Canon RF 600mm f/11 vs RF 800mm f/11Comparison Review

rf 800mm f/11
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More review stuff about the “quirky” Canon RF 600 f/11 and RF 800 f/11 lenses for the EOS R mount.

Mirrorless Comparison posted their Canon RF 600 f/11 and RF 800 f/11review. From Mat’s conclusion:

I enjoyed using the RF 600mm F11 and RF 800mm F11 more than I had originally anticipated. I thought the F11 aperture and limited focus area would be too much of a trade-off, but I was wrong.

Surely if the clouds are too dark or you’re in the shade of a woodland in rainy conditions, you will struggle to compensate for that slow aperture. The converters (1.4x and 2x) will raise the challenge further because the aperture becomes f/16 and f/22 respectively.

But there are also many situations where f/11 will be enough, and you’ll be able to walk around a nature reserve or hike in the mountains with a lightweight solution, something you can’t say every day about full frame lenses for wildlife photography.

You’ll be glad to hear that the 600mm and 800mm are very sharp, the optical stabilisation is excellent and the autofocus delivers very good performance, despite the limited area available. For the price you pay, you can get a lot out of these two lenses.

My strongest criticism is the lack of weather sealing. I understand that these are non-L lenses designed for amateurs, but they’re also two lenses that photographers will use outdoors 99% of the time. It would be great to be able to walk around without worrying about light rain or a bit of dust. It is also annoying to have to buy the lens hood separately.

Read the review at Mirrorless Comparison…

Mirrorless Comparison’s review comes with plenty of test shots and talks about all the important things. Definitely worth a read. More comparison reviews are listed here.

Also interesting: an interview with the engineers who developed these lens. Also, Canon already said there will be more such lenses. For more Canon RF 800mm f/11 and RF 600mm f/11 review stuff have a look here.

Canon RF 600mm f/11

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Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF 800mm f/11

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Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Image © mirrorlesscomparison.com. used with permission
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Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM Review (quirky and functional, D. Abbott)

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Here is a Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM review by one of the less noisy and flashy and more serious reviewers out there. One of my top favorite reviewers.

RF 600mm f/11 IS at a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Fixed f/11 Aperture
  • Retractable, Locking Lens Barrel
  • Gapless Dual-Layer Diffractive Optics
  • STM Stepping AF Motor
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Customizable Control Ring
  • Compatible with RF Extenders

Dustin Abbott posted his exhaustive Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM review. From his conclusion:

It is rare that I refer to a Canon lens as “quirky”, but both the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM telephoto primes definitely qualify as quirky.  Canon’s engineers were willing to overlook a number of typical design conventions and niceties to produce functional telephoto primes with massive reach and good performance at bargain prices.  Used in the right conditions, either of these lenses is perfectly capable of producing stunning images.

But those quirks do help define the lens, however.  The loosen, extend, and tighten nature of getting the lens ready to shoot will result in some missed shots.  The small maximum aperture means that this is a lens designed for very specific (read:  bright!) lighting conditions, and so the opportunities to take full advantage of the stellar optics are limited by that physical reality.

But what other 600mm prime lens can you get for less than $700 USD?  Particularly one with good autofocus, effective image stabilization, and a solid optical performance?  That is a very, very short list, so while I know that this is a niche product for a niche audience, I’m glad that the RF 600mm F11 IS STM lens exists.

Read the review at Dustin Abbott’s site…

As usual the review comes with a huge set of sample pictures, comparison charts, and all the information you might want to know. Dustin’s reviews are what I look for when I am about to purchase new gear. And for those who prefer to watch their reviews, Dustin Abbott provides a comprehensive video-review (below).

More gear reviews by Dustin Abbott are listed here. You can follow Dustin Abbott on Twitter, YouTube, or on his website.

Also interesting: an interview with the engineers who developed these lens. Also, Canon already said there will be more such lenses. For more Canon RF 800mm f/11 and RF 600mm f/11 review stuff have a look here.

Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

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Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM & RF 600mm f/4L IS Lenses Review

RF 400mm f/2.8L
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The Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS and the Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS are two professional and expensive optical masterpieces by Canon, Together the two super-telephoto lenses are worth $25,000.

The Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS and the Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS have been announced in April 2021, along with the first development announcement of the EOS R3. Indeed, both lenses seem to have been made for the R3. Gordon Laing had the rare chance to have the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS and the RF 600mm f/4L IS in his hands and he shares his review and impression in the video below.

Impressive lenses. Thanks Gordon. Canon made some other awesome lenses for the EOS R3.

Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS at a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/2.8 to f/32
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Super UD and Fluorite Elements
  • Super Spectra and Air Sphere Coatings
  • Customizable Electronic Focusing Ring
  • Two Focus Presets
  • Circular 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • Weather-Sealed Design, Fluorine Coating
  • Rotatable Tripod Collar

Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS:

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS at a glance:

  • RF-Mount Lens/Full-Frame Format
  • Aperture Range: f/4 to f/32
  • Super UD and Fluorite Elements
  • Super Spectra and Air Sphere Coatings
  • Customizable Electronic Focusing Ring
  • Optical Image Stabilizer
  • Two Focus Presets
  • Circular 9-Blade Diaphragm
  • Weather-Sealed Design, Fluorine Coating
  • Rotatable Tripod Collar

Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS:

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

More about the lenses after the break.

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Canon RF 600mm f/11 Review – The Perfect Wildlife Lens For Beginners?

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Here is a new Canon RF 600mm f/11 review. The RF 600mm f/11 and RF 800mm f/11 made quite a splash when they were announced. Initially seen with skepticism, they are now getting many positive reviews.

DPReview TV posted their Canon RF 600mm f/11 review.

Chris turns a trip to Calgary Zoo into something of a safari, as he reviews the Canon RF 600mm F11 USM as a wildlife lens. Its long focal length and relatively modest price make it an attractive option for birding and nature photography but, as Chris discovers, it’s not without limitations.

Enjoy.

Also interesting: an interview with the engineers who developed these lens. Also, Canon already said there will be more such lenses. For more Canon RF 800mm f/11 and RF 600mm f/11 review stuff have a look here.

Canon RF 600mm f/11

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF 800mm f/11

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

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Canon Announced The RF 400mm f/2.8L IS and Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS Lenses

RF 600mm f/4L super-telephoto
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Along with the Canon EOS R3 and the RF 100mm f/2.8 Macro, Canon also announced two telephoto lenses for the RF mount, the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM.

Both lenses are anything but inexpensive, the RF 400mm goes for $11,999 and the RF 600mm for $12,999. Both lenses are scheduled to ship in July 2021. Preorders are open.

Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM:

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM:

America: B&H Photo, Amazon USA, Amazon Canada, Canon Canada, Canon USA
Europe & UK: Amazon DE, Amazon UK, Amazon IT, Canon IT, WEX Photographic, Canon FR, Canon UK, Canon DE

Here are some hands-on and first impression reviews:

David Bergman for Adorama reviews the new RF 400mm and RF 600mm (below).

Gordon Laing looks at the new Canon RF lenses (below).

And here are more hands-on reviews:

Canon press release:

The Canon RF400mm F2.8L IS USM and Canon RF600mm F4L IS USM are both designed to be optically identical to their EF counterparts. The RF400mm and RF600mm weigh in at 6.37 and 6.81 pounds with a minimum focusing distance of 8.2 and 13.8 feet, respectively. Both lenses share many of the same critical features that help professional high-end super-telephoto lenses stand out from the crowd. Those features include:

  • Ideal for a wide variety of shooting situations, including sports, aviation, trains, automotive, and wildlife, such as birding.
  • Optical Image Stabilization with up to 5.5 stops6 of shake correction. Including three IS Operation Modes — still subjects, panning, and irregular movement.
  • Proprietary Canon lens coatings, Super Spectra Coating (SSC), and Air Sphere Coating (ASC) help minimize ghosting and flaring. Lens placement and coatings are optimized to provide users with clear, high-contrast images even when there is a bright light source.
  • Lenses include fluorite and super UD lens elements arranged in such a way to help correct chromatic aberration and make the models more compact. Like the latest Canon EF400mm f/2.8L IS III USM and EF600mm f/4L IS III USM lenses, released in the fall of 2018, weight on these RF-series super-telephotos has been significantly reduced vs. previous-generation Canon super tele designs.
  • Compatible with Canon RF 1.4x and 2x extenders, and feature a customizable electronic focus ring, with manual focus capability during SERVO AF.
  • A nine-blade circular aperture provides users beautiful bokeh and ideally blurred backgrounds when the aperture is stopped down.
  • For added convenience when on a shoot, two focus presets are available. Users can instantly return to one of two memorized focus distances.
  • Rugged Canon L-series dust and water-resistant design with vibration and shock resistance. The front element has been dressed with a fluorine coating for easy cleaning.
  • Infrared reflective pigments with high reflectance and titanium oxide lens barrel coating with silica provide excellent UV weather resistance and heat reduction.

Canon RF Lenses Pricing and Availability
The Canon RF100mm F2.8 L Macro IS USM, Canon RF400mm F2.8 L IS USM and Canon RF600mm F4L IS USM are scheduled to be available in July 2021 for an estimated retail price of $1,399.00, $11,999.00 and $12,999.00, respectively*. For more information, please visit usa.canon.com.

Here Are The Upcoming Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS And RF 600mm f/4L IS Lenses

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Update: the prices for the lenses leaked. The RF 400mm f/2.8L IS is $11,999, and the RF 600mm f/4L IS is $12,999.

We knew they would come, here are first images: the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS and RF 600mm f/4L IS lenses for the EOS R full frame mirrorless system.

Don’t expect these lenses to the inexpensive (any idea?). Expect them to get announced very soon, likely within April 2021. And here are the images (click on image for a larger version).

  • Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS
    Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS
  • Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS
    Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS
  • Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS
  • Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS
[via Nokishita]