Note that long focal lengths can make even a mediocre sunrise or sunset look amazing. View Details . Of utmost importance is AF accuracy, and from that perspective, all of the Nano USM-driven AF systems to date, including this one, have performed impressively. Only a faint whirring can be heard from this IS system by an ear next to the lens in a quiet environment. While many lenses provide a zoom lock switch that is usable only with the lens in its most-retracted position, the torque adjustment ring offers far more flexibility. Still, the differences are minor, and the RF 100-500 has a relatively wide aperture in its class. That said, all lenses in this class share this trait. With features like a Dual Nano USM AF system, close minimum focusing distance, 5-stop image stabilization, weather sealing, and ready for the rigors of professional use build quality, this lens is very impressive in all regards. The 100-400 L II quickly became one of my favorite and most-used lenses. A lovely scene of a couple of roe deer ((EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, ISO 1,600, f/7.1, 1/320 s). Samples taken from the outer extreme of the image circle, full-frame corners in this case, can be counted on to show the worst performance a lens is capable of. If you adjust the focal length, re-establish focus as suggested by these 100% crops focused at 500mm. The IS sound is always present, even when IS is switched off. I'm jumping ahead in regards to the extender discussion, but I wanted you to see how impressive this lens performs with the RF extenders. I make do with a 500mm F5.6 diffractive optics, non-retracting, compact and lightweight (ref. As a most-used lens, the value is there. The smooth focusing makes focus distance transitions easy on the viewer's eyes, and the sound of the lens focusing should not be picked up by the camera's mic. Ultra-close focusing allows this lens to replace the RF 70-200/2.8. But internal or external doesn't make any difference regarding the image quality. I currently use a Manfrotto 055C with a 504 head and it does not work out too well with a Sony FS5ii and a Nikon 80-400 mm f/5.6 lens. You will need a camera with an RF-mount (the EOS R-series) to use this lens. This lens shows a moderate amount of focus breathing. Using the RF 100-500mm. You will win another stop together with the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6. At 100mm, a subject measuring approximately 9.5 x 6.3" (241 x 161mm) fills the frame of a full-frame camera at the minimum focus distance. Surprisingly, this lens, though not flare-free, shows relatively few flare effects. The color fringing reverses, becoming mild again at 500mm. I didn't panic because I knew the lens was built to easily withstand such incidents, and no harm was done. It is not a real locking mechanism, but it tightens the lens enough to keep it in place. Well-suited for sports and wildlife photography, the EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM is a Canon L-series super telephoto lens that blends long reach with fast performance and intuitive handling. While a white lens might be less stealthy, garnering more attention than a black lens, white remains significantly cooler under a bright sun, reducing the temperature change and any negative issues that such contributes to, including part expansion, for consistent operation in high temperatures. Disappointed about that is no one. EF stands for "Electro-Focus": automatic focusing on EF lenses is handled by a dedicated electric motor built into the lens. Assessing the quality is more challenging due in part to the infinite number of variables present in all available scenes. None of us was disappointed by the to-500mm part of the spec, but we still wanted to know if the aperture opening size was being sacrificed at the 400mm aperture in order to keep this lens compact and light. This combination works perfectly with a Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6.Â. The Tripod Mount Ring F (WIII) adds approximately 5.6 oz (160g) to the in-use weight. Roger and Aaron are back at it again for Lensrentals, this time with a teardown of a Canon RF 100–500mm F4.7–7.1 lens with a little secret inside.. As Roger tells it, Lensrentals has come across ‘several’ copies of Canon’s RF 100–500mm F4.7–7.1 lens with a cracked element inside. Grasp the front of the lens at the base of the hood and do that. Prefer push and pull? Both lenses are compatible with extenders, and with the 1.4x mounted, the EF 100-400 L II's focal length range reaches to 560mm, but with a resulting max aperture of f/8. All of the switches are very shallow, with the IS-related switches being tactilely delineated by a slightly raised area of the lens. Mounting the Canon RF 1.4x Extender behind the RF 100-500 creates a 420-700mm f/8-10 image stabilized lens. AF speed is very mildly impacted with this extender in use, with performance remaining excellent in even rainy outdoor conditions. The camera's AF system can produce better focus precision if the image it sees is stabilized. But wouldn't it be great if you could skip the adapter and use a dedicated RF version of that lens? Any color misalignment present can easily be seen in the site's image quality tool, but let's also look at a set of worst-case examples. Canon USA provides a 1-year limited warranty. this lens's max aperture is a variable one, ranging from f/4.5 to f/7.1 as the focal length is increased. In the past, I have had a 100-400mm lens with me a significant percentage of the time when out shooting. Did Photoshop’s New Feature Just Crush This AI Product? Check out the In-Depth: Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens Compared to EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens article for the full details. That said, as seen earlier in the review, this lens performs reasonably well with the 2x mounted, exceeding my expectations. Tripod rings provide balanced tripod mounting of a camera and lens, avoiding tripod head and camera strain, avoiding sag after lock-down, and allowing easy camera rotation. Worthy successor to the lauded Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS USM, the new EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM super telephoto lens features completely redesigned Fluorite optics that deliver sharper images with less chromatic aberration and has a lighter weight thanks to magnesium and titanium construction elements. I've only touched on a small percentage of the uses for this lens. I am grateful for your support! Nano USM acts like an ultra-fast version of STM AF, combining the benefits of a high-speed Ring USM actuator with an STM system stepping motor's quiet and smooth, direct, lead screw-type drive system. My EF 100-400 L II was sold very quickly after testing the new lens. Please share your opinion in the comments below. The RF 100-500 takes that lens's place in my kit, providing an additional, significant 100mm on the long end. Should this lens someday become compatible with an ASP-C model, the 1.6x FOVCF sensor format will see an angle of view similar to a full-frame-mounted 160-800mm lens. Each blade is responsible, via diffraction, for creating two points of the star effect. If subjects are known to be within the narrower range, focus lock times may be decreased by using this switch. An even better option for increasing the magnification of this lens is to use extenders, also referred to as teleconverters. Yes, there is an impact with the 2x, but these results readily improve with increased sharpness, the "S" designation. It handles very well and feels perfectly balanced with my Canon EOS R5. Slightly unusual is that my ring has a bit of flex to it when in the tight position. Although this isn’t ideal, it makes these lenses as compact and lightweight as possible. fields. I know, you are now planning to change your R-series cameras to use 1/2-stop increments. The lens was focused in the center of the frame to capture these images, meaning any curvature of the plane of sharp focus would be revealed. Coma occurs when light rays from a point of light spread out from that point, instead of being refocused as a point on the sensor. While Canon has been designing Nano USM AF systems into the latest L-series RF lenses, this dual-motor design is being featured for only the second time in the RF 100-500. A buzzard, shot with the 2x extender through the rain. The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens is compatible with the simultaneously announced Canon RF 1.4x Extender and to visually compare the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens to other lenses. The lens can be used with the 1.4x and 2x extender, unfortunately with a catch, because you will have to zoom in up to 300mm before the rear lens element is moved forward enough to give clearance for the extender. Wildlife, sports, and landscape photographers make up a large percentage of the owners of this lens, but there are plenty of other uses for this wide 5x focal length range. Those focal lengths will be attractive to wildlife and sports photographers, but the max aperture range will not be as welcomed. Succintly stated, the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM Lens creates extremely sharp images from full-frame corner to full-frame corner, including at wide-open apertures, over the entire focal length range. Expect the RF 100-500 lens to have excellent fit and finish, similar to the RF 70-200 f/2.8. Smaller birds and animals, chipmunks for example, often need longer focal lengths to have a substantial size in the frame even at close distances, and these subjects are included on this telephoto zoom lens's uses list. This shifted-narrower angle of view range would take this lens's uses deeper into the sports and wildlife pursuits, with bird photography and big-field sports being especially good choices for this focal length range. Canon super telephoto lenses come in a nice, very protective, lockable (keys included) lens trunk. Like the RF 70-200mm f/2.8 and the EF 100-400 L II, the RF 100-500's mid-sized, ribbed-rubber-coated manual focus ring is positioned behind the zoom ring. The rental companies I recommend below are excellent to work with. neutral density filters easy to share. To avoid dust and moisture entry, this lens design includes a ventilation route that permits airflow while filtering dust and moisture. Once again, a door is provided on the side of this lens hood for filter rotation access. The examples above were captured at f/16. "The lens also incorporates a floating focus control ... that drives the two lens groups individually while using the two aforementioned Nano USM motors. While selecting a telephoto lens is a good choice from a safety perspective (safety both from and for the subject), it is also a good choice when there is a physical or designated barrier to getting closer, such as a fence or the perimeter lines on a sports field. The forward-positioned rubber-coated zoom ring is substantial in size, measuring 2.47" (62.8mm). The Sony a1 Versus Nikon Z 9 Versus Canon R5: Who Has the Right Strategy? at f/10 (wide open!) Many referred to 2014 as the "Year of the Lens", and the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM Lens was one of many 2014-announced models. Canon's earliest RF mount lenses set the image quality bar very high, and this lens is very exciting in that regard. Lenses that extend move air in and out during use. Yeah - odd choices by Canon, no doubt dictated by the marketing dpt to protect sales of EF glass and high-end amazing quality EF bodies. Sometimes, laziness (perhaps "relaxation" sounds better) is a good reason to use the 100-500mm focal length range. This feature prevents the lens from collapsing when the extender is removed. It shows very sharp results over the complete focal range, even with the largest aperture. These six stops are very welcome, not only because of the focal length but also because of the stabilized image in your viewfinder. The ET-83F (WIII) is a relatively large hood that adds significant protection to the front lens element – protection from bright flare-causing lights, protection from scratch-causing impacts, and protection from dust and rain. A downside is that the widest available max aperture, f/4.5, cannot be used over the entire focal length range. Double Element accessory attaches to front of lens or to adapter. Choosing the RF 100-500mm in combination with the Canon EOS R5 saves you approximately 300 grams. As the focal length is increased, pincushion distortion appears, getting stronger until about 400mm. The RF 100-500 provides a focus limiter switch, permitting the autofocus range to be limited to 9.8' (3m) - ∞. Though it attempts to adjust the focus distance to be appropriate for the selected focal length, focusing at the long end and zooming to the wide end does not result in precise focus. 5.6) , weathersealed, IF design plus a TC 1.7 to deliver F9.5 @ 850mm that I most often dial down to F10 or F11. I own an EF 100-400mm II, lens and I use it a lot with my Canon EOS 5D Mark IV. For me I upgraded for the extra reach, I had to much gap between the 100-400 and my 600/4. The zoom mechanism is practically the same, with a wide zoom ring in the front of the lens barrel. Should Photographers Cash in on the NFT CryptoArt 'Gold Rush'? As of review time, Canon does not offer RF mount-compatible extension tubes, but third-party options are available. I photographed the R5 with the 100-400mm on it the day before I part exchanged the 100-400mm for the 100-500mm, and I left my tripod out and marked the background paper so that I could place the 100-500mm on the right, and shoot a second shot to merge together for comparison. From the image, you likely figured out that the new part is the color black. Canon RF 2x Extender — with a catch. Yes, the Canon EOS R5 eye AF can detect the eyes of human-made animals, including frog pool floats. In the field, it is usually beneficial to have a camera mounted for fast use. Whether you need to leave the tripod behind or just want the speed and freedom afforded by handholding, the RF 100-500mm lens's image stabilization is there for you. Note that the above visual comparisons are especially relevant for those comparing between camera systems. It can be removed easily without detaching the lens from the camera. I am very enthusiastic about the RF 100-500mm. Just like most zoom lenses, the RF 100-500 also changes aperture when zooming. A friction ring will tighten the lens at every focal length. This is a solid mount with very slight flex at the ring, and when the locking knob is tightened with relatively light pressure, the ring locks very tightly. I prefer a linear adjustment speed, and have my cameras configured for such. This way, it becomes possible to use the two extenders in the range from 300mm up to 500mm. At the same time, you gain 100mm focal length, which is a lot. In part, the Dual Pixel CMOS AF system in Canon's R-series cameras autofocus lenses with narrow apertures very adequately, making very narrow openings quite usable. The lens allows every autofocus option of the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R6, including the excellent eye autofocus and tracking capabilities. You can use an extender, but you need to zoom in to 300mm before you can mount the extender. Note that this lens cannot fully retract for storage while an extender is mounted. People participating in sports make great subjects for this lens. Photojournalists, especially those with restricted access to their subjects, may find this focal length range very useful. A relatively common lens aberration is axial (longitudinal, bokeh) CA, which causes non-coinciding focal planes of the various wavelengths of light, or more simply, different colors of light are focused to different depths. (EOS R5, RF100-500mm and 2x extender at 1,000mm, ISO 2,500, f/14, 1/125 s). This focal length range is ideal for headshot portraits. At 100mm: 2.95' (0.9m) — 0.12x maximum magnification In the old days we worked in full stops and thirds, so even if we used f/64 minus two-thirds or f/45 plus one-third, no one ever called it "f/51." In general, the more a lens is stopped down, the larger and better shaped the sunstars tend to be, and we see that in these examples — the more-stopped-down 100mm results have nice star shapes, while the less-stopped-down 500mm stars are not as dramatic. The slightly flexible (helpful for absorbing impact), molded plastic ET-83F hood has a matte finish with a mold-ribbed interior and a stylish black finish on the front (this is not a rubberized surface). Lateral CA is increased slightly, impacting corner sharpness modestly. Would you consider buying one if you love shooting landscapes and animals? The images below are 100% resolution center of the frame crops from images captured in RAW format using a Canon EOS R5. As the aperture narrows, the entrance pupil size is reduced, and the mechanical vignetting absolves with the shapes becoming rounder. Super Telephoto Lens. When I think of it, another possible downside is the inability of using extenders with the full zoom range. The distortion amounts, at worst, are not bad. Like most lenses in its class, the RF 100-500 features an extending design, and like the EF 100-400 L IS II, the RF 100-500 utilizes a rotational type zoom ring (vs. a push-pull design). The 500mm end becomes a bit tight, but the method works well at most focal lengths. The images were processed in Canon's Digital Photo Professional using the Standard Picture Style with sharpness set to "1" (0-10 scale) and brightened by 0.5-stops. For a zoom lens, the amount of color separation shown here is quite mild. Two lens aberrations that are particularly evident when shooting images of stars, mainly because bright points of light against a dark background make them easier to see. Canon U.S.A.'s Rudy Winston states: "Canon’s new Nano USM technology uses a completely different form factor, but achieves focus results within the lens via the same principles of ultrasonic vibration energy, transmitted here into linear (rather than rotational) movement within the lens. Based on the RF 70-200 design, these switches have sufficient raised area in the center to make them easily usable, even with gloves on. Winter in the Netherlands (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, ISO 1,600, f/7.1, 1/100 s), The tree I named Tim Burton tree, shot from tripod (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 176mm, ISO 100, f/5, 1/160 s), First sunlight of a winters day (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 123mm, ISO 200, f/11, 1/25 s), A swan on the ice (EOS R5, RF100-500L and 1.4x extender at 700mm, ISO 400, f/10, 1/2,000 s), A couple of gulls on the ice (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, ISO 400, f/7.1, 1/2,500 s), HDR image of a sunset (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 100mm, ISO 100, f/11, bracketed), Morning twilight (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 100mm, ISO 200, f/9, 1/15 s), A duck in the golden light of sunrise (EOS R5, RF 100-500mm at 500mm, ISO 100, f/7.1, 1/160 s). 19.6"") from front of lens. Most modern lenses have lens correction profiles available, and distortion can easily be removed using these. Here are some specific examples: I'll let you decide if white appears more professional, but white does hide dirt and dust better than black. What Canon said about the RF 70-200 Dual Nano AF system again applies: However, these results are really nice. Canon EOS Rebel 80D DSLR Camera with 18-55mm is STM Lens Bundle + Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Lens and 500mm Preset Lens + 64GB Memory + Filters + Monopod + Spider Tripod + Professional Bundle 11 $1,349.00 $ 1,349 . Don't know... Too much compromises IMHO. Like STM AF systems, Nano USM focuses almost silently and very smoothly. Drifting of the scene is minor except when coming to a stop after panning, or when used on a tripod. Corner sharpness does not always matter, but for some disciplines, including landscape photography and environmental wildlife portraiture, two uses this lens is ideally suited for, it matters a lot. The image degradation caused by the addition of a 2x extender into a lens's optical design is usually strong, with contrast and resolution taking hits. Nevertheless, if you need the additional extended focal length, it is possible, but only in the range of 300-500mm. Although working with the older EF 100-400L II and an adapter is also very workable, I prefer the RF lens. You can also use it for birds and wildlife, of course, or even portraits for that matter, although I would prefer a nice 85mm or 70-200mm lens when shooting portraits.