Here are the new Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens reviews. The RF 100–400mm (Amazon/B&H/Adorama) becomes Canon’s most affordable telephoto zoom for the EOS R system without adapting an older EF lens.
The RF 100–400mm F5.6-8 IS USM’s zoom range gives you the power and flexibility to capture a subject both close and even far away.
We have compiled three full in-depth reviews for the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens. Check it out !
Admiring Light posted their Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS review. From the conclusion:
[…] the RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM [is a] a surprising lens. When it was first introduced, it was easy to dismiss as a slow, cheap consumer zoom that probably wasn’t very good. Well, it does have a slow maximum aperture, and it is fairly inexpensive, but it is pretty darn good. While it isn’t going to challenge the RF 100-500mm f/5-7.1L in ultimate image quality, the lens manages to produce images with very good sharpness, nice bokeh and overall high image quality. The lens also has an excellent image stabilizer, fast and accurate autofocus and is small and light enough to be a lens that makes it into your bag every day.
This last part is key. Before this lens, I usually dreaded carrying lenses longer than 200mm. With the 100-400mm, it’s a pleasure to have in my bag. It can fit in the vast majority of camera bags with no issues, and weighs less than the RF 24-105mm f/4L. This compact size, along with the excellent AF and good optics makes this a perfect lens to carry for daily shooting. It’s a great bargain and a lens most Canon R shooters should consider for their kit. Highly recommended.
RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens – at Amazon/B&H/Adorama
From PetaPixel review of the lens :
A Telephoto Zoom for the Everyday Photographer
With the RF 100-400mm, I see the fruits of a long line of Canon lens development. I’m happy I had the chance to use the lens because it’s quite easy to dismiss. It’s small and light in a way that makes you question the optics, it has maximum apertures way down at f/5.6 for 100mm and f/8 at 400mm that are slow by anyone’s standard, and it’s priced at $650 which is the lowest I’ve seen a full-frame telephoto zoom of this range even including third-party manufacturers. These are not confidence builders, but Canon seemed to know exactly who this lens was for.
Conceptually, what I appreciate about this “budget” RF 100-400mm is that what is there is good, and what would have been hard or expensive to implement well has been cut completely. To me, it’s a better strategy to do it this way as compared to the alternative which would have been to include mediocre or worse performance that would have brought the whole experience down.
From CameraLabs verdict :
So while the RF 100-400 lacks their glamour, I’m pleased Canon’s producing a selection of more affordable, not to mention lighter, native RF lenses alongside its flagship L series. If you want even longer reach, also consider the RF 600 or 800mm f11 lenses. And while optically dimmer lenses used to raise alarm bells on older bodies, the latest cameras are comfortable focusing them in poor light, while high ISO quality improves with every generation. As such the RF 100-400 is easy to recommend if you want long-reach from a native RF zoom without breaking the bank or your back.
Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens Overview
A versatile telephoto-zoom with a portable form factor, the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is a nimble lens perfect for wildlife, sports, and travel shooting. With extended range, this zoom packs super-telephoto reach into a relatively sleek, lightweight design along with support for Coordinated IS to help control up to 6 stops of camera shake and Nano USM AF to promote faster focusing performance.
Optically, the lens uses specialized elements to control a variety of aberrations and produce images with high sharpness and clarity throughout the zoom range. Close-focusing performance is also possible, with a maximum magnification of 0.41x at the 400mm position, for close-up shooting of subjects as small as a credit card.
- Long-reaching telephoto zoom lens is designed for use with full-frame Canon RF-mount mirrorless cameras.
- Modest f/5.6-8 maximum aperture range promotes a relatively compact, lightweight form factor.
- One Ultra Low Dispersion element is featured toward the front of the optical design and helps to reduce chromatic aberrations and color fringing throughout the zoom range.
- One aspherical element helps control distortion and promotes a high degree of sharpness.
- Super Spectra Coating has been applied to minimize flare and ghosting for improved contrast and color fidelity when working in strong lighting conditions.
- An Optical Image Stabilizer helps to minimize the appearance of camera shake by 5.5 stops to better enable working in low-light conditions and with slower shutter speeds. Also, when working with select cameras, up to 6 stops of stabilization may be available with the Coordinated Optical Image Stabilizer and In-Body Image Stabilizer.
- Nano USM system utilizes both a ring type USM and an STM mechanism to realize quick and accurate focusing that is also smooth and near silent to suit both photography and video applications. This focusing system also affords full-time manual focus control when working in the one-shot AF mode.
- Close focusing capabilities are available throughout the zoom range, with a maximum magnification of 0.41x available at the 400mm position and a minimum focusing distance of 2.9′ possible at the 200mm position.
- Rounded 9-blade diaphragm contributes to a pleasing bokeh quality.
- Configurable Control Ring can be used to adjust a variety of exposure settings, including aperture, ISO, and exposure compensation.
- Compatible with optional Extender RF 1.4x and Extender RF 2x teleconverters to further increase the effective focal length.