Head-to-head · Best Telephoto Lenses for Canon RF

Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM vs Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Which is the better buy? Side-by-side on rating, price, strengths, and watch-outs — with the published ratings we averaged to get there.

The short answer

Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM and Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM score essentially the same (4.5 vs 4.5). Pick the one whose trade-offs match your priorities — the strengths and watch-outs below are where they actually differ.

Ranked #4 in Best Telephoto Lenses for Canon RF

Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM

4.5

$698.99as of Jun 7

The Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM punches dramatically above its price, delivering stunning sharpness across the range in a tiny 635g package for around $650. It is the lens that makes long-range telephoto reach accessible and genuinely portable. The compromises are inherent to the budget positioning: a slow variable aperture, a plastic unsealed build, and no included hood.

Strengths

— Stunning sharpness, even wide open, throughout the entire zoom range
— Remarkably light and compact at 635g and only about 16.5cm long
— Excellent value at around $650, a fraction of the pricier RF telephotos

Watch-outs

— Slow variable f/5.6-8 aperture restricts depth-of-field control and low-light use
— Plastic barrel with a plastic mount and no weather sealing
— No lens hood included, an obvious cost-cutting omission

$698.99 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

Ranked #5 in Best Telephoto Lenses for Canon RF

Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

4.5

$1,099as of Jun 7

The Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM is a quirky but brilliant solution to a real problem: getting to 800mm without spending a fortune or breaking your back. For around $900 it delivers genuinely good sharpness and surprisingly capable autofocus in a light, retractable body. The catch is the fixed f/11 aperture, which restricts it firmly to bright conditions, and modest stabilization for the focal length.

Strengths

— Massive 800mm reach for around $900, a bargain in super-telephoto terms
— Very good center sharpness that holds up well across the frame
— Remarkably light for its reach at about 1260g, easily handholdable

Watch-outs

— Fixed f/11 aperture cannot be changed, limiting use to bright conditions
— Image stabilization is a modest 4 stops, low for an 800mm lens
— No weather sealing

$1,099 · Check Price on Amazon Full review →

How they stack up

Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM

It is the budget entry point of this group, costing roughly a quarter of the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM while weighing less than half as much, but it gives up that lens's L-series build, weather sealing and last 100mm of reach. It is slower and less robust than the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM and Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM, but far cheaper and lighter than either.

Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

It is the cheapest path to 800mm in this group, undercutting the zoom Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM in price but giving up that lens's flexibility and slightly faster aperture for a fixed focal length and a fixed f/11. It cannot match the versatility of the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM or the low-light ability of the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM, and it is far slower than the budget Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM, but nothing else reaches 800mm this cheaply.

Specs side-by-side

Spec	Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM	Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM
Focal Length	100-400mm	800mm
Max Aperture	f/5.6-8 (variable)	f/11 (fixed)
Mount	Canon RF (full-frame)	Canon RF (full-frame)
Weight	635g	1260g
Filter Thread	67mm	95mm
Stabilization	5.5 stops (lens IS)	4 stops (lens IS)
Length	164.7mm	—
Autofocus	Nano USM	STM
Design	—	Retractable

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