Thanks usern4cr.Thanks, bhf3737, for the comparison photos of the 2 long RF lens options. I'm still waiting on my RF 100-500 but I do have the 800 f11, and it's absolutely amazing how this "pirate lens" (I like to call it due to its shape and pull out style) is so light and so (relatively) sharp, and so inexpensive (especially for a new RF lens near R5 launch).
Your photos are really beautiful, too, particularly the colors in the first one!
I wasn't planning on getting a RF 2x TC for the 100-500, but rather rely on cropping. Are you happy with your results (and on-off use) of the TC? It's always good to hear from those using it. I'm curious - when you zoom the 100-500 back towards 300mm and reach the TC, is it a gentle stop from a rubber interface or a more jarring stop of hard metal/plastic?
I tried to use RF extenders on RF100-500mm lens and compare the results with RF800mm to make a final decision on purchasing them.
with the RF100-500mm and extenders, the widest aperture available at 300mm is f/5.6 and this remains with the Extenders fitted, so:
With the RF 1.4x Extender we go from f/8, through f/9 to f/10 and effective focal length is 420mm to 700mm.
With the RF 2x Extender it starts with f/11 and ends with to f/14 with effective focal length of 600mm to 1000mm.
I guess R5 with RF 2x touches the diffraction all the way through, but image quality is good enough for 600-1000mm results.
I think at the back of the 100-500mm there is a moving round plastic part that moves inside the barrel with the back glass element but when the lens is at 300mm or more it stays in place. The extender touches that piece and does not touch the glass. But how strong it is and whether you can carry the lens and extender in the backpack, I don't know. It would have been better if there was a lock there.