Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM Lens
589€ – Amazon.de
Objective that no longer needs to be presented. A lightweight, high-performance lens at a low price. It was at €543 a few minutes ago, so be on the lookout on Amazon Germany (watch Keepa)
Some fans of the 2.8 will regret the higher variable aperture (yuck yuck), but hey if it means having tendinitis with a 400mm f2.8 lens weighing the weight of a dead donkey in return for 15 likes on its post, the question is quickly answered.
Joking aside, the lens is not perfect, its variable aperture as well as its lack of tropicalization will not be suitable for certain environments (low light with erratic subjects, climatic conditions). It will be necessary to increase ISO in many cases as the aperture is small. However, apart from fans of shooting everything at ISO 100 who pixel peep the slightest photo (oh damn there's grain when I zoom to 400%), mounting the ISO on current cameras with current technologies is a pittance . The era of pushing film in ISO is over, current cameras are technological marvels so let's take advantage of them!
On the other side of the spectrum, its versatility, its size, its short focusing distance (magnification of 0.41), its stabilization as well as its efficient autofocus will delight 95% of photographers.
For spec fans, here's a quick recap:
– Frame:RF (but no?). Compatible with APSC Canon RF bodies of course (R7, R10, R50, etc.).
– Focal range: 100-400 (well we bring complicated information to know) or 160-640 on APSC.
– Opening : 5.6-8 (5.6 from 100 to 113mm; 6.3 from 113 to 156mm; 7.1 from 156 to 259mm; 8 from 259 to 400mm)
– Focus distance:1.05m to 400m = 0.41x, not a macro lens but close!
– Weight :635g (the RF 100-500 is 1400g)
– AF:Nano-USM, the best from Canon
– Stabilization: + 5 stops (this means that you can divide by 5 your shutter speed limit at which your photos will be blurry with fixed subjects. Without IS, if at 400mm it is blurry at 1/500, you will be able to shoot with the stab up to 1/30, not bad no, it will also depend on if you're shaking or what but hey at some point you shouldn't expect to be able to run with it when you take photos either).
– Compatibility:Compatible with teleconverters. This means you can have a 560mm f11 (1.4x) or an 800mm F16 (2x).Losses will be noticeable in terms of autofocus and sharpness but hey, if it's occasional, it can replace an RF 600mm F11.
I was able to test several lenses in comparison with my Canon R6 such as:
– The EF 70-300 F4.5 5.6 IS USM II: the close cousin of the RF 100-400. Excellent lens, very comparable to the 100-400. In comparison, the EF will add 150g (with the adapter ring), a brightness stop (so lower your ISO by half or have a double speed, … you know the song), autofocus and similar controls and especially 30mm less at the smallest focal length but 100 less at the longest. Frankly, both are equal and it will depend on the occasion or the price you can get. Ah yes you have a small screen too wow thank you canon for this addition (it’s useful for r)
– The EF 70-300 f4.5 5.6 L IS USM: EF lens belonging to the L range. Built like a tank, it will be found in similar second-hand budgets (MPB for example). Compared to the RF, it retains the advantages described above of the EF 70-300 II, adding an exemplary construction, a jewel to hold in the hands. Well, on the other hand, the baby weighs more than 1kg, even 1200g when adding the ring, so more than 600g more than the RF 100-400. The stabilization is also a little less efficient but it remains a superb choice, which I keep in addition to the RF 100-400, to be able to shoot in more extreme conditions.
– The Sigma 150-600 F5 6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary: my arm hurts just mentioning its name. Beautiful baby weighing almost 2100g with the ring. Adds 200mm compared to the RF 100-400. Having taken it many times, its autofocus and stabilization are efficient even if below the RF. You gain light but at the cost of greater weight. Can be found second-hand around €600-700. It's a good choice for someone wanting a 600mm but I find it to be really unbalanced compared to my R6.
In short, this is a superb lens for the price. It doesn't really have an equivalent at that price. It's not perfect, but that's not what we're asking for at €500. It's a perfect compromise between performance, compactness and lack of tendinitis in the right arm from carrying around a 1dx with a 150-600 for 3 days in Spa-Francorchamps (how does that sound like a real experience).
Thanks for reading!
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