Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS coming on November 2, 2023

[AlanF]

For $2K?
That is the used price of the first one.

Canon 400mm f/4 DO IS USM EF-Mount Lens {Gel}

The EF 400mm f/4 DO IS USM Lens from Canon utilizes multi-layer diffractive optical (DO) lens technology to correct chromatic aberrations, substantially reduce lens size and provide excellent overall telephoto image quality. This offers an

www.keh.com

He wrote $2k is the price of the used 500pf not the DO.

The old do Canon does not stack up even against the old 500pf, which remains a great lens especially at the $2k price point where it now sells. And now if you want to stay light you can shoot with three brilliant light nikon lenses with the 400 4.5, 600pf and 800pf.

 

[jaygould]

I am just in the process of selling all of my Canon RF gear. This lens actually has me reconsidering that decision.

Maybe I'll just get an R50 + this lens. Would use it for moon photography.

 

[David - Sydney]

Now this is interesting. I have yet to buy into the RF longer lenes as I couldn't see much advantage over my existing EF ones. But if this is reasonably sharp it will be my first one. Might be a while before it finds its way to Australia.

Not sure why it would be delayed into Australia. Pre-order (deposit) and it should be fine on day 1. Cancel order if it doesn't meet expectations from reviews etc before paying the remainder.
Wait to order after day 1 and it is likely to be on back order around the world for a month or 2.

 

[scyrene]

Ditto, but the nice flocked ones from Canon are $55. OTOH, you can get a flocking kit for less than $10.

Mine is flocked and was under £20.

 

[AlanF]

Mine is flocked and was under £20.

Which one did you get?

 

[SteB1]

I'm really interested in this. My 100-400mm mk2 and DSLRs are still my walk around long lens, and I've made my mind up to go with an R7. I was angling to get the 100-500mm, but this seems very interesting as I spend a lot of time on a big open site, where reach is all important. The important thing to me, is robustness, weather sealing would be nice, weight and optical performance at the long end. This would appear to be Canon's answer to the Sony 200-600mm, and possibly Nikon's similar lens. It remains to be seen, if Canon follow the same formula, a robust, weather sealed lens, but not in the top line, reasonably priced, and maybe internal zoom. Also, when I switch to RF, I quite fancy the RF 100-400mm, as a light walk around lens, that will do dragonflies and butterflies, as well as birds. With the 100-500mm, there would have been a lot of duplication, but this looks like it would give it better separation. All remains to be seen.

 

[EricN]

Same price range as the competitors, but without weather sealing and with poorer build quality.
Seems also to me that Canon ends up further and further behind.

A wildlife lens without weather sealing is not a wildlife lens in my opinion.
(And I would have preferred a little extra weight to get internal zoom.)

Unless you want to explain how you got access to a time machine, I'll assume you don't know the specifics in regard to those two details.

 

[MkSprintz]

800mm for BIF is OK for distant slow moving birds. 500mm is far better for fast birds, at least for me, and I am willing to bet the existing RF 100-500 will focus faster than a cheaper f/9 lens. I would use 800mm, as I do now for the RF 800/11, mainly for perched birds.

As an aside I probably wouldn't use the full 800 mm for flight, but rather the 600-700mm in between. For raptors that little extra 100mm reach can be welcomed sometimes.

Should also provide some impressive moon photography possibilities.

 

[scyrene]

Which one did you get?

Oops. Serves me right for not checking. Turns out it's just textured on the inside, I misled myself all this time. Almost as good though. It is called "JJC ET-101", probably the first/cheapest option that came up on Amazon last year. Apologies for my confusion!

 

[Dragon]

Oops. Serves me right for not checking. Turns out it's just textured on the inside, I misled myself all this time. Almost as good though. It is called "JJC ET-101", probably the first/cheapest option that came up on Amazon last year. Apologies for my confusion!

Check the item itself. Mine says JJC LH-101. In the US Amazon sells it as a "replacement for ET-101" and Amazon UK and Amazon Australia both just list it as a JJC ET-101, but the image shows the LH-101. I suspect this has something to do with differences in copyright laws and it is possible that the early ones were actually stamped ET-101 and didn't make it into the US so they changed them all for simplicity. In any case it looks like the same item and AFAIK, none of the JJC hood are flocked, but as I mentioned before, flocking kits are cheap (but closer to $20 than $10) and have enough stuff to flock quite a few hoods. OTOH, the 800mm f/11 is remarkably flare resistant for a super tele so flocking may be overkill.

 

[Czardoom]

If Canon wants to own the low end and give up share with pros and prosumers this sort of lens will do that. Just look at nikon at the long end... 400tc and 600tc if you want the best of the best. 600 and 800pf if you want sharp and fast with small size and light weight, and toss in the 400 4.5 just to add another sharp lens to the mix. Oh, and let's not forget the new 180-600.this new Canon lens won't get anyone to switch from nikon to Canon, but nikon's long lens lineup is getting people to move the other way. And at least for now, Canon is behind at the high end on bodies as well. I may be one of those soon to switch.

Please do switch. Nikon needs new customers. If you think Nikon gives you more of what you want, you would be a fool not to switch. But since I don't need 5 telephoto lenses for birding, and my Canon RF 100-500 is as good, if not better, (at least for me) than all those Nikon lenses you mention, I have no reason to switch. And, as a prosumer, my RF 100-500 is high end enough. It's really amazing how stupid people on this forum are, thinking that a lens that goes to 600mm is automatically better than the Canon that is extremely sharp at 500mm. But 600 is a bigger number than 500, so it must be better!!

 

[scyrene]

Check the item itself. Mine says JJC LH-101. In the US Amazon sells it as a "replacement for ET-101" and Amazon UK and Amazon Australia both just list it as a JJC ET-101, but the image shows the LH-101. I suspect this has something to do with differences in copyright laws and it is possible that the early ones were actually stamped ET-101 and didn't make it into the US so they changed them all for simplicity. In any case it looks like the same item and AFAIK, none of the JJC hood are flocked, but as I mentioned before, flocking kits are cheap (but closer to $20 than $10) and have enough stuff to flock quite a few hoods. OTOH, the 800mm f/11 is remarkably flare resistant for a super tele so flocking may be overkill.

You're right, the item itself is marked LH-101! It fits, it functions, it hasn't broken in over a year of use, I'm satisfied. I got that brand(?) hood for the RF 100-400 and that has worked fine too.

 

[AlanF]

You're right, the item itself is marked LH-101! It fits, it functions, it hasn't broken in over a year of use, I'm satisfied. I got that brand(?) hood for the RF 100-400 and that has worked fine too.

Same for me for both.

 

[mdcmdcmdc]

I'm really interested in this. My 100-400mm mk2 and DSLRs are still my walk around long lens, and I've made my mind up to go with an R7. I was angling to get the 100-500mm, but this seems very interesting as I spend a lot of time on a big open site, where reach is all important. The important thing to me, is robustness, weather sealing would be nice, weight and optical performance at the long end. This would appear to be Canon's answer to the Sony 200-600mm, and possibly Nikon's similar lens. It remains to be seen, if Canon follow the same formula, a robust, weather sealed lens, but not in the top line, reasonably priced, and maybe internal zoom. Also, when I switch to RF, I quite fancy the RF 100-400mm, as a light walk around lens, that will do dragonflies and butterflies, as well as birds. With the 100-500mm, there would have been a lot of duplication, but this looks like it would give it better separation. All remains to be seen.

The RF 100-400 is a great lens. If you don't mind the aperture, it definitely punches well above its weight optically.

 

[shadowsports]

Given what Canon has been doing with its optics, and the remarkable performance I've gotten with RF glass, I'm starting to get even more excited about this announcement. A native zoom 200-800mm and 2 full 1/2 a stop faster than the 800mm f11 which was already well received. Its not going to replace my 100-500, but its another option when you know you need the reach and don't want to use a TC. Hope it comes with a collar or foot.

Also add me to the list of (happy) RF 100-400 owners. Purchased at the beginning of the year and just put a JJC hood on it. Has the same button lock release as my L series glass. Works well.

 

[neuroanatomist]

A native zoom 200-800mm and 2 full stops faster than the 800mm f11 which was already well received.

Two full stops faster than f/11 is f/5.6. Sorry, no 200-800mm f/5.6 for you today.

 

[dirtyvu]

If Canon wants to own the low end and give up share with pros and prosumers this sort of lens will do that. Just look at nikon at the long end... 400tc and 600tc if you want the best of the best. 600 and 800pf if you want sharp and fast with small size and light weight, and toss in the 400 4.5 just to add another sharp lens to the mix. Oh, and let's not forget the new 180-600.this new Canon lens won't get anyone to switch from nikon to Canon, but nikon's long lens lineup is getting people to move the other way. And at least for now, Canon is behind at the high end on bodies as well. I may be one of those soon to switch.

You go to a racing event or airshow, Canon is everywhere. I don't think anyone is looking to switch to nikon, the few that are out there.

 

[shadowsports]

Two full stops faster than f/11 is f/5.6. Sorry, no 200-800mm f/5.6 for you today.

and 2 full 1/2 a stop faster than the 800mm f11. Thanks for correcting me

 

[tron]

You also used the Nikon D850 + 500 PF. How do you find it compares with the RF 100-500mm?

Hello Alan. Honestly, I like them both very much. I haven't made comparisons like the superb comparisons you do (and thanks for that too by the way - in addition to the fact that I got the Nikon's and the 5DsR before thanks to your suggestions). I know this is not a scientific answer. But I mean they are very sharp fully open with 45mpixel FF cameras. In addition, I have used the zoom with the RF 2X and it saved the day with sharp photos of distant birds. Also, I think that quality drops slightly if I use Nikon's latest TC1.4X with the 500PF

 

[shire_guy]

Not sure why it would be delayed into Australia. Pre-order (deposit) and it should be fine on day 1. Cancel order if it doesn't meet expectations from reviews etc before paying the remainder.
Wait to order after day 1 and it is likely to be on back order around the world for a month or 2.

You are probably right with the pre-order - I did generalise too much. I have no need to pre-order this lens and I will keep an eye on the reviews. Last year I did have to hunt around for the 14-35 f/4 when I got it in May, and I was surprised the 24-105 f/4 was hard to get earlier this year. So my expectations on retail RF lens supply here, is based on what I have experienced.