Here are the RF 600mm f/11 & RF 800mm f/11 super-telephoto lenses

Andreasb

CR Pro
Mar 24, 2017
24
23
As a bird photographer, with a 400 F4 DO II , 500 F5.6 PF and 600mm F4 lenses. I have absolutely NO interest in F11 lenses because of two things:
1. Shutter speed will be to low at F11, if you crank up ISO to 6400 you might get it up to be OK. As a reference I try to stay under ISO 400 and will in a very worst situation go up to ISO 800. We all know ISO performance has stalled with the sensors. The results will be too noisy images for me. I want faster shutter speeds for birds in flight, F11 wont cut it. F5.6 is on the border of being acceptable in this regard. I have to take off the Tele extender when to gets dark or in the winter here in the PNW These lenses will be sunny day in Florida lenses as far as I'm concerned.
2. No pleasing bokeh at F11.

These are consumer offerings, not for serious wildlife photographers, Safari? I doubt the weather sealing will hold up to it, Shorebirds in a distance? The atmospheric abberations will not be helpful at a distance no matter what lens. Morning shoot at Bosque sunrise? I'm having problems getting enough shutter speed with my F4 lenses.

The only highlight there is the small size and low weight, great for travel. Anyone want to travel right now?
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Upvote 0
Sep 17, 2014
1,038
1,395
As a bird photographer, with a 400 F4 DO II , 500 F5.6 PF and 600mm F4 lenses. I have absolutely NO interest in F11 lenses because of two things:
1. Shutter speed will be to low at F11, if you crank up ISO to 6400 you might get it up to be OK. As a reference I try to stay under ISO 400 and will in a very worst situation go up to ISO 800. We all know ISO performance has stalled with the sensors. The results will be too noisy images for me. I want faster shutter speeds for birds in flight, F11 wont cut it. F5.6 is on the border of being acceptable in this regard. I have to take off the Tele extender when to gets dark or in the winter here in the PNW These lenses will be sunny day in Florida lenses as far as I'm concerned.
2. No pleasing bokeh at F11.

These are consumer offerings, not for serious wildlife photographers, Safari? I doubt the weather sealing will hold up to it, Shorebirds in a distance? The atmospheric abberations will not be helpful at a distance no matter what lens. Morning shoot at Bosque sunrise? I'm having problems getting enough shutter speed with my F4 lenses.

The only highlight there is the small size and low weight, great for travel. Anyone want to travel right now?

Yes, i want to travel. You buy a lens for years to come and hopefully things will get back to normal soon.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

ahsanford

Particular Member
Aug 16, 2012
8,620
1,651
Fascinating. Did not see these lenses coming. Curious to see how they perform. Canon full of surprises these days.

If Canon expects them to be used for video they'll need some sort of tripod mount. I guess clever folks could sort something out on their own.


There is some kind of bump on the bottom. It's too built up to be a normal panel for switches, and buttons/switches wouldn't be clocked at that location for convenient use while shooting.

Good money that's a feature for a support.

1594047685523.png

Your guess is as good as mine as to what form that takes. Could be a simple flat surface with a threaded hole, could be an arca plate (doubt it), or perhaps Canon has a card up its sleeve. That tapered ring closest to the mount likely is associated with extending the barrel at startup... but what if it is a friction ring working with the next section to the left (i.e. the tripod mounting block itself) to rotate freely? That would allow the camera body and all optical elements to rotate to portrait pretty easily. #aguycandream

- A
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

RMac

R6ii 5DSR 5Diii 7D M5 C300
I take your point (and that's a lovely shot), but just as some folks are addicted to reach, others are to subject separation.

You very artfully worked the physics and background there. Not all folks have the proximity to subject or relatively friendly/distant background behind the subject. A larger max aperture lens would be a more powerful tool in that instance.

I just don't think an f/11 prime will be aimed at anyone who appreciates all of that. These lenses scream of amateur photog on safari... or possibly the traveling birder on a family trip who vowed not to bring the kitchen sink but still wanted absurd reach anyway. ;)

- A
Thanks for your compliments regarding the image. I definitely agree that this shot played to the strengths of what I had and is held up by elements that don't depend on having a low f-number (lighting and contrast being the two big ones), and with better gear I could have ended up with an even better image (at least better resolution). I think it may be premature to assert that these "scream amateur photog on safari", though. They certainly will appeal to amateurs in a way that 5-figure lenses don't, and they definitely won't be as well-built as 600mm f/4 or 800mm f/5.6 L glass. But until we see actual sample images and bench test results, the jury is still out on image quality. If they end up being reasonably sharp wide open, I think the size and weight could make them compelling tools for professionals in a number of situations.

Another thing to consider is that Canon is very much working to hold onto space in a market segment that is being steadily eroded by cell phones and computational photography. Long telephoto imagery is one place where cell phones don't compete with ILCs. These sorts of lenses help Canon press their advantage in this regard.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0
There is some kind of bump on the bottom. It's too built up to be a normal panel for switches, and buttons/switches wouldn't be clocked at that location for convenient use while shooting.

Good money that's a feature for a support.

Your guess is as good as mine as to what form that takes. Could be a simple flat surface with a threaded hole, could be an arca plate (doubt it), or perhaps Canon has a card up its sleeve. That tapered ring closest to the mount likely is associated with extending the barrel at startup... but what if it is a friction ring working with the next section to the left (i.e. the tripod mounting block itself) to rotate freely? That would allow the camera body and all optical elements to rotate to portrait pretty easily. #aguycandream

- A
Yes I was looking at that. I don't see any obvious mounting points but they could be covered by that rubbery material. If it doesn't come with a hood it probably doesn't come with a tripod collar and I haven't seen that listed as an accessory. It wouldn't need to rotate for video but I expect it will somehow. i'm sure Canon has it sorted.
 
Upvote 0

RMac

R6ii 5DSR 5Diii 7D M5 C300
From the other thread CR Guy just posted:

"Each of these teleconverters will be compatible with the RF 100-500mm f/4-7.1L IS USM, RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM."

Reach for the stars, people. Just don't ask for bokeh at the same time. :p

- A
Or autofocus...
 
  • Like
  • Haha
Reactions: 2 users
Upvote 0

Steve Balcombe

Too much gear
Aug 1, 2014
283
223
I've been trying to keep an open mind about these, but I'll almost certainly have a 100-500 and a 1.4x which gives me 700 mm at f/10 in a lens which is just a few mm longer than the 600/11 DO when retracted and much shorter than the 800. I also get (with the 1.4x) around three times the maximum magnification for butterflies, snakes etc., and I won't need to buy any new filters! Or indeed a lens hood. The only disadvantage I will have is weight but even that is not a huge difference vs the 800.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 4 users
Upvote 0
Some of the comments here suggesting that this lens will only appeal to amateurs remind me of statements in the past that smaller sensors could only appeal to amateurs. The best camera (and lens) is the one you have with you. Until now, the only people who could shoot 800mm focal lengths were the people who could afford the hefty price-tag, and those who were willing to shlep them around.

These lenses could very well start a mini-revolution in the field of telephoto shooting. It's opened the door to exponentially more people, and I think we'll all benefit from (and be impressed by) the images they create.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 6 users
Upvote 0
Sep 11, 2014
254
390
Is the beginning of the end of the Big White?

I know since the 100-400 came out with it's excellent IQ and IS and good pairing with the 1.4x...... my 600 has seen little use... Specially given the cropability of the 5DSR.. This lens gives me a usable "effective" 100-800 range....

This just seems to be an extension of that same concept... smaller, lighter, more portable -- and most importantly... without giving up IQ...

Am I wrong?


Not at all....the 100-400 & 1.4x vs the 600 F4 is no contest. The 600 gives professional-tier images. The 100-400 without a TC gives very good images, with some degradation with a 1.4. There's nothing wrong with the 100-400 but to say that the lenses announced here are going to be within even shouting distance of the 600 f4 (or whatever the R variant becomes) is just not realistic.
 
Upvote 0
May 4, 2011
1,175
251
I’m intrigued by this development, given that I’ve been searching for YEARS for a way to get into birding and long-range shooting without having to spend $$$ or weigh myself down...

600/11 is just too much of a compromise to me personally...OTOH, 800/11 could be workable depending on IQ, especially given the light weight. I’m curious to get field reports on this one, and hopefully a high ISO sensor breakthrough is on the horizon to increase usability and flexibility of this class of lens...
 
Upvote 0
Mar 25, 2011
16,848
1,835
There is some kind of bump on the bottom. It's too built up to be a normal panel for switches, and buttons/switches wouldn't be clocked at that location for convenient use while shooting.

Good money that's a feature for a support.

View attachment 191149

Your guess is as good as mine as to what form that takes. Could be a simple flat surface with a threaded hole, could be an arca plate (doubt it), or perhaps Canon has a card up its sleeve. That tapered ring closest to the mount likely is associated with extending the barrel at startup... but what if it is a friction ring working with the next section to the left (i.e. the tripod mounting block itself) to rotate freely? That would allow the camera body and all optical elements to rotate to portrait pretty easily. #aguycandream

- A
There is a second photo that shows what appears to be a mounting hole. I suspect a optional foot might mount there. They are light, and with both in lens IS + IBIS, many may not need a tripod mount.

What I am curious about is the camera autofocus working at f/22. Both the R5 and the R6 are claimed to have the same autofocus, something certainly changed from my R. My R can AF slowly at f/11 but just barely.

Like Alan, I like a telephoto lens that focuses at close distances. I understand that there may be too much movement required for close AF. The 100-500 will focus closely at 0.9M



800mm rf.jpgears to be a mounting threaded
 
  • Like
Reactions: 3 users
Upvote 0

Joules

doom
CR Pro
Jul 16, 2017
1,801
2,247
Hamburg, Germany
Call this appeasement of the 'small and light' crowd if you will, but these smaller lenses are putting down quite a marker for those that want to do more with less size and weight.

- A
Nice to see you back on the forum. Fully agree with you, it's quite interesting to see the direction Canon is going. When they innovate, they really go all out.

Did you comment on the upcoming RF 50 mm 1.8 already somewhere? :LOL:
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0
There is a second photo that shows what appears to be a mounting hole. I suspect a optional foot might mount there. They are light, and with both in lens IS + IBIS, many may not need a tripod mount.
Good catch. It does look similar to 100-400 II foot.

RRS will probably make a nice Arca compatible foot for it and it will only be 1/2 the price of the lens. ;)
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: 1 user
Upvote 0