Ive been staring at review videos for hours and my head is spinning. Im taking my R7 to Yellowstone in three weeks and I still havent bought a lens. Im totally torn between the RF 100-500mm and that new 200-800mm beast. The 100-500 is way more expensive and might blow my $2500 budget, but everyone says its sharper.
Then theres the 200-800 which gives more reach but its huge and impossible to find in stock. I even thought about the cheap 100-400 to save money but I dont want to regret it later when I see a grizzly...
- RF 100-500mm
- RF 200-800mm
- RF 100-400mm
Which one actually handles the R7 sensor better for birds and bears?
Late to the party but @Reply #2 - good point! That f/9 really is a vibe killer when you are shooting in the shadows or early morning. I went through this exact same struggle before my trip to Glacier last year. My budget was tight and I was stressed about reach, but the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM caught my eye and honestly... I have been so happy with it. Most people think you need the biggest lens in the shop, but on the R7, that 400mm feels like 640mm anyway because of the crop factor. Those grizzly shots I got of a mother and her cubs came out great and the sharpness was totally fine for my prints. I saved a ton of cash and didnt have to carry a heavy monster around all day. If you want to stay way under that $2500 limit, the little 100-400 is such a sleeper hit.
Unfortunately, Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM isnt as good as expected in shadows.
- Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM is sharper
- 100-400 is too short Grab the 100-500.
I was in the same boat last year and honestly... I had some pretty big issues with the Canon RF 200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM. On the R7 sensor, it just felt a bit soft at the long end, and unless the sun is blazing, that f/9 aperture is a real struggle. I missed a great shot of a hawk once because my ISO went through the roof and it just looked like mush.
- Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM is way sharper but that price tag is just painful.
- Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is light but wont cut it for far-off bears. I actually tried an adapted Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM for a bit. It is disappointing that the native RF glass is either super pricey or super slow... makes picking one a real headache. Use whatever you get before the trip tho, the R7 autofocus takes a minute to master.
