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

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L 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 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM comes out ahead by a narrow margin (4.8 vs 4.5). The gap is mostly about Wildlife, sports and travel photographers who want one premium do-everything telephoto zoom with top-tier sharpness and 500mm of reach in a manageable size. — read the strengths below before deciding.

Higher ratedRanked #1 in Best Telephoto Lenses for Canon RF

Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

4.8

$2,799as of Jun 7

The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM is the most versatile super-telephoto zoom in the RF lineup and the benchmark for the mount. It delivers L-series sharpness corner to corner across a huge 5x range, focuses fast and accurately, and stays surprisingly light at 1365g. The slow variable aperture is the only real compromise, making it a daylight specialist rather than a low-light tool.

Strengths

— Extremely sharp from corner to corner across the entire 100-500mm range, even wide open
— A 5x zoom that reaches 500mm yet weighs only 1365g, lighter than the EF 100-400mm it succeeds
— Fast, accurate autofocus that locks on even in very dim light

Watch-outs

— The variable aperture darkens quickly, reaching f/6.3 by 363mm and f/7.1 at 500mm
— Works best with ample light; not a low-light or deep-shade performer
— Teleconverters only attach beyond about 300mm, limiting their usefulness

$2,799 · 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 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

It is the all-rounder of this group, sharper and brighter than the budget Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM and far more flexible than the fixed Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM. It cannot match the constant f/2.8 of the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM for low light, nor the raw 800mm reach of the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM, but it covers the widest practical range with the best optics here.

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 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM	Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM
Focal Length	100-500mm	800mm
Max Aperture	f/4.5-7.1 (variable)	f/11 (fixed)
Mount	Canon RF (full-frame)	Canon RF (full-frame)
Weight	1365g	1260g
Filter Thread	77mm	95mm
Stabilization	Up to 5 stops (lens IS)	4 stops (lens IS)
Minimum Focus	0.9m (at 100mm)	—
Teleconverter	RF 1.4x / 2x (300-500mm only)	—
Design	—	Retractable
Autofocus	—	STM

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