range – 70-200mm. At that point of time, I have only 4 choices to choose from. (EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Mark II was not launched back then)
The famous four are: 
1) EF 70-200mm F4L USM.
2) EF 70-200mm F4L IS USM.
3) EF 70-200mm F2.8L USM.
4) EF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM.

So I started to do extensive reading up on these four lenses and I surf the net for all the possible users’ review and information I can find. After much consideration and after reading not less than 20 articles and 40 reviews on internet, I’ve decided to go for the EF 70-200mm F4L USM. Why? Of the 4, the F4L Non IS happens to be the sharpest among the four. Also taking into consideration that I may not do any telelphoto shots or portrait shots at night, so F4 is already sufficient for most applications that I am doing. And I am glad to find out later that this is also the cheapest & lightest among the four siblings.  

 

This lens being a "L-Series EF Lens", (L stands for Luxury in Canon language) the build and construction of this lens is solid and well put together. Though much heavier than the "plasticky" EF 75-300mm F4-5.6 III USM, this EF 70-200mm F4L USM is the lightest and the smallest 70-200mm among the four. Featuring a full metal body painted in an off-white color, this lens is a joy to use and a joy to own. I bought a tripod ring (not supplied in the box) to complement this lens but found that I seldom use it. The supplied lens pouch was never used and I thought this accessory was quite redundant – will be happier if Canon replace the pouch with a tripod ring instead. I shoot handheld with this lens very often and still get sharp and nice photos on all focal range stops. Focusing is exceptionally fast (and rumoured to be faster than the F2.8L Non IS) and precised while internal focusing with ring USM ensures almost silent operation. Constant F4 is a sweet revver. Try it, you will understand why I rated this lens highly.

Some User Facts/ Information:
(If you are looking for the specs, please google yourself, it’s all over the internet.)
– Filter Size is 67mm
– Lens Hood is ET-74 (Supplied in Box).
– Pretty good lens for Infra-red Photography (IR) portraits. May have slight hotspotting when used with UV Filters.
– Ring Ultrasonic Motor (USM)/ (Not Micro USM) – the real deal. 
– Focal Range when used on bodies with smaller APS-C sensors – 110-320mm.
– EF Mount is designed for use on Canon’s EOS Full Frame & Cropped Bodies (with corresponding increase x1.6 APS-C or x1.3 APS-H)

What I Like:
– Sharp photos with great color reproduction.
– Great portrait lens and medium telephoto range adds flexibility to use.
– L-Series Build Quality & Construction.
– Fast Focusing.
– Silent Operation.
– Distance Scale.

What I Hate:
– The longer you carry, the heavier it gets.
– White Color body attracts unwanted attention.