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Canon’s supertelephoto lenses are the stuff of legend. They have always been insanely reliable, built like tanks and optical quality that has always been superb. Somehow, with each iteration of their lenses, they get better.
The Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM III and Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS USM III were the last lenses launched for the EF mount back in 2018.
Canon RF Mount Versions
Canon launched the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and Canon RF 600mm f/4L IS USM in 2021, but they’re optically identical to their EF counterparts. Canon waited for cameras like the Canon EOS R5 and Canon EOS R3 to be launched before they brought them to the RF mount.
They did do a fancy silver mount for the RF versions of the lenses. Maybe one day we’ll get Rose Gold mounts.
Canon claimed at the time of launch of both lenses, that the Canon EOS R3 would improve autofocus speed with extra power sent to the lens through the RF mount from the camera.
I have never really noticed much of an autofocus speed difference between shooting the Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM on a Canon EOS R1, Canon EOS R3 or Canon EOS R6. Your milage may very of course.
Supertelephoto Prime Lenses With Built-in Teleconverters
Today, RIchard found a patent showing optical formulas for new RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM and RF 600mm f/4L IS USM with built-in 1.4 teleconverters. Both of these lenses would be welcomed by professionals the world over.
A few months ago I was told that Canon would be updating both lenses by the time 2026 rolled around, but I didn’t put much stock in it and waited for something a bit more reliable.
Now sometimes you get very short confirmations of information from sources, and all we received about the published patent was a smiley face. I may take that differently than our readers, but that’s usually a good sign. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last.
Isn’t it too Soon?
Canon has updated both the 400mm f/2.8 and 600mm f/4 lenses in pretty short order in the past. The version II to version III for the EF mount was only a 7-year product cycle. We think it’s obvious that the last EF version was designed with the RF mount in mind, but they’re not truly “RF” lenses. Both are remarkable though!
A 5-year turnaround for new versions and adding teleconverters isn’t too far-fetched.
We don’t know what the big white lenses mean to Canon’s bottom line, but I think they sell more of them than we think. These lenses also probably keep and bring certain photographers and videographers into the Canon lineup.
A new line of cameras may also bring some benefit to the performance of both lenses, like we saw with the EOS R3. Maybe there’s something hidden in the EOS R1?
If Canon could shave weight off either of the lenses, that’d be a worthwhile upgrade for a lot of shooters. The RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM weighs in at 2840g (6.2lbs) and the RF 600mm f/4L IS USM weighs at 3050g (6.7lbs). Both were considerably lighter than their predecessors shaving around 1kg (2.2lbs) from each lens.
Summary
We do notice that we’re not seeing any Canon RF 500mm f/4L IS USM optical formula designs, but we are seeing a fair number of 400mm and 600mm optical designs. We know the EF 500mm f/4L IS USM II replacement is going to be a zoom like the brilliant Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM. I do think built-in teleconverters are the way forward for Canon and the “Big White” lenses.
400mm and 600mm primes with 1.4x TC’s built-in like Nikon is doing? Sign me up.
We think there is some truth to this, though a timeframe for such an announcement is obviously unknown currently, but perhaps we’ll see them in late in 2025 or in early 2026.
The Winter Olympics take place in 2026, and Canon always seems to do something ahead of big sporting events. The games start on February 6, 2026, and are being held in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.
No 500 again. 😉
600 f/4 with built in TC
200-500 f/4, maybe with a built in TC
All of these are very interesting. I suspect one of them will end up in my bag. But, Canon, I can't give you money for something you have not yet released.
Decisions.
There was another patent for a 1.4x-2x extender that was actually for an extender, basically a 1.4x with optics for a second 1.4x the flip out of the way (in two groups). That one could be a real product.
I have since upgraded to the R5m2 and the af moves as fast as the full bodies (R1, R3). So a great upgrade from the original R5, for wildlife the biggest improvement is tracking with the R5m2 over the original. BIF are a breeze now. The original was definitely not using the full potential of the RF600.
I have many perched birds in very low, late light, at 1/60 of a second with the IS + IBIS on a monopod and surprised at the hit rate I get for sharpness. This lens always amazes me.