How reliable/sharp is 70-200mm F4?

This was the first L lens I bought as it was the most affordable. I have been extremely pleased with it and it is my sharpest lens. It has a metal barrel and is very solid. I'd recommend getting the lenshood with it. A friend of mine who has the 75-300 lens tried it one day and he has been dissatisfied with his lens ever since that day.
This picture was about f5.6 and it was taken from 1/2 kilometer across the harbour.

Purdys Wharf Towers

David, the first generation 70-200mm f/4L DOES in fact, have USM. All of Canon's EF lenses have USM assembly for the autofocus. The lens balances well on any camera body, and is very sharp. Additionally, it has excellent color and contrast. The reason it is cheaper than the 2.8 version of the same zoom focal length, is because it is a bit slower speed.

EF70-200/4 L has USM. It is the old EF70-210/4 non-L that had no USM. Don't get mix up. 70-200/ 4L is a high quality lens. It just doesn't have IS.

There is an older, discontinued 70-210/4 non-L, non-USM

The current production 70-200/4 L has USM.

The current model is a great lens. Can't say enough good about it - sharp,light cheap, great close focus.

I own both versions. The non IS version also has a ring type USM AF motor and as expected, AF is fast and quiet. Both lenses are very sharp with excellent contrast and color, with the edge (with respect to my copy of each lens) going to the IS version, especially with the 1.4x converter, which I am much happier with the performance on the IS lens. IS provides additional flexibility in dealing with low light levels and in choosing smaller apertures when needed for DOF, since you can comfortably shoot at lower shutter speeds than with the non IS lens.

For the money, the choice comes down to the non IS 70-200 F4L vs the 70-300IS, which also has a good optical reputation and longer range. The L lens has the edge in build quality, AF speed, and non rotating front element. It's your wallet and your choice.

I bought a second hand 70-200 f4L last week and used it for the first time yesterday. I was VERY impressed when looking at the images on my PC. However this was also the first time i'd used my new 40D so i just shot in JPEG and had a "getting to know my new camera" day, so i don't know if the in camera sharpening had a hand in it too. Its a very nice size and weight too.

I've uploaded a couple of images to my portfolio if you want to see some examples.

I did find that as it was an overcast day i started thinking "hmmm f 2.8 would be nice!" as well as "this new autoISO setting is good!"

Thanks guys. yeah I realized it is USM which is good. lol. I may consider this someday. Very nicely priced!

The 70-200 F4 L is very reliable, after all it is a 'L' series lens. It is a professional level lens, well built and sharp. It was my first L series lens and is still one of my favorite lenses. The fit and finish is first class.

Just picked up one last week, second-hand also. I'm very pleased with the sharpness at f/4. I like that it's small and light.