The RF 100-500 is such an incredibly amazing lens. And this lens in conjunction with the R5 is hands down the best photo gear I've ever owned in many years of photography, by a LOT...and I've owned plenty of 1 and 5 series bodies before. Just the amazing ability to track subjects and the beautiful high ISO delivers such amazingly sharp results with far more keepers than I've ever experienced before. Plus, the best lens is always the one you have with you. I love that the 100-500 is so light and gives you the ability to freely travel, without having to lug along the weight of a 500 or 600mm prime, which get very weary handholding for extended periods. What you lose in a little less bokeh you gain back tenfold in the sheer versatility and flexibility. I'm frequently shooting osprey coming in with fish and I never know exactly where they're going to be coming in. The ability to move quickly to track incoming birds from all angles and various locations makes all the difference for me. As Jan mentioned, this lens performs extremely well with the teleconverters. I honestly don't think I lose any AF speed with the 1.4x on. My only complaint here is that the lens cannot be fully retracted with the teleconverter on and also requires the lens to be extended to install the teleconverter which is slightly annoying.
Man, the RF100-500 is an absolute beast of a lens. I have owned it for over 2 years and it is one of my most used lenses by far. It is so incredibly versatile! I will most probably treat myself the RF600 f4 for my 40th birthday next year, but my RF100-500 will stay with me for forever since it just so good and light.
I was hoping the rumored RF 200-500 f/4 would become reality, but I got tired of the issues with my adapted Sigma 150-600S, and bought the RF 100-500. I am very glad I did, it’s a fantastic lens, much better than the Sigma in all aspects.
I’ve just done exactly the same thing. I had a Sigma 150-600 S on my Canon r7 and just found it too heavy and cumbersome for field use. In two days of the new RF 100-500 I genuinely believe it to be the best piece of kit I’ve ever owned. The AF and Eye Detection is superb.
What kind of issues were you having? I was thinking of moving to a mirrorless body but i have the 150-600 contemporary lens and was planning on using it.
The problem that made me go to the 100-500 is that my 100-400 L II lens did not work well with my R5. Despite updated lens and camera firmware, the lens IS and camera IBIS fought each other, making constant noise as though it was set for constant AF (it was not) and eventually requiring sensor replacement in the R5. I sold the 100-400 and ordered the 100-500.
I'm using the R5 and RF100-500 and I just can't wait until the Dragonfly season starts in the end of April here in Denmark. I got a few dragonfly shots in the end of 2020 and the AF can actually catch flying dragonflies in the air and focus on the head of the animals.
I've always wanted to try shooting dragonflies. They're so small and flying all over the place...how do you get them without locking onto the background all the time?
This lens turns out to be the most versatile I ever used in decades of nature photography. Great handheld, great on a tripod Great for landscape Great for plants, even closeups and details Waiting season for butterfies and dragonflies will start, this lens i very promising Great for birds and mammals The IQ mounted to the R5 is outstanding in all those applications. Sure a big white prime does have an edge, but they are not close regarding versatility.
I switched to RF about 16 months ago, picked up the EOS R and the 24-240 as a simple light weight inexpensive travel set up instead of travelling with the 5DIII and several “red ring”lenses. Quickly got hooked on the R and sourced a RF 100-500 this spring. (Was nearly impossible to find anything in stock in Canada). Having used this lens now for 6 months, it is by far my favourite PBWA lens. I used it mostly for birds and the close focusing distance is amazing for insects and flowers. I love this lens so much I rarely take my landscape lenses or my f2.8 70-200 out for a walk anymore. I’ve just subscribed to your videos and they are really informative. Keep them coming!
@@RujulPathak13 The lens is still great, but you won't have the ye tracking or fast frame rates of the R5/6 and no IBIS. So it will still be a great lens, but more limited by what the camera can do. The photos will still look amazing I'd say
Thanks Jan for explaining the ultimate difference between an excellent zoom lens and a dedicated prime lens, when shooting in poor lighting conditions. Not being a pro, the 100-500 really seems to be the best possible lens, probably for a long time. The RP has recently become my gateway to RF lenses, with the 100-500 being #1 in the wish list.
I agree, for most people the difference will never really show up. If you do very specialised things like I do at times, the big primes still give you an edge, but you also pay dearly for that edge.
Thanks, Jan I have just purchased this lens and an R5. I’m getting my best ever images I have ever taken. Thanks for the great videos. I enjoy them immensely. Keep up the great work.
Hi Jan, I ve watched a lot of video's to collect info about the RF 100-500. But this is one of the best! I was using a R6 with adapter and the 100-400 is usm II. Very good combination, working well, but I sell it and buy the RF 100-500. It's very expensive, but worth every euro. It's amazingly sharp, fast and nice boken. Best lens I ever had! Thanks for your video!
Thank you. I love my R5 and the 100-500. I also have the 1.4 extender but have not used it much, My photography has made a big positive jump forward with your videos combined with the R5 and lens.
Hi Jan. Very impressive, although I don't see a need for either you or Duade to have long lenses, as the birds over there seem to come to you and pose at a very short distance. lol
I just received the RF 100-500 & took it out shooting twice now. I used it with the 1.4x on & took it off in the late afternoon. My initial impression is that I got a couple of decent photos in lower light but it introduced more grain very similar to the EF 100-400 II which was why I purchased a 600 f/4 II prime. You have to be closer to the subject to get super detailed photos. My EF 600 II with an extender in lower light performed very well with a lot less grain & with more of a glassy look on the eye, even at a distance. The RF 100-500 still gives a nice photo but the difference is noticeable, your missing the “IT” factor. It also had trouble acquiring birds in flight which is a big deal. It would find it then go out of focus & disappear. I need to take it out a few more times & get used to it to give it a fair evaluation. It’s my grab & go lens for quick shots.
I'm waiting to find a good deal on a used RF 100-500. I had a EF 100-400 for several years, but sold all my EF lenses and cameras went I decided to go to the R series. Thanks!
Thanks Jan I have this lens and totally agree with your assessment of it. I feel luck to own the R5 and RF100-500 best set up I’ve owned and I’m getting my best ever images
Just purchased my RF 100-500. I am happy with the first results. Thanks for the video, now I know better what to expect from my next trip to Patagonia in October. Bets from Brazil.
Best invention ever in birding lenses and for wildlife. With the 1.4x TC you get 700mm and has to be carried extended, so I still use my normal telephoto camera and lens bag. No problem with this lens at all. I have not one thing to say that is downside.... The images I'm getting are the best of any prime telephoto or zoom telephoto I've ever owned and I've owned all of the major ones. Light weight, hand held image stabilizing flexibility is getting me shots I've never been able to get before. Plus! extra treasure for those who are wanting macro shots from a distance, there's a whole following for that with this lens also.
I just picked this combo up yesterday, I read your heading and thought I hope Jan doesn't conclude its a waste of money! looks like I've made the right decision, cant wait to use it.
I’ve been using this lens for the past few weeks now and I must say the sharpness and autofocus speed is amazing. I have the 400 f5.6 and I always thought that for the price and form factors nothing could beat it’s sharpness and when I got the 100-500 I was blown away that a zoom lens most likely beat the 400 prime.
This is my go to lens for wildlife, paired with an R5. Quality is incredibly good and the stabilisation is excellent for hand holding those long shots of African wildlife. I use it for video as much, or even more, than for stills. Great lens.
Thank you Jan for an excellent review. I have this lens for many years now and very happy with it. I also have 1,4 rf ext. and gives me excellent results with 24 mpix sensor. Now I got a good offer and I am finally getting my first ever R5. I am sure this body will work well with 1,4 ext and I am considering to get rf 2,0 too. It is very much lighter to get thousand mm compared to Ef 500mm f4 IS ll with ef 2x... Cheers
Jan what is that beautiful little shorebird that you were photographing looks like some kind of Plover what a beautiful little bird . Jan let me tell you canon should have done a long time ago was to bring out a 100 to 500 in the ef-mount , they really blew it when they brought up the new 100-400 II which weighes half a pound more than the old 100-400 and it's not that much better than the old 100-400 , so keep taking those great bird photos that you do Jan .
@@jan_wegener I saw a recent video comparing the rf 100-500 to the old Nikon 200-500. The Nikon had significantly less breathing. Might be interesting to test on the z9 if you still have access to it and can get your hands on the 200-500. Keep up the GREAT work!
I have a R6 with the 100-500 and the 1.4x extender. I use the extender occasionally and I'm impressed with the focus capability, image quality and a bonus with the extender attached is the short throw of the zoom ring. 😀
I was so lucky as a newb to choose the R5 & RF 100-500 with RF 2x extender as my first setup. It’s very encouraging to see how great your shots are. The 20 FPS capability has allowed me to get some amazing bird shots I’d never imagined were possible. Most of my shots are at the ocean or refuge at long range. As I get more experience I hope to get more closeups. Also need to learn how to process with Lightroom and Photoshop so will watch your masterclass. Really appreciate your talent and generous sharing!
Hey! Yes, that's a great combo for sure. It really opens up a lot more possibilities in bird photography. What often helps, especially as a beginner is to find areas with relatively tame birds like duck ponds. You will be able to get some really nice images there. Masterclass will help you a lot to learn how to get the most out of your images.
Great video again, Jan. I got my R5 about 2 weeks ago and just got my 100-500. We went out today to try it. Still much ice in Idaho but managed a couple of shots. I was very pleasantly surprised. Some out of focus on BIF but that was me. Practice... practice... practice! This is a winning combination!
Looks like a beautiful lens. A couple friends have them. The light weight is really nice. For me, for now, I have the 100-400 EF ii. I can't justify taking a loss selling it for the modest gain in reach, modest weight savings, and modest loss in maximum aperture. Also, I just took a bath selling my DSLRs to buy their mirrorless counterparts. Maybe if Canon comes out with a 150-600 I might be tempted.
Thank you for this much anticipated video. Amazing stuff. I have the 100-500 and a 1.4 extender and I just love it. Best combo ever and I can easily live without the last bit of extra quality I would get out of one of the big whites. The image quality along with the flexibility and great form factor and build quality make this an absolute stunner
@@Mikkidk2400 certainly, I just find the 100-500 a bit of a hassle to use with the extender as the barrel needs to be extended half way when working with the extender. Image quality holds up nicely though
Always value your comments! I’m a newbie at bird and wildlife photography and use this lens with the R5. I’ve even done some night shots with very poor light and high ISO and get some decent images with just a little noise reduction. You just confirmed what a great lens this is.
Hi Jan Thanks for the Superb Video and coverage of the R5 & 100-500mm Lens !!.I have just bought the combo and am still experimenting with it but have found it to be very sharp. Thanks for your tuition as it will assist in improving my shots especially birds in flight. I have had fantastic early results - a happy boy.
I agree. On the used market you can get the 100-400 II for like half of this one. It’s nice I’ve shot both but the 100-500 isn’t worth that extra cost. The 100-400 adapted is still quick and accurate
@@Jan-eh7nf Yes, I know that the Sony 200-600 is not the best. But what I meant was that I would have liked to have seen Canon release a lens in that focal range - that is a 200-600 instead of a 100-500.
I must say, I am tempted by this lens to use with my R5. By the way, I sometimes switch from full frame to 1.6 crop if I need more reach quickly and haven't time to change lens or add an extender.
It's a nice lens. Switching to crop mode can be helpful to get the bird bigger in the viewfinder, however, there's no difference between crop mode and cropping the image afterwards yourself.
I've been on the fence about trading up from my Tamron 150-600mm G2 for my R5 to this amazing lens, but I truly respect your opinion on all matters concerning bird photography, and if it has the Jan Wegener seal of approval, it's probably the lens for me. thanks Jan.
Hi, I’m using the RF 100-500 with my R6 and the results are such that I’ve even sold my EF 300 f2.8 along with its extenders. I agree with your comments on the zoom restriction on the 100-500 with the extenders fitted, although I wasn’t surprised after I found out that I couldn’t use them at all on my RF 70-200 f2.8. That was very disappointing! Thanks for the excellent videos - I’m watching so many Paton and Wegener productions my wife says I’m starting to get a Strine accent!!
Haha! Yes, quite the mix of accents there. Yes, converter use was more of an afterthought in most RF lenses so far. Glad you are enjoying the videos :)
Great blog , thanks Jan ! I am waiting on my new R7 with this lens 100/500 .. I think it will make an excellent combination . Time will tell .. due to arrive mid July 2022 .
Bought the 100-500 RF four weeks ago. This is a real beauty. Now I ask for some advice. Do anybody here - or you Jan - If I should choose the 1.4 or 2.0 extender IF I have to go with one of them? Mostly I'm birding. Here's why I'm asking despite Jan telling about these extensers in this video. Today I went to my photo-store and the guy told me to chose the 2.0 over the 1.4. He explained that he has been working with photo-stuff for thirty years and know a lot of this stuff. He told me, that the 2x extender together with my R5 would work perfectly and he has sold a lot of 2.0 extenders. This was today. And now, later same day I still don't know whats the best. Will 1.4 be sharper than 2.0?
The 1.4 is better than the 2x, it also only loses one stop of light, the 2x is F14 wide open, that limits your use case a fair bit. Both extenders work alright on the lens
The truth of the matter is, I really don't need a zoom lens at all. What I "need" is an RF 1200mm F8, so I could get "almost close enough, most of the time". Lets face it, it's very hard to fill the frame with the 3" to 5" birds I'm chasing, even from a relatively close distance. I'm only strongly considering this lens, for the IQ and the price, but knowing I will "have to" use a TC 95% of the time. Guess I will learn a lot more this week, as I have rented this lens + both TC's, and they are coming in today. Great video Jan :) When I watch your vids, I always have to temper my expectations, because you always show "what's possible" but their are probably not a lot of folks at your skill level, and certainly not me, but I have fun trying :)
You buying that is a great endorsement. The ease of carrying and the flexibility of the zoom makes for a very good experience. Savings on cost makes it a great option.
Great stuff. I have had the 100-500 and the R5 for some months now and love the combination. For birds in flight it is amazing at 20 frames a second. am addicted. And the close ups . The difference from the 7d mk 2 is huge.
I only just saw this video today. I must say that you did a great job explaining this lens in detail. The extender comparisons really helped me to make decisions as well. Even though this video is over a year old, it is still very useful today. I am looking to buy one ASAP but of course all of the major stores are sold out. Thanks Jan.
Hi Jan! I totally agree with you. I bouhgt this lens two weeks ago, and it has not been off my R5. We don't have that amount of birds in Denmark, especially March is a little too early, but I have tried it out on the coasts, and I am blown away with it. Thank for all the details and beautiful pictures. Kind Regards, Jan, DK
I have bought a Canon 100-500 and yesterday I went to test it. I liked it a lot. I also tried it with the Extender x 1.4. The quality of the result with sufficient light is good, but the fact of having to start at 300 to insert it greatly complicates, or simply makes it impossible, to track the birds in flight.
Hay Jan, where is the forest location? I know the beach scenes look like Philip Island, but love to know where to go to get shots of those birds in the forest. Now to find the money for that lens!
I’ve just had one on loan from Canon, using it on an R6. I was seeing if I could justify the cost (it’s nearly £3,000 ($4,000)) here in the UK. I was testing it against the Sigma 150-600 I’ve had for about 5 years. Is it good? Yes, of course it is; very sharp images, amazing stabilisation (sharp images at 1/15th of a second at 500mm and I’m a shaky-hands amateur), very contrasty images even straight into the sun, extremely light weight. That said, I found the focus not to be as good as people are making out. I had a whole series of a marsh harrier pair completely unusable, and it wasn’t reliably finding small birds in trees. I didn’t think I would, but I did miss the extra reach of the Sigma too, so found myself punching in to APS-C mode on a lot of subjects, which then only gives you an 8MP image. So, a great piece of kit - but is it worth 3.5 times the price of the Sigma? Absolutely not. I wish they’d gone for, say a 200-600 (we’ve all got a 70-200 f2.8 right, so the initial part of the zoom range is a bit of a waste of time). For a working pro I guess this is a must-have, but for the average amateur, you can get results so good on the third-party 150-600s you won’t notice the difference unless you’re pixel-peeping, at fraction of the price.
Hi Jan, I ordered my RF 100-500 4 months ago and disappointingly, I am still waiting. The reviews continue to be amazing. I WANT THIS LENS TO ARRIVE and am extremely jealous you were able to purchase one. There is another UA-camr called Whistling Wings photography that has also done incredible 5 star reviews on the 100 - 500 . Thanks for this, I am delighted you seem to like this lens in the same way the other fellow did.
I had no idea how lucky I was to impulsively decide to buy the R5 and RF 100-500 just before Christmas and find them in stock at a local shop in Portland. Hadn’t owned a 35mm camera since my 1969 Miranda Sensorex! What a whole new world of joy this has opened up for me. Thanks!
Hi Jan, I agree with your positive review! I have used it to make thousands of bird photos the past few months and I find it is amazingly good and versatile on the Canon R5. Having such a compact lens (I am used to Canon 600mm and the 800mm) that can do so much is refreshing. Now I don't need to use my big lenses quite so much and carry them so far. Plus, with the 45MPs of the Canon R5, when I need a smaller angle of view, I set the R5 to the 1.6x crop and then I have the view of an 800mm lens. I think this will be my main lens on my next safari to Kenya! Keep up the great videos. I love your birds too!
Yes, I am the same. This small size, with such a good IQ, is really unique. I still love my big lenses, but if I go to a beach for instance now, I will more often opt for the 100-500 rather than a big prime. Glad you are enjoying my work!
Hello Jan, I have had the RF 100-500 for 2-3 months now, and very frequently in use, and am also very enthusiastic about it. The flexibility, the image quality, at the same time moderate weight and dimensions fit perfectly with me. Of course, a 6.3 at 500 mm would be nice, but then you buy that again with other changes. Even compared to my EF 100-400 II before, also over a few months on the R5 in use, I notice, purely subjectively, a not insignificant increase in quality, both in the image and the speed. Thank you for the very informative test. Greetings from Germany, Veit
@@jan_wegener I'm curious about your comparison. Regarding the RF extenders, for me only the 1.4 would come into question, I am still unsure. I have already tested it with R5/RF100-500, so far I am not (yet) convinced for my purposes. Here also plays the, in my opinion, quite high price a role. I will initially instead rather cropping, but let's see when summer comes with more light...who knows :-) Greetings
I really want that lens... and also an R5 or better. My priority is the lens, but that R5 has some really nice features I'm missing on the R, which is a decent camera in its own right, but it doesn't have wildlife autofocus so that can be a bit of a pain. A manageable pain, but still... Also the R5's ability to produce such crisp images at high ISOs is a major boon. On my R I try to avoid going over 3000 as much as possible.
Great video, thanks. I just received my 100-500 and the 1.4 extender. Here in the midwest we don’t have as exiting bird as you have down under. Thanks for putting out this great content.
Thanks Jan for the great review. Amazing quality of pictures. You proof again that a good lens is a good investment. The versatility of this lens is a big plus.
Thanks Jan. Really enjoyed this video (this one, too). I fully agree to your assessment - based on my use of R5 + RF100-500 + RF1.4xTC. My main use sofar has been stationary birds - typically quite distant. Why does your birds always seem to be right in front of your front-element? I am absolutely happy with the results - most of them including use of the 1.4xTC. Your video makes me wonder: Which is to be preferred?? 1) Use the TC for 420-700mm f/10 (and still have to crop some) 2) Use 100-500 alone and then have to crop 1.4 times more My own thoughts till now are: Use TC, as IQ seems to be very good. This goes for stationary birds. For BIF I may have to change approach, though. And to put on - or remove - the TC is nothing I can do in a few seconds, so I may have to avoid the TC, when I shoot a mix of stationary and BIF. What are your thoughts? best regards Peder
When I go to photograph birds I do a lot of research and try to find spot where I can get close to the birds. Generally speaking no TC is always better, but I would prefer a full frame 700mm over a heavily cropped 500mm shot. For BIF I would definitely prefer 500, because of AF speed and accuracy
I just bought a 300 2.8 is, but I think maybe I should exchange it for this. I'm getting decent shots even when I use the 2x converter. It's just heavy as hell.
Hi Jan, Loved the overview of the 100-500. I have been using this lens for a few months now with the extenders on both the R5 and R6, and I love it. Obviously it was/is a trade-off from my 600 prime, but I found that I was leaving the 600 behind more often due to the increased flexibility and handling of this lens. I ended up trading in the 600 and sometimes regret it for limited opportunities. Hopefully the RF 600 primes that will be released soon (hopefully) will be light and compact enough to offset the EF prime weight and size. The 100-500 is such a flexible and sharp lens that I typically do not miss the prime, however.... especially when I'm carrying it around:)
Yes, the 100-500 is the closest thing to a prime lens you can get in a zoom atm I'd say. I couldn't be parting ways with my 600, but for most it will be quite a relief not having to carry a 600 prime all the time. I wonder how much smaller an 4/600 could actually get, because the front element has to remain the same size.
@@jan_wegener I am also looking forward to the release of 1.4x and 2x teleconverters that can be used with the RF mount. If it gives a reasonable performance with the RF 100-500, I think it will give a marvelous mobility to the traveler nature photographers. Is there any Canon rumor that comes to you?
Quality Video ................... . On another note You said in another video that Sony Users didn't want a 100mp Camera on the new A1 Mrk2 .. yet i see Hasselblad have released another 100mp camera with 1tb of internal memory plus a card slot ,, What's there not to like . Would like to see you review that against you're R3 as it's a similar price point , does 100mp get you far better pic quality overall .
Made the choice this morning and waiting for delivery, I am fully blaming you lol for my decision hehe 😜 very happy chap today and didn't even got my hands on it yet. Thanks for your insights
F7.1 is not an issue for me. I find that I stop down to f8 with my 600 f4 lens quite often and I did the same when I had the 500 f4 lens and still have nice background. I don't worry about high ISO because I use Topaz Denoise to take care of any really high ISO images. I just have to worry about getting the shot. The only other issue is deciding whether to get a 2nd mirrorless camera body and which one; another R5 or an R6.
That are my feelings as well. Funny you say that, I am about to order another body, too. Buying the 100-500 is forcing my hand. I am leaning towards another R5.
@@jan_wegener Yeah, I'm thinking R5, too. I want to be able to use my big lens and have my 100-500 as my sidearm. What's holding me at bay though is according the Canon Rumors, the RF600 f4 is on the horizon and I want to see what it brings to the table, but a 2nd mirrorless body is inevitable.
Amazing video.. 👍 I agree with everything you said about this lens. I have been using it on the EOS R for about 3 months for wildlife and I'm very happy with my purchase
I got my 100-500 and have been using since December. Fantastic results both with and without the 1.4x and 2x extenders. Agreed about the limitations of this in your video. I am super pleased with the resulting images both using my R6 and my recent purchase of an R5 (Was harder to get the R5 than getting the 100-500). I find acceptable detail on the R6 with this lens at 10,000 ISO and ISO 3200 with the R5.
The RF 100-500 and R5 has been my most used combo over the past few months. I preordered the lens when it was announced. You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that it’s great for getting close up almost macro like shots. Great review. 👍
This lens is sold out all across Canada. Mine has been on the order for a bit now, and I am told, it will be Sept 2021, before I can get mine delivered - *SIGH* - I sure will follow you up once I get my hands on one. Thanks, -R
Not sure what it would cost over in Australia as CAD and AUD are almost the same - if shipping isn’t as huge, i can order from there - please sahre ur dealer’s details Thanks,
@@RujulPathak13 around 4300-4500 AUD I think The Store is Sunstudios in Melbourne, they will look after you if you mention me, but I think they don't ship internationally, so you'd have to arrange that yourself somehow.
Got my R5 and RF 100-500 last week. Not had much time with it but got some great pictures of a Heron catching a frog all at ISO 12800. Could not believe how good the files looked after denoise and sharpen AI. Thanks for all your videos
I have not used this lens, so I cannot give you an informed answer. I would expect the 100-500 to be better, especially when it comes to AF and stabilisation, but by how much I don't know
I really enjoyed this video. The RF 100-500 would be the reason for me to go back into photography. I have sold my entire Nikon DSLR system (D700) as Nikon did not offer me a smooth transition to their mirrorless system (loosing AF on some of my most expensive glass). Now I am still contemplating, Nikon or Canon. Z6 MKII and Z7 MKII cannot match R6 and R5 performance.
Hi Jan, thanks once again for another excellent video. I have just bought the R6 and 100-500mm lens and after only having one trip out to photograph sea birds I am very impressed. I did have some problems using the animal eye focus at times, particularly when looking down from cliff tops towards the sea - the lens didn't seem to be able to lock onto the bird's eye hence some of the shots were blurred. Perhaps I just need more practice since I have not done too much BIF photography (my main preference is larger mammals). I am very impressed with some of the static or slow moving bird shots and also some shots of garden birds. I'm going to the Arctic in a few weeks in search of polar bears and looking forward to using the camera and lens there.
Watched your video with interest as I'm tempted to sell my 500m f4 mk1 that I dont use much due to weight and my age and buy the RF100-500mm to go with my R5. I know the bokeh might suffer but I'm not too concerned and I like the minimum focus distance (900mm v 4162mm) which is another compelling reason to buy. I also want to compliment you for the time you put into replying to so many questions unlike most other videos discussing this lens where associated questions remain unanswered. Well done Jan and subbed.
Hi Adrian, thanks a lot! What's the point of making videos and not answering comments? Seems pointless to me, especially when they directly relate to the video. You will gain a lot of flexibility and much better AF and IS compared to the version I 500 as well as dramatic weight savings. The only thing I recently noticed is that at close range, let's say 10m, zooms lenses are shorter than primes. So side by side your 500mm, will have more reach. Not a deal breaker, but zoom 500 isn't equal to prime 500mm at closer distances at least. Because you have version I'd say you'd still have to gain a lot.
Steve Ellis Thanks for the great review.. I have an R6 with the 100-500. I have had good experiences with it. I went on a 2 week boat trip along the outer west coast of BC. I found the lens was not able to autofocus on swimming Marbled Murrelets even within 20 meters. They are a little too well camouflaged. I also found it was difficult to get clear shots in general on the water. I thought the lens stabilizer would be able to compensate for the motion of small waves. I am hoping it is more of a problem with lack of reach. I found it is difficult to approach birds near enough with a motorboat. They just keep maintaining a distance too far for the 500. I am going to try the 1.4x thinking it would be the most likely to get a clear shot when maxxed out. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
@@jan_wegener Oh I used my Canon R6.. It's the original version of it and I have since updated the software on the camera. I don't know if it will make any difference. I wasn't able to update the firmware on the lens. I tried but for some reason it did not work. Never the less. I have just received a new 1.4 extender and I am hoping to get out in the boat soon and test it out. We are just entering into our annual herring (feeder fish) spawn and this attracts thousands of birds of many different species that hang around for weeks, it will be wonderful if I can get close enough to get some awesome photo's. Fingers crossed the 1.4 will help!!
I would like to see you do this same type of testing with the Sigma EF150-600mm lenses, especially the contemporary model, I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on how it stacks up in the field against the RF 100-500 canon lens. Especially in terms of sharpness and speed when tracking subjects like birds in flight, and overall ease of use etc.
Hola Jan, please clarify a point you made in a video about how shoot better images. Say you are shooting with the 100 - 500 RF, How can one get a decent bokeh ? When the lens is stops up only to F 4.5 ? . I love the amazing video above and want to get this lens for Surf and Kitesurf photography and It would be nice if I can achieve nice blur on the waves. Not sure if long exposure is the answer. I hope question makes sense. I wish you a beautiful night. Cheers.
How smooth your background will be, depends on the distance between the subject and the background. The further away it is, the more out of focus it will be.
I just received mine a couple weeks back. For me, I liked the fact that w/o my 2x adapter I can go from 100-500 as I found that with my EF 70-200 I found that I would need to do that a lot to jump from 200 to 400, so I opted to stick with that (w/the EF/RF adapter) and go to this model for the RF glass. I also have the RF800, so with those three pieces of glass, I can get bassically 1--1000, and 1600 which is a pretty amazing range with just those pieces.
I have one on order, backordered. I was hoping watching this would help during the wait. It did not!!! I really want the lens now! Nice video, some impressive shots, thanks for the review.
Your reasoning in the video is exactly why I chose this lens. I hike and like the concept of a single lens ticking a lot of boxes. 100mm on short end with macro like qualities, a little extra reach over the 400, compact at 100 when walking/climbing (though I prefer non telescopic designs). Looking forward to receiving, I almost bought the Tamaron G2 until I tried it in a camera shop, the length made it a no go and I’m not sure about what trickery Canon plays with adapted lens as it pertains to focus speed. Anyways, thanks for the content.
Fast, yes. Sharp, yes. It really depends on where you are coming from, if you are already in the Canon ecosystem with the R5, then it is a logical choice. But, if you are not too heavily invested in Canon and are able to try out other systems, then the RF 100-500mm as an external zoom is a deal breaker for me. You have covered it in the video, the innate issues of external zooms is a stiff or stiffer and very long throw. That is simply not ideal in any shooting situations let alone BIF. I am sure we have all been there and done that with the Sigma or Tamron 150-600mm. Both external zooms and again with a stiff and extremely long throw. It takes me 4 twists in shooting position to get from 150mm to 600mm. So, what is the lens of choice in this super zoom category? In my humble opinion, it is without doubt the Sony FE 200-600mm. Why? Right off the bat it is an internal zoom. You want to know how it feels like? I am sure as Canon shooters, most would have a copy of the EF 70-200mm L, be it f/2.8 or f/4. Well, it feels exactly like that. Just a 1/4 or 90 degree turn will get you from 200mm to 600mm. Oh yes and the zoom ring is buttery smooth, just like the EF 70-200mm. Last but not least, price point. The RF 100-500mm is DOUBLE the price of the FE 200-600mm!! Can you believe that? Is that even possible?! I am sorry, to me that is just outrageously overpriced. Once you couple that with the inherent external zoom disadvantages, that's a no-go in my book I am afraid. But, again let me stress, if you are already a R5 owner, then in terms of super zooms, the RF 100-500mm is really your only choice. You are not going to buy an EF mount 100-400mm II which by the way is also an external zoom but with an even shorter reach. However, if you haven't bought a R5 yet and are still wondering what new cameras will be coming that can provide an alternative option to the R5, then it will give you something to think about.
the stiffness is adjustable that is what the other ring is for., if you hold the lens on top at 100 and move it under for 500 its one movement if that helps
@@Tainted-Soul I am aware of the adjustable ring. I think Canon is well aware of the cons of the RF 100-500mm once they ticked the "external zoom" box. They tried to alleviate the problem. But, unfortunately the problem doesn't lie in the design of this particular lens itself, but rather its "type" if you will. In other words, it is innate. The only way to describe the differences between an external and internal zoom is just compare it with your EF 70-200mm. The issue of the external zoom is that so much of the lens is retracted when not in use which contributes to its stiffness and extreme long throw. It is what it is. Let's put it this way, if Canon had an internal super zoom, I probably would have bought the R5 by now. In fact, I am trying to avoid buying the R5 (not because of the camera), but because of the RF 100-500mm. Instead, I am trying to buy a Sony setup because of the FE 200-600mm. However, right now there is only the A1 which is competitive. The A1 is probably a better camera than the R5, but I also think it is not worth US$6.5K. It is quite funny, I remember when the R5 first came out people were saying it is not cheap you know. And now that the A1 is out, all of a sudden the R5 is seen to be a great bargain and quite rightly so. I will probably wait for the A7R V and hopefully Sony will up its frame rate to say 20 fps which they should otherwise I don't know how they are going to compete with the R5. The A1 is not R5's direct competitor, it is supposed to be the coming R1. But, who knows, if Sony doesn't deliver the specs on the A7R V, I could come full circle and end up going with the R5 and be forced to get the RF 100-500mm. LOL. Or I bite the bullet and get the A1. I don't know, we shall see.
@@Rascallucci yes I see your point some would say there isn't that much difference between the A1 and the R5 photo wise ,filming yes maybe . The 200-600 Sounds like the best range. I hope you get the camera you want and like but if not and you end up with the R5 I think you would like it . It makes my smile when just using it that 12fps is like wow to me coming from the 50D and the Eos R . It's just has made me want to get out more love it and yes I'm a Canon fan boy lol
Since all new RF zooms are this design, I think Canon is quite confident in it. They had the choice to go for internal zooms with the new 70-200s but opted against it. WHile it can be a bit more annoying to use, it also allows for the lenses to be much shorter, which is great for travelling.
This is just my own opinion based on my experience, but if you're not getting a R5 because of the 100-500 you are missing out. It's the best zoom lens I have ever used and as close to a prime lens in IQ as a zoom can possibly be. I wanted to dislike the 100-500, but the moment I started to use it, I knew I had to have it. Size, IQ, MFD, weight, AF, just make it unique and super versatile.
The RF 100-500 is such an incredibly amazing lens. And this lens in conjunction with the R5 is hands down the best photo gear I've ever owned in many years of photography, by a LOT...and I've owned plenty of 1 and 5 series bodies before. Just the amazing ability to track subjects and the beautiful high ISO delivers such amazingly sharp results with far more keepers than I've ever experienced before. Plus, the best lens is always the one you have with you. I love that the 100-500 is so light and gives you the ability to freely travel, without having to lug along the weight of a 500 or 600mm prime, which get very weary handholding for extended periods. What you lose in a little less bokeh you gain back tenfold in the sheer versatility and flexibility. I'm frequently shooting osprey coming in with fish and I never know exactly where they're going to be coming in. The ability to move quickly to track incoming birds from all angles and various locations makes all the difference for me. As Jan mentioned, this lens performs extremely well with the teleconverters. I honestly don't think I lose any AF speed with the 1.4x on. My only complaint here is that the lens cannot be fully retracted with the teleconverter on and also requires the lens to be extended to install the teleconverter which is slightly annoying.
Thanks for sharing. The 100-500 with R5 is certainly an amazing combo. Agreed about the "issue" with the converter
Man, the RF100-500 is an absolute beast of a lens. I have owned it for over 2 years and it is one of my most used lenses by far. It is so incredibly versatile! I will most probably treat myself the RF600 f4 for my 40th birthday next year, but my RF100-500 will stay with me for forever since it just so good and light.
I was hoping the rumored RF 200-500 f/4 would become reality, but I got tired of the issues with my adapted Sigma 150-600S, and bought the RF 100-500. I am very glad I did, it’s a fantastic lens, much better than the Sigma in all aspects.
I've just done exactly the same. The sigma was great on my DSLR, but it's a mess on my R6
I’ve just done exactly the same thing. I had a Sigma 150-600 S on my Canon r7 and just found it too heavy and cumbersome for field use. In two days of the new RF 100-500 I genuinely believe it to be the best piece of kit I’ve ever owned. The AF and Eye Detection is superb.
What kind of issues were you having? I was thinking of moving to a mirrorless body but i have the 150-600 contemporary lens and was planning on using it.
The problem that made me go to the 100-500 is that my 100-400 L II lens did not work well with my R5. Despite updated lens and camera firmware, the lens IS and camera IBIS fought each other, making constant noise as though it was set for constant AF (it was not) and eventually requiring sensor replacement in the R5. I sold the 100-400 and ordered the 100-500.
I'm using the R5 and RF100-500 and I just can't wait until the Dragonfly season starts in the end of April here in Denmark. I got a few dragonfly shots in the end of 2020 and the AF can actually catch flying dragonflies in the air and focus on the head of the animals.
Am waiting for the same thing, dragonflies are my favourite subject but current camera and lens has difficulty getting flight shots.
Looking forward to that as well
I've always wanted to try shooting dragonflies. They're so small and flying all over the place...how do you get them without locking onto the background all the time?
Yes, the eye AF has been amazing and this lens allows quite a close approach as well, which can help to get the dragonfly into the frame.
I can’t wait for Ant season. Canon has incredible Ant Eye AF just really the best in the game!
This lens turns out to be the most versatile I ever used in decades of nature photography.
Great handheld, great on a tripod
Great for landscape
Great for plants, even closeups and details
Waiting season for butterfies and dragonflies will start, this lens i very promising
Great for birds and mammals
The IQ mounted to the R5 is outstanding in all those applications.
Sure a big white prime does have an edge, but they are not close regarding versatility.
Couldn't agree more! The versatility combined with amazing IQ is insane
I switched to RF about 16 months ago, picked up the EOS R and the 24-240 as a simple light weight inexpensive travel set up instead of travelling with the 5DIII and several “red ring”lenses. Quickly got hooked on the R and sourced a RF 100-500 this spring. (Was nearly impossible to find anything in stock in Canada). Having used this lens now for 6 months, it is by far my favourite PBWA lens. I used it mostly for birds and the close focusing distance is amazing for insects and flowers. I love this lens so much I rarely take my landscape lenses or my f2.8 70-200 out for a walk anymore. I’ve just subscribed to your videos and they are really informative. Keep them coming!
Thanks for sharing. It's a fantastic lens!
RF 100-500mm is US$2700 in case anyone was wondering like I was!
yep, and much more in most other countries. The prices vary a fair bit
It’s $3,699 + 13% tax (in Canada)
@@jan_wegener - I have EOS R (not R5 or R6) - would that deteriorate my photography experience with this lens??
@@RujulPathak13 The lens is still great, but you won't have the ye tracking or fast frame rates of the R5/6 and no IBIS. So it will still be a great lens, but more limited by what the camera can do. The photos will still look amazing I'd say
Attractive price but zero availability :).
Thanks Jan for explaining the ultimate difference between an excellent zoom lens and a dedicated prime lens, when shooting in poor lighting conditions. Not being a pro, the 100-500 really seems to be the best possible lens, probably for a long time. The RP has recently become my gateway to RF lenses, with the 100-500 being #1 in the wish list.
I agree, for most people the difference will never really show up. If you do very specialised things like I do at times, the big primes still give you an edge, but you also pay dearly for that edge.
You won’t like that combo
Thanks, Jan I have just purchased this lens and an R5. I’m getting my best ever images I have ever taken. Thanks for the great videos. I enjoy them immensely. Keep up the great
work.
Thank you, will do! Yes, the combo you got is amazing!
My dream setup.. congratulations😍😍
I just got my r5 and 100-500 lens. Lens still in the box. I wanted to watch your video first. Now I am ready to shoot. Thanks
Hi Jan, I ve watched a lot of video's to collect info about the RF 100-500. But this is one of the best! I was using a R6 with adapter and the 100-400 is usm II. Very good combination, working well, but I sell it and buy the RF 100-500. It's very expensive, but worth every euro. It's amazingly sharp, fast and nice boken. Best lens I ever had! Thanks for your video!
Awesome, thank you!
Thank you. I love my R5 and the 100-500. I also have the 1.4 extender but have not used it much, My photography has made a big positive jump forward with your videos combined with the R5 and lens.
Great to hear!
Hi Jan. Very impressive, although I don't see a need for either you or Duade to have long lenses, as the birds over there seem to come to you and pose at a very short distance. lol
Background separation and frame filling!
haha! We only make it look easy, by going to spots we can expect birds and not showing the days where we don't get any birds :D
correct! Especially the Bg part and also IQ and sharpness in low light
I especially wanted to thank Jan for explaining the ultimate difference between an excellent zoom and a long prime, in poor lighting conditions.
I just received the RF 100-500 & took it out shooting twice now. I used it with the 1.4x on & took it off in the late afternoon. My initial impression is that I got a couple of decent photos in lower light but it introduced more grain very similar to the EF 100-400 II which was why I purchased a 600 f/4 II prime. You have to be closer to the subject to get super detailed photos. My EF 600 II with an extender in lower light performed very well with a lot less grain & with more of a glassy look on the eye, even at a distance. The RF 100-500 still gives a nice photo but the difference is noticeable, your missing the “IT” factor. It also had trouble acquiring birds in flight which is a big deal. It would find it then go out of focus & disappear. I need to take it out a few more times & get used to it to give it a fair evaluation. It’s my grab & go lens for quick shots.
In very low light a big prime lens will always have an advantage. That's where programs like Pure Raw can help cleaning up the files a bit.
I'm waiting to find a good deal on a used RF 100-500. I had a EF 100-400 for several years, but sold all my EF lenses and cameras went I decided to go to the R series. Thanks!
does this lense get sharper images with comparing to 70-200?
Thanks Jan I have this lens and totally agree with your assessment of it. I feel luck to own the R5 and RF100-500 best set up I’ve owned and I’m getting my best ever images
Yes, the two together are a killer combo
Just purchased my RF 100-500. I am happy with the first results. Thanks for the video, now I know better what to expect from my next trip to Patagonia in October. Bets from Brazil.
Thank you so much for all your comments. Amazing video. I just bought one RF 100-500 and I'm loving it.
Congrats!
Best invention ever in birding lenses and for wildlife. With the 1.4x TC you get 700mm and has to be carried extended, so I still use my normal telephoto camera and lens bag. No problem with this lens at all. I have not one thing to say that is downside.... The images I'm getting are the best of any prime telephoto or zoom telephoto I've ever owned and I've owned all of the major ones. Light weight, hand held image stabilizing flexibility is getting me shots I've never been able to get before. Plus! extra treasure for those who are wanting macro shots from a distance, there's a whole following for that with this lens also.
Yes, it's great piece of equipment
I just picked this combo up yesterday, I read your heading and thought I hope Jan doesn't conclude its a waste of money! looks like I've made the right decision, cant wait to use it.
I love that combo for sure!
I’ve been using this lens for the past few weeks now and I must say the sharpness and autofocus speed is amazing. I have the 400 f5.6 and I always thought that for the price and form factors nothing could beat it’s sharpness and when I got the 100-500 I was blown away that a zoom lens most likely beat the 400 prime.
Yes, the first time using this lens is usually mind-blowing
This is my go to lens for wildlife, paired with an R5. Quality is incredibly good and the stabilisation is excellent for hand holding those long shots of African wildlife. I use it for video as much, or even more, than for stills. Great lens.
Totally agree! I use it very similarly
Thank you Jan for an excellent review. I have this lens for many years now and very happy with it. I also have 1,4 rf ext. and gives me excellent results with 24 mpix sensor. Now I got a good offer and I am finally getting my first ever R5. I am sure this body will work well with 1,4 ext and I am considering to get rf 2,0 too. It is very much lighter to get thousand mm compared to Ef 500mm f4 IS ll with ef 2x... Cheers
Jan what is that beautiful little shorebird that you were photographing looks like some kind of Plover what a beautiful little bird .
Jan let me tell you canon should have done a long time ago was to bring out a 100 to 500 in the ef-mount , they really blew it when they brought up the new 100-400 II which weighes half a pound more than the old 100-400 and it's not that much better than the old 100-400 , so keep taking those great bird photos that you do Jan .
Ii was a Hooded Plover
Its crazy how expensive this lens is considering the maximum aperture at 500mm at its MASSIVE focus breathing issue!!! Great video!
I have not found a zoom lens without the breathing unfortunately
@@jan_wegener I saw a recent video comparing the rf 100-500 to the old Nikon 200-500. The Nikon had significantly less breathing. Might be interesting to test on the z9 if you still have access to it and can get your hands on the 200-500. Keep up the GREAT work!
I have a R6 with the 100-500 and the 1.4x extender. I use the extender occasionally and I'm impressed with the focus capability, image quality and a bonus with the extender attached is the short throw of the zoom ring. 😀
Great to hear! It's a nice combo!
I was so lucky as a newb to choose the R5 & RF 100-500 with RF 2x extender as my first setup. It’s very encouraging to see how great your shots are. The 20 FPS capability has allowed me to get some amazing bird shots I’d never imagined were possible. Most of my shots are at the ocean or refuge at long range. As I get more experience I hope to get more closeups. Also need to learn how to process with Lightroom and Photoshop so will watch your masterclass. Really appreciate your talent and generous sharing!
Hey!
Yes, that's a great combo for sure. It really opens up a lot more possibilities in bird photography. What often helps, especially as a beginner is to find areas with relatively tame birds like duck ponds. You will be able to get some really nice images there. Masterclass will help you a lot to learn how to get the most out of your images.
Shooting at F14.2 at 1000mm? Seems like it wouldn’t be beneficial in low light.
Great video again, Jan. I got my R5 about 2 weeks ago and just got my 100-500. We went out today to try it. Still much ice in Idaho but managed a couple of shots. I was very pleasantly surprised. Some out of focus on BIF but that was me. Practice... practice... practice! This is a winning combination!
Good stuff! Congrats on the lens! I agree, it's almost like you have to have used this combo to understand how good it is.
Looks like a beautiful lens. A couple friends have them. The light weight is really nice. For me, for now, I have the 100-400 EF ii. I can't justify taking a loss selling it for the modest gain in reach, modest weight savings, and modest loss in maximum aperture. Also, I just took a bath selling my DSLRs to buy their mirrorless counterparts. Maybe if Canon comes out with a 150-600 I might be tempted.
Thank you for this much anticipated video. Amazing stuff. I have the 100-500 and a 1.4 extender and I just love it. Best combo ever and I can easily live without the last bit of extra quality I would get out of one of the big whites. The image quality along with the flexibility and great form factor and build quality make this an absolute stunner
Glad you enjoyed it Aaron! Yes, the IQ, size, weight and overall performance make this lens amazing
I’m going to collect my 100-500 today. My brain is buzzing of thinking If I Can do with the 1.4 extender and avoid adding a rf800 to My collection?!
@@Mikkidk2400 certainly, I just find the 100-500 a bit of a hassle to use with the extender as the barrel needs to be extended half way when working with the extender. Image quality holds up nicely though
Always value your comments! I’m a newbie at bird and wildlife photography and use this lens with the R5. I’ve even done some night shots with very poor light and high ISO and get some decent images with just a little noise reduction. You just confirmed what a great lens this is.
Consider watching Whistling Wings Photography and his views on the 100 - 500. You'll learn a lot.
I’m hoping it will improve my Barn Owl shots in poor light. My current camera does not cut the mustard in this area. All on order, cannot wait!
@@patthompson1253 Quite agree, Whistling wings seems to be the place to go on R5 and 100-500mm combo.
Thanks Jim, yes it's a really nice combo
I hope yours arrives soon!
Hi Jan
Thanks for the Superb Video and coverage of the R5 & 100-500mm Lens !!.I have just bought the combo and am still experimenting with it but have found it to be very sharp. Thanks for your tuition as it will assist in improving my shots especially birds in flight. I have had fantastic early results - a happy boy.
Have fun! Glad you find some value ion my videos :)
Really great review, Jan. I have an R6 and a backordered 100-500. Can't wait to receive it and share your experience!
Great. You will love it
consider turning the lens and the camera in opposite direction may get you extended much quicker.
best channel to learn something of birdphotograpy, i have learned so much, thank you Jan.
Happy to hear that!
It looks like a cool lens for sure, but at nearly double the cost of the already stellar 100-400 ii it's hard to justify for me.
I agree, the price in countries other than the US has been quite a deterrent and the main reason I only got one now and didn't jump on it right away.
I agree. On the used market you can get the 100-400 II for like half of this one. It’s nice I’ve shot both but the 100-500 isn’t worth that extra cost. The 100-400 adapted is still quick and accurate
@@gghana 200-600 is all right on 24MPx sensor but soft on 61MPx... better is buy sony 100-400...
@@Jan-eh7nf Yes, I know that the Sony 200-600 is not the best. But what I meant was that I would have liked to have seen Canon release a lens in that focal range - that is a 200-600 instead of a 100-500.
Hi guys! With the new eos R7, which lens do uou think would work better? RF 100-500mm or EF 100-400 II + ext 2x III?
I must say, I am tempted by this lens to use with my R5. By the way, I sometimes switch from full frame to 1.6 crop if I need more reach quickly and haven't time to change lens or add an extender.
It's a nice lens. Switching to crop mode can be helpful to get the bird bigger in the viewfinder, however, there's no difference between crop mode and cropping the image afterwards yourself.
i will receive this week .. and i will try on my new R7 hope its a good match thank you for this video was excellent !
I've been on the fence about trading up from my Tamron 150-600mm G2 for my R5 to this amazing lens, but I truly respect your opinion on all matters concerning bird photography, and if it has the Jan Wegener seal of approval, it's probably the lens for me. thanks Jan.
I have used the Tamron and it did ok, but you cannot compare it to this lens.
Hi, I’m using the RF 100-500 with my R6 and the results are such that I’ve even sold my EF 300 f2.8 along with its extenders. I agree with your comments on the zoom restriction on the 100-500 with the extenders fitted, although I wasn’t surprised after I found out that I couldn’t use them at all on my RF 70-200 f2.8. That was very disappointing! Thanks for the excellent videos - I’m watching so many Paton and Wegener productions my wife says I’m starting to get a Strine accent!!
Haha! Yes, quite the mix of accents there.
Yes, converter use was more of an afterthought in most RF lenses so far.
Glad you are enjoying the videos :)
Great blog , thanks Jan ! I am waiting on my new R7 with this lens 100/500 .. I think it will make an excellent combination . Time will tell .. due to arrive mid July 2022 .
I absolutely love my 100-500 with the R5
Bought the 100-500 RF four weeks ago. This is a real beauty.
Now I ask for some advice. Do anybody here - or you Jan - If I should choose the 1.4 or 2.0 extender IF I have to go with one of them? Mostly I'm birding.
Here's why I'm asking despite Jan telling about these extensers in this video. Today I went to my photo-store and the guy told me to chose the 2.0 over the 1.4. He explained that he has been working with photo-stuff for thirty years and know a lot of this stuff. He told me, that the 2x extender together with my R5 would work perfectly and he has sold a lot of 2.0 extenders. This was today. And now, later same day I still don't know whats the best. Will 1.4 be sharper than 2.0?
The 1.4 is better than the 2x, it also only loses one stop of light, the 2x is F14 wide open, that limits your use case a fair bit. Both extenders work alright on the lens
@@jan_wegener Thanks Jan. I returned the 2.0 today and ordered the 1.4
Thank you so much for this video, Jan! I was really looking forward to watching it and I'm in a big trouble now 🙄💸💸
Hehe! I can feel your pain. I didn't want to like it and then bought one the week after lol
As soon as you use it: No more trouble ;-)
The fact is the price of this lens in Australia is a real stealing from people of a part of the planet in comparison to its price in US!
The truth of the matter is, I really don't need a zoom lens at all. What I "need" is an RF 1200mm F8, so I could get "almost close enough, most of the time". Lets face it, it's very hard to fill the frame with the 3" to 5" birds I'm chasing, even from a relatively close distance. I'm only strongly considering this lens, for the IQ and the price, but knowing I will "have to" use a TC 95% of the time. Guess I will learn a lot more this week, as I have rented this lens + both TC's, and they are coming in today. Great video Jan :) When I watch your vids, I always have to temper my expectations, because you always show "what's possible" but their are probably not a lot of folks at your skill level, and certainly not me, but I have fun trying :)
It's all about having fun in the end :)
You buying that is a great endorsement. The ease of carrying and the flexibility of the zoom makes for a very good experience. Savings on cost makes it a great option.
Yes, its an amazing lens.
I love my RF 100-500. Super Sharp and great Image Quality. Switched from the EF 100-400 II.
Great to hear!
I have canon eos RP and i order RF 100-500mm len, its coming on 8/25/2021 So happy to watch this video, thank you for sharing, I am beginner
Hope you enjoy it!
this is an impossible dream to come true for me, in Brazil things are unusually expensive. nice video friend! hugs from Brazil
Yes, very pricy
Great stuff. I have had the 100-500 and the R5 for some months now and love the combination. For birds in flight it is amazing at 20 frames a second. am addicted. And the close ups . The difference from the 7d mk 2 is huge.
Yes, it's great combo!
I only just saw this video today. I must say that you did a great job explaining this lens in detail. The extender comparisons really helped me to make decisions as well. Even though this video is over a year old, it is still very useful today. I am looking to buy one ASAP but of course all of the major stores are sold out. Thanks Jan.
Hi Jan! I totally agree with you. I bouhgt this lens two weeks ago, and it has not been off my R5. We don't have that amount of birds in Denmark, especially March is a little too early, but I have tried it out on the coasts, and I am blown away with it.
Thank for all the details and beautiful pictures.
Kind Regards, Jan, DK
Thanks for sharing! Glad you are enjoying this lens
Just got this lens for my R6 now waiting for some good weather
I have bought a Canon 100-500 and yesterday I went to test it. I liked it a lot. I also tried it with the Extender x 1.4. The quality of the result with sufficient light is good, but the fact of having to start at 300 to insert it greatly complicates, or simply makes it impossible, to track the birds in flight.
For BIF no extender will likely yield better results if the birds are not too far away
Great review mate, I can't wait to get one myself. Cheers, Duade
Hay Jan, where is the forest location? I know the beach scenes look like Philip Island, but love to know where to go to get shots of those birds in the forest.
Now to find the money for that lens!
Thanks mate, yes, hurry up :D
You will find those birds in most locations around Melbourne that has hills. Like Dandenongs, Healsville area etc
I’ve just had one on loan from Canon, using it on an R6. I was seeing if I could justify the cost (it’s nearly £3,000 ($4,000)) here in the UK. I was testing it against the Sigma 150-600 I’ve had for about 5 years. Is it good? Yes, of course it is; very sharp images, amazing stabilisation (sharp images at 1/15th of a second at 500mm and I’m a shaky-hands amateur), very contrasty images even straight into the sun, extremely light weight. That said, I found the focus not to be as good as people are making out. I had a whole series of a marsh harrier pair completely unusable, and it wasn’t reliably finding small birds in trees. I didn’t think I would, but I did miss the extra reach of the Sigma too, so found myself punching in to APS-C mode on a lot of subjects, which then only gives you an 8MP image. So, a great piece of kit - but is it worth 3.5 times the price of the Sigma? Absolutely not. I wish they’d gone for, say a 200-600 (we’ve all got a 70-200 f2.8 right, so the initial part of the zoom range is a bit of a waste of time). For a working pro I guess this is a must-have, but for the average amateur, you can get results so good on the third-party 150-600s you won’t notice the difference unless you’re pixel-peeping, at fraction of the price.
Thanks for sharing. The main difference I see is AF accuracy and Image Stabilisation compared to the Sigma. Reach is hard to compensate
Great video as always. I have the R5 and RF 100-500. What a great combo. The lens is outstanding and is very sharp, very close to my 600 mm f4 IS II.
Thanks for sharing, exactly my experiences
Hi Jan, I ordered my RF 100-500 4 months ago and disappointingly, I am still waiting. The reviews continue to be amazing. I WANT THIS LENS TO ARRIVE and am extremely jealous you were able to purchase one. There is another UA-camr called Whistling Wings photography that has also done incredible 5 star reviews on the 100 - 500 . Thanks for this, I am delighted you seem to like this lens in the same way the other fellow did.
I had no idea how lucky I was to impulsively decide to buy the R5 and RF 100-500 just before Christmas and find them in stock at a local shop in Portland. Hadn’t owned a 35mm camera since my 1969 Miranda Sensorex! What a whole new world of joy this has opened up for me. Thanks!
@@aytchroberts5850 You are indeed very lucky. Best combination on the planet at the moment :)
I hope yours will arrive soon Pat
nice buy, right on time, before it sold out everywhere
Hi Jan,
I agree with your positive review! I have used it to make thousands of bird photos the past few months and I find it is amazingly good and versatile on the Canon R5. Having such a compact lens (I am used to Canon 600mm and the 800mm) that can do so much is refreshing. Now I don't need to use my big lenses quite so much and carry them so far. Plus, with the 45MPs of the Canon R5, when I need a smaller angle of view, I set the R5 to the 1.6x crop and then I have the view of an 800mm lens. I think this will be my main lens on my next safari to Kenya! Keep up the great videos. I love your birds too!
Yes, I am the same. This small size, with such a good IQ, is really unique. I still love my big lenses, but if I go to a beach for instance now, I will more often opt for the 100-500 rather than a big prime.
Glad you are enjoying my work!
Hello Jan,
I have had the RF 100-500 for 2-3 months now, and very frequently in use, and am also very enthusiastic about it. The flexibility, the image quality, at the same time moderate weight and dimensions fit perfectly with me.
Of course, a 6.3 at 500 mm would be nice, but then you buy that again with other changes.
Even compared to my EF 100-400 II before, also over a few months on the R5 in use, I notice, purely subjectively, a not insignificant increase in quality, both in the image and the speed.
Thank you for the very informative test.
Greetings from Germany,
Veit
I will make a video about the two, but I share your impressions
@@jan_wegener I'm curious about your comparison.
Regarding the RF extenders, for me only the 1.4 would come into question, I am still unsure. I have already tested it with R5/RF100-500, so far I am not (yet) convinced for my purposes. Here also plays the, in my opinion, quite high price a role.
I will initially instead rather cropping, but let's see when summer comes with more light...who knows :-)
Greetings
Thanks Jan. Great video...Helpful details. Fantastic images too. I’m waiting on my RF 100-500m....getting impatient!
Hope you will get it soon!
I really want that lens... and also an R5 or better. My priority is the lens, but that R5 has some really nice features I'm missing on the R, which is a decent camera in its own right, but it doesn't have wildlife autofocus so that can be a bit of a pain. A manageable pain, but still... Also the R5's ability to produce such crisp images at high ISOs is a major boon. On my R I try to avoid going over 3000 as much as possible.
Great video, thanks. I just received my 100-500 and the 1.4 extender. Here in the midwest we don’t have as exiting bird as you have down under. Thanks for putting out this great content.
Congrats!
Great video. I'm sold as soon as I can save up the money. Nice to see Canon come roaring back. 👍👍
Totally! It's a fantastic lens
Thanks Jan for the great review. Amazing quality of pictures. You proof again that a good lens is a good investment. The versatility of this lens is a big plus.
My pleasure!
I've got one and love it. Landscapes come out nice if you know where to frame
yes, very versatile!
Thanks Jan.
Really enjoyed this video (this one, too).
I fully agree to your assessment - based on my use of R5 + RF100-500 + RF1.4xTC.
My main use sofar has been stationary birds - typically quite distant. Why does your birds always seem to be right in front of your front-element?
I am absolutely happy with the results - most of them including use of the 1.4xTC.
Your video makes me wonder: Which is to be preferred??
1) Use the TC for 420-700mm f/10 (and still have to crop some)
2) Use 100-500 alone and then have to crop 1.4 times more
My own thoughts till now are: Use TC, as IQ seems to be very good. This goes for stationary birds.
For BIF I may have to change approach, though.
And to put on - or remove - the TC is nothing I can do in a few seconds, so I may have to avoid the TC, when I shoot a mix of stationary and BIF.
What are your thoughts?
best regards
Peder
When I go to photograph birds I do a lot of research and try to find spot where I can get close to the birds.
Generally speaking no TC is always better, but I would prefer a full frame 700mm over a heavily cropped 500mm shot. For BIF I would definitely prefer 500, because of AF speed and accuracy
I just bought a 300 2.8 is, but I think maybe I should exchange it for this. I'm getting decent shots even when I use the 2x converter. It's just heavy as hell.
After this video, this lens became my dream lens 😆 Maybe after I graduate.... Greetings from Czech Republic! Love your videos and photos! :)
It's a great piece of glass and super versatile.
Glad you enjoyed the video
Hi Jan, Loved the overview of the 100-500. I have been using this lens for a few months now with the extenders on both the R5 and R6, and I love it. Obviously it was/is a trade-off from my 600 prime, but I found that I was leaving the 600 behind more often due to the increased flexibility and handling of this lens. I ended up trading in the 600 and sometimes regret it for limited opportunities. Hopefully the RF 600 primes that will be released soon (hopefully) will be light and compact enough to offset the EF prime weight and size.
The 100-500 is such a flexible and sharp lens that I typically do not miss the prime, however.... especially when I'm carrying it around:)
Yes, the 100-500 is the closest thing to a prime lens you can get in a zoom atm I'd say. I couldn't be parting ways with my 600, but for most it will be quite a relief not having to carry a 600 prime all the time.
I wonder how much smaller an 4/600 could actually get, because the front element has to remain the same size.
I will watch the video with pleasure when I get home. The RF 100-500 is the first lens I will buy. Unfortunately, my location is now overly expensive.
Yes, it's quite expensive here as well, but well worth it.
@@jan_wegener I am also looking forward to the release of 1.4x and 2x teleconverters that can be used with the RF mount. If it gives a reasonable performance with the RF 100-500, I think it will give a marvelous mobility to the traveler nature photographers. Is there any Canon rumor that comes to you?
@@mhakangunes That's the extenders that I used in the video. RF 1.4 & 2x. They have been available for a while
@@jan_wegener You are right, I missed it. Thanks.
Thanks Jan, great review!
wow fantastic photos , thank you for explain the details from the lens , now I must economise money to buy first the R5 😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Quality Video ................... .
On another note
You said in another video that Sony Users didn't want a 100mp Camera on the new A1 Mrk2 .. yet i see Hasselblad have released another 100mp camera with 1tb of internal memory plus a card slot ,, What's there not to like .
Would like to see you review that against you're R3 as it's a similar price point , does 100mp get you far better pic quality overall .
Super helpful .. I'm going to get one for surf photography.
Great!
What about using it with the 1.6 Crop simulation in the R5?
Made the choice this morning and waiting for delivery, I am fully blaming you lol for my decision hehe 😜 very happy chap today and didn't even got my hands on it yet.
Thanks for your insights
Hope you enjoy it!
F7.1 is not an issue for me. I find that I stop down to f8 with my 600 f4 lens quite often and I did the same when I had the 500 f4 lens and still have nice background. I don't worry about high ISO because I use Topaz Denoise to take care of any really high ISO images. I just have to worry about getting the shot. The only other issue is deciding whether to get a 2nd mirrorless camera body and which one; another R5 or an R6.
That are my feelings as well. Funny you say that, I am about to order another body, too. Buying the 100-500 is forcing my hand. I am leaning towards another R5.
@@jan_wegener Yeah, I'm thinking R5, too. I want to be able to use my big lens and have my 100-500 as my sidearm. What's holding me at bay though is according the Canon Rumors, the RF600 f4 is on the horizon and I want to see what it brings to the table, but a 2nd mirrorless body is inevitable.
@@Methodical2 It's gonna be announced today I think. But it will be very similar to version III EF
@@jan_wegener Yeah, I saw this on Canon Rumors. Well, it saves me $13k. I guess I will probably go with another R5.
Wow great video regarding this new lens
Thanks! 😀
Amazing video.. 👍 I agree with everything you said about this lens. I have been using it on the EOS R for about 3 months for wildlife and I'm very happy with my purchase
Great to hear!
I got my 100-500 and have been using since December. Fantastic results both with and without the 1.4x and 2x extenders. Agreed about the limitations of this in your video. I am super pleased with the resulting images both using my R6 and my recent purchase of an R5 (Was harder to get the R5 than getting the 100-500). I find acceptable detail on the R6 with this lens at 10,000 ISO and ISO 3200 with the R5.
Hey,
yes it's a great set up on both cameras. I have had pretty good results up to 12800
The RF 100-500 and R5 has been my most used combo over the past few months. I preordered the lens when it was announced. You hit the nail on the head when you mentioned that it’s great for getting close up almost macro like shots. Great review. 👍
Thanks for sharing and glad you liked the video
@@jan_wegener what song did you use in the intro? Loved it!
This lens is sold out all across Canada. Mine has been on the order for a bit now, and I am told, it will be Sept 2021, before I can get mine delivered - *SIGH* - I sure will follow you up once I get my hands on one.
Thanks,
-R
Wow, that's crazy! They're always in stock at my dealer. Seems to be the only one in the world!
Not sure what it would cost over in Australia as CAD and AUD are almost the same - if shipping isn’t as huge, i can order from there - please sahre ur dealer’s details
Thanks,
@@RujulPathak13 around 4300-4500 AUD I think
The Store is Sunstudios in Melbourne, they will look after you if you mention me, but I think they don't ship internationally, so you'd have to arrange that yourself somehow.
Got my R5 and RF 100-500 last week. Not had much time with it but got some great pictures of a Heron catching a frog all at ISO 12800. Could not believe how good the files looked after denoise and sharpen AI. Thanks for all your videos
You're welcome! Yes, the lens does really well.
Great review, thank you so much! This will be my next lens for sure
Thank you! Good choice!
hi Jan using a Sigma 150-600 C .. would you recommend switching to the Rf 100-500 basing on a realistic comparison
I have not used this lens, so I cannot give you an informed answer. I would expect the 100-500 to be better, especially when it comes to AF and stabilisation, but by how much I don't know
I really enjoyed this video. The RF 100-500 would be the reason for me to go back into photography. I have sold my entire Nikon DSLR system (D700) as Nikon did not offer me a smooth transition to their mirrorless system (loosing AF on some of my most expensive glass). Now I am still contemplating, Nikon or Canon. Z6 MKII and Z7 MKII cannot match R6 and R5 performance.
The only “great” Nikon camera atm is the Z9, the other lack a lot compared to canon and Sony
I will like to know what Canon body did you use with the lens? thanks for the video
R5
Hi Jan, thanks once again for another excellent video. I have just bought the R6 and 100-500mm lens and after only having one trip out to photograph sea birds I am very impressed. I did have some problems using the animal eye focus at times, particularly when looking down from cliff tops towards the sea - the lens didn't seem to be able to lock onto the bird's eye hence some of the shots were blurred. Perhaps I just need more practice since I have not done too much BIF photography (my main preference is larger mammals). I am very impressed with some of the static or slow moving bird shots and also some shots of garden birds. I'm going to the Arctic in a few weeks in search of polar bears and looking forward to using the camera and lens there.
Keep it up. You’ll get better with practice.
Watched your video with interest as I'm tempted to sell my 500m f4 mk1 that I dont use much due to weight and my age and buy the RF100-500mm to go with my R5. I know the bokeh might suffer but I'm not too concerned and I like the minimum focus distance (900mm v 4162mm) which is another compelling reason to buy.
I also want to compliment you for the time you put into replying to so many questions unlike most other videos discussing this lens where associated questions remain unanswered. Well done Jan and subbed.
Hi Adrian,
thanks a lot! What's the point of making videos and not answering comments? Seems pointless to me, especially when they directly relate to the video.
You will gain a lot of flexibility and much better AF and IS compared to the version I 500 as well as dramatic weight savings.
The only thing I recently noticed is that at close range, let's say 10m, zooms lenses are shorter than primes. So side by side your 500mm, will have more reach. Not a deal breaker, but zoom 500 isn't equal to prime 500mm at closer distances at least.
Because you have version I'd say you'd still have to gain a lot.
Also software like LR, PS, Luminar, etc..can manipulate the noise and bokeh close to that of an f4.
Steve Ellis
Thanks for the great review.. I have an R6 with the 100-500. I have had good experiences with it. I went on a 2 week boat trip along the outer west coast of BC. I found the lens was not able to autofocus on swimming Marbled Murrelets even within 20 meters. They are a little too well camouflaged. I also found it was difficult to get clear shots in general on the water. I thought the lens stabilizer would be able to compensate for the motion of small waves. I am hoping it is more of a problem with lack of reach. I found it is difficult to approach birds near enough with a motorboat. They just keep maintaining a distance too far for the 500. I am going to try the 1.4x thinking it would be the most likely to get a clear shot when maxxed out. I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on this.
Which camera did you use with it?
@@jan_wegener Oh I used my Canon R6.. It's the original version of it and I have since updated the software on the camera. I don't know if it will make any difference. I wasn't able to update the firmware on the lens. I tried but for some reason it did not work. Never the less. I have just received a new 1.4 extender and I am hoping to get out in the boat soon and test it out. We are just entering into our annual herring (feeder fish) spawn and this attracts thousands of birds of many different species that hang around for weeks, it will be wonderful if I can get close enough to get some awesome photo's. Fingers crossed the 1.4 will help!!
I would like to see you do this same type of testing with the Sigma EF150-600mm lenses, especially the contemporary model, I would be very interested to hear your thoughts on how it stacks up in the field against the RF 100-500 canon lens. Especially in terms of sharpness and speed when tracking subjects like birds in flight, and overall ease of use etc.
My friend Duade did a review on it recently. I think IQ is pretty good, but AF is a good bit behind the 100-500
@@jan_wegener thanks for your response, I will take a look.
Hola Jan, please clarify a point you made in a video about how shoot better images.
Say you are shooting with the 100 - 500 RF,
How can one get a decent bokeh ? When the lens is stops up only to F 4.5 ? .
I love the amazing video above and want to get this lens for Surf and Kitesurf photography and It would be nice if I can achieve nice blur on the waves. Not sure if long exposure is the answer.
I hope question makes sense.
I wish you a beautiful night. Cheers.
How smooth your background will be, depends on the distance between the subject and the background. The further away it is, the more out of focus it will be.
I just received mine a couple weeks back. For me, I liked the fact that w/o my 2x adapter I can go from 100-500 as I found that with my EF 70-200 I found that I would need to do that a lot to jump from 200 to 400, so I opted to stick with that (w/the EF/RF adapter) and go to this model for the RF glass. I also have the RF800, so with those three pieces of glass, I can get bassically 1--1000, and 1600 which is a pretty amazing range with just those pieces.
Yes, nice trio of lenses!
Great video. Does this lens have a problem with dust like the EF 100-400? Thanks!
No dust so far
I have one on order, backordered. I was hoping watching this would help during the wait. It did not!!! I really want the lens now! Nice video, some impressive shots, thanks for the review.
haha! I should put a warning on the cover! I hope yours will arrive, soon!
Your reasoning in the video is exactly why I chose this lens. I hike and like the concept of a single lens ticking a lot of boxes. 100mm on short end with macro like qualities, a little extra reach over the 400, compact at 100 when walking/climbing (though I prefer non telescopic designs). Looking forward to receiving, I almost bought the Tamaron G2 until I tried it in a camera shop, the length made it a no go and I’m not sure about what trickery Canon plays with adapted lens as it pertains to focus speed. Anyways, thanks for the content.
@@jmich5123 The adapted third lenses definitely don't work as well as RF or EF glass
Fast, yes. Sharp, yes. It really depends on where you are coming from, if you are already in the Canon ecosystem with the R5, then it is a logical choice. But, if you are not too heavily invested in Canon and are able to try out other systems, then the RF 100-500mm as an external zoom is a deal breaker for me. You have covered it in the video, the innate issues of external zooms is a stiff or stiffer and very long throw. That is simply not ideal in any shooting situations let alone BIF. I am sure we have all been there and done that with the Sigma or Tamron 150-600mm. Both external zooms and again with a stiff and extremely long throw. It takes me 4 twists in shooting position to get from 150mm to 600mm.
So, what is the lens of choice in this super zoom category? In my humble opinion, it is without doubt the Sony FE 200-600mm. Why? Right off the bat it is an internal zoom. You want to know how it feels like? I am sure as Canon shooters, most would have a copy of the EF 70-200mm L, be it f/2.8 or f/4. Well, it feels exactly like that. Just a 1/4 or 90 degree turn will get you from 200mm to 600mm. Oh yes and the zoom ring is buttery smooth, just like the EF 70-200mm.
Last but not least, price point. The RF 100-500mm is DOUBLE the price of the FE 200-600mm!! Can you believe that? Is that even possible?! I am sorry, to me that is just outrageously overpriced. Once you couple that with the inherent external zoom disadvantages, that's a no-go in my book I am afraid. But, again let me stress, if you are already a R5 owner, then in terms of super zooms, the RF 100-500mm is really your only choice. You are not going to buy an EF mount 100-400mm II which by the way is also an external zoom but with an even shorter reach. However, if you haven't bought a R5 yet and are still wondering what new cameras will be coming that can provide an alternative option to the R5, then it will give you something to think about.
the stiffness is adjustable that is what the other ring is for., if you hold the lens on top at 100 and move it under for 500 its one movement if that helps
@@Tainted-Soul I am aware of the adjustable ring. I think Canon is well aware of the cons of the RF 100-500mm once they ticked the "external zoom" box. They tried to alleviate the problem. But, unfortunately the problem doesn't lie in the design of this particular lens itself, but rather its "type" if you will. In other words, it is innate. The only way to describe the differences between an external and internal zoom is just compare it with your EF 70-200mm. The issue of the external zoom is that so much of the lens is retracted when not in use which contributes to its stiffness and extreme long throw. It is what it is. Let's put it this way, if Canon had an internal super zoom, I probably would have bought the R5 by now. In fact, I am trying to avoid buying the R5 (not because of the camera), but because of the RF 100-500mm. Instead, I am trying to buy a Sony setup because of the FE 200-600mm. However, right now there is only the A1 which is competitive. The A1 is probably a better camera than the R5, but I also think it is not worth US$6.5K. It is quite funny, I remember when the R5 first came out people were saying it is not cheap you know. And now that the A1 is out, all of a sudden the R5 is seen to be a great bargain and quite rightly so. I will probably wait for the A7R V and hopefully Sony will up its frame rate to say 20 fps which they should otherwise I don't know how they are going to compete with the R5. The A1 is not R5's direct competitor, it is supposed to be the coming R1. But, who knows, if Sony doesn't deliver the specs on the A7R V, I could come full circle and end up going with the R5 and be forced to get the RF 100-500mm. LOL. Or I bite the bullet and get the A1. I don't know, we shall see.
@@Rascallucci yes I see your point some would say there isn't that much difference between the A1 and the R5 photo wise ,filming yes maybe . The 200-600 Sounds like the best range. I hope you get the camera you want and like but if not and you end up with the R5 I think you would like it . It makes my smile when just using it that 12fps is like wow to me coming from the 50D and the Eos R . It's just has made me want to get out more love it and yes I'm a Canon fan boy lol
Since all new RF zooms are this design, I think Canon is quite confident in it. They had the choice to go for internal zooms with the new 70-200s but opted against it. WHile it can be a bit more annoying to use, it also allows for the lenses to be much shorter, which is great for travelling.
This is just my own opinion based on my experience, but if you're not getting a R5 because of the 100-500 you are missing out. It's the best zoom lens I have ever used and as close to a prime lens in IQ as a zoom can possibly be. I wanted to dislike the 100-500, but the moment I started to use it, I knew I had to have it. Size, IQ, MFD, weight, AF, just make it unique and super versatile.
Great work!
Before that, I was hesitant, until I saw your comparison video of these two lenses. I am firmly sure, it is the RF100-500.
Good choice!