RF 600mm f11 or 800mm f11

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 1, 2024

Hello, I've recently been given some great advice and information regarding powerbanks from this website.

So I was hoping i could get some opinions on another question that I can't decide on and would like some input to help me choose.

I've recently bought a canon r10 and got the RF 100-400mm with it. It's a great camera and lens (well to an amateur like me anyway) I'm really enjoying it. however.. the reach isn't as far as I would like it to be.

The price difference isn't that much between the 2 and I'm swaying more towards the 800mm as I feel the extra 200mm will obviously give me more reach.

I live in the UK, we have about 10 clear days of sunshine a year, and the rest is overcast or rain. With these being slow lenses, am I going to be wasting my money?

I know it is a large lens and has a minimal focus distance of 6 metres which is quite far but i can use my 100-400mm for anything close up. It will be mainly used for moon shots and wildlife, BIF and static objects.

Has anyone owned both? Or used both? Which would they recommend? Is the 800 a good lens or is it going to gather dust and I'm going to wish I bought the 600 instead?

Any help would be great

Thanks

Alastair Norcross · May 2, 2024

I have the R7 and 100-400 and 800. I agree that the 100-400 is a great lens, especially for the money. When I bought the 800, it was on sale refurbished, as was the 600 for even less. I briefly considered the 600, but, like you, thought it was probably too close to 400. I also have the 1.4X extender, which brings the 100-400 to a 140-560. The 800 is a really fun lens to use, and capable of very sharp results. I would definitely recommend getting that, rather than the 600 in your situation. If you can get the 1.4X as well at some point (maybe when it's on sale), that would also be a good idea. It works very well with both the 100-400 and the 800. Don't be afraid to boost the ISO to get higher shutter speeds, if you need them for moving subjects. If you add DXO Photolab (or just the standalone Deep Prime) you'll find you can shoot at much higher ISO.

PicPocket · May 2, 2024

I don't have either of those lenses, but I do have 100-500 and the 1.4x TC. As you may know, mounting the TC locks the lens to zoom between 420-700mm equivalent, ie. You lose the wide end

But, when I am reach limited, it doesn't really matter. More often than not, I am mostly shooting at 700mm in those situations.

400 -> 600 you may be able to satisfactorily gain just with some cropping. If it needs more than satisfactory cropping, you will really appreciate having the 800 at hand

In terms of slow, both 600 and 800 are f11, so the only contention is extra stability you need with a longer focal length

At its price point, the 800 f/11 is a great lens. Even greater if you can buy a used copy, not much goes wrong with simple lenses like these

Otaraka · May 2, 2024

I have the 100-500mm and the 800mm. I would say get the 800 over the 600mm.

I really like it but do find I use it less than I expected. You can get some great shots at very low speeds but I find it hard to use if not static. I think for me the thing I find hardest is the limited AF selection area.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 2, 2024

Hi Alastair thanks for the reply

That's what I was thinking, it's better to double the focal length rather than just the 600. I'm new to it all but will also look at adding a TC to my kit bag, thank you.

In regards to the dxo photo lab, will the images be grainy from using a higher iso, so therefore needs heavily editing afterwards to improve the image quality?

I've seen Adobe lightroom, photoshop and a few others but I'm not too handy with computers, are they relatively easy to get good results or is there a lot of tinkering involved?

Is there an option for automatic editing where it does it for you? I know this sounds lazy but like I say I'm not very computer savvy. I have the basic canon photography assistant thing but it's not very good and puts me off editing my shots

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 2, 2024

Hello again, pic pocket, thanks for the reply

I'm always at 400mm, wishing I could have more focal length for the farther away subjects, without having to zoom all the way in and crop, the 800 is definitely more appealing to me. If I had a TC on also it would be even more zoom so that's something to look at a but further down the line.

I can't justify spending twice what my camera cost for a 100-500mm as the Mrs will probably leave me!

so the more budget friendly option it's going to have to be.

Appreciate the feedback mate, thank you

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 2, 2024

Thanks otaraka,

I think I am going to side with the 800 as I don't want to get the 600, and then have to get the 800 as I realise it's simply not enough for what i need. Is it more a tripod mounted lens as opposed to quick handheld shots? I want to go to a nature reserve and wait a while and see what I can get so it'll more than likely be on a tripod

Alastair Norcross · May 2, 2024

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Hi Alastair thanks for the reply

That's what I was thinking, it's better to double the focal length rather than just the 600. I'm new to it all but will also look at adding a TC to my kit bag, thank you.

In regards to the dxo photo lab, will the images be grainy from using a higher iso, so therefore needs heavily editing afterwards to improve the image quality?

With very high ISO, you will get some noise, which DXO will handle easily. What sets DXO apart from most other RAW converters is that the noise reduction and lens corrections work hand in hand. DXO has corrections modules for pretty much every combination of camera body and lens you could want (and certainly for the ones you're thinking of). So the Deep Prime (and Deep Prime XD, which is the latest version) noise reduction not only handles noise, but it also does an amazing job with preserving and enhancing detail. I use is as standard on all my shots, even the low ISO ones. The editing doesn't have to be heavy, though, because you can just use it as a standard part of your workflow, with an import preset.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
I've seen Adobe lightroom, photoshop and a few others but I'm not too handy with computers, are they relatively easy to get good results or is there a lot of tinkering involved?

You can do as much or as little tinkering as you want. DXO has various presets that you can use. It also has auto adjustment settings that usually work very well.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Is there an option for automatic editing where it does it for you?

Yes, see my reply above.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
I know this sounds lazy but like I say I'm not very computer savvy. I have the basic canon photography assistant thing but it's not very good and puts me off editing my shots

thunder storm · May 2, 2024

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Hello, I've recently been given some great advice and information regarding powerbanks from this website.

So I was hoping i could get some opinions on another question that I can't decide on and would like some input to help me choose.

I've recently bought a canon r10 and got the RF 100-400mm with it. It's a great camera and lens (well to an amateur like me anyway) I'm really enjoying it. however.. the reach isn't as far as I would like it to be.

The price difference isn't that much between the 2 and I'm swaying more towards the 800mm as I feel the extra 200mm will obviously give me more reach.

I live in the UK, we have about 10 clear days of sunshine a year, and the rest is overcast or rain. With these being slow lenses, am I going to be wasting my money?

I know it is a large lens and has a minimal focus distance of 6 metres which is quite far but i can use my 100-400mm for anything close up. It will be mainly used for moon shots and wildlife, BIF and static objects.

I'm thinking about the 800mm as well, however, the 800mm has a downside compared to the 600mm: it an be challenging to find the subject as you can't zoom out. You can't zoom out with the 600mm too of course, however, with 800mm it will be even more annoying.

Personally I've decided to accept that downside, however, when choosing between the two you should be aware of it imo.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Has anyone owned both? Or used both? Which would they recommend? Is the 800 a good lens or is it going to gather dust and I'm going to wish I bought the 600 instead?

You can google the difference in weight. The 800mm is less of a just in case lens. That said, both lenses are special purpose lenses rather than just in case lenses.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Any help would be great

Thanks

Otaraka · May 2, 2024

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Thanks otaraka,

I think I am going to side with the 800 as I don't want to get the 600, and then have to get the 800 as I realise it's simply not enough for what i need. Is it more a tripod mounted lens as opposed to quick handheld shots? I want to go to a nature reserve and wait a while and see what I can get so it'll more than likely be on a tripod

I think its great on a monopod but its big bonus is its weight so try it hand held. It can be quick, depends on your light levels and your hand holding. Ive had pictures of robins in shade I was bappy with.

Ali · May 3, 2024

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
... I know it is a large lens and has a minimal focus distance of 6 metres which is quite far but i can use my 100-400mm for anything close up. It will be mainly used for moon shots and wildlife, BIF and static objects.

You can reduce the minimum focus distance with something like this:

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/prod...auto_efr35_pro_automatic_macro_extension.html

I have it, and occasionally use it with the 800mm. I think the minimum focus distance goes down from ~6m to somewhere around 4.5m - but I didn't double check for sure.

gscotten · May 3, 2024

For birding and distant wildlife, the 800 is probably the best choice. However, for my use I chose the 600. It is significantly smaller and fits into my current camera bag; it has a shorter MFD; I live in northern New England and the air here is rarely thermally stable. The longer the lens, the worse the effect is, so the long distance shots aren't much good anyway.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 6, 2024

Thanks everyone for your useful information and insights. I haven't fully decided yet so I'm going to save up some money and make my decision. I appreciate everyone's feedback and opinions

Bezbozny · May 6, 2024

I am in not a professional photographer and i have tried neither of these lenses, but i feel that everything over 600mm is a bit of an overkill. You will find that your pictures will suffer from atmospheric distortion since it s difficult to get a very clear dry weather to minimise this. Also where are you going to use these lenses? At f11 they are very slow. You usually need long lenses for wildlife and this means that you usually need fast shutter speeds. With f11 your ISO will be too high and the image quality will suffer.

Ali · May 6, 2024

Bezbozny said:
I am in not a professional photographer and i have tried neither of these lenses, but i feel that everything over 600mm is a bit of an overkill. You will find that your pictures will suffer from atmospheric distortion since it s difficult to get a very clear dry weather to minimise this. Also where are you going to use these lenses? At f11 they are very slow. You usually need long lenses for wildlife and this means that you usually need fast shutter speeds. With f11 your ISO will be too high and the image quality will suffer.

I find the 800mm quite usable in a variety of situations. It's not super versatile or flexible, and sure, sometimes 800mm is at the whim of the atmosphere. But it is light, and can take sharp pictures. f/11 isn't much of a problem on sunny days, and when needed you can crank up the ISO without much impact.

Something to be said about having such an inexpensive reach even if sometimes quality suffers a bit.

Here are some shots ... Last one with the 2x converter.

Not a composite ...

This one is with the 2x, so 1600mm f/22

John Sheehy · May 18, 2024

NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:
Thanks otaraka,

I think I am going to side with the 800 as I don't want to get the 600, and then have to get the 800 as I realise it's simply not enough for what i need. Is it more a tripod mounted lens as opposed to quick handheld shots? I want to go to a nature reserve and wait a while and see what I can get so it'll more than likely be on a tripod

It's a big jump from 400 to 800, with nothing in-between, but the 800/11 offers not just more magnification, but more background blur and more total subject light from the same distance with the same shutter speed, due to a 77mm pupil. The 600/11 doesn't offer a much larger pupil, so even if you buy an RF1.4x to go with the RF100-400,

800mm/11 = 77mm
400mm/8 = 50mm
560mm/11 = 50mm
600/11 = 53mm

So, the 600/11 offers a pupil not much bigger than 400/8 or 560/11 with the 1.4x. The 800/11 gives you a bit more extra beyond the 100-400 than what the 600/11 does, even with a 1.4x on the 100-400.

I own both the RF f/11 telephotos, and the 800 gets used more often with the R7 for birds, but I could see putting the 600 on the R5 for a comfortable BIF setup, which I haven't tried much yet.

Kumsa · May 18, 2024

Handheld. This lens is really handy. We were staying a few nights at a site in Penn Yan, NY, when some fox cubs appeared out from under a shed. I was able to slide around the house and capture some good shots. For me, the 800mm has proven its utility.

--

My Name is Jack

mynameisjack.photography

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 19, 2024

Kumsa said:
Handheld. This lens is really handy. We were staying a few nights at a site in Penn Yan, NY, when some fox cubs appeared out from under a shed. I was able to slide around the house and capture some good shots. For me, the 800mm has proven its utility.

--
https://mynameisjack.photography

What a great shot

I did take some photos yesterday with the 800 and I'm happy with the photos I got, some are bad (operater error) but others are excellent (to me anyway) with some practice I think I'll get some great shots. Thanks for the post

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 19, 2024

John Sheehy said:
NewbieNeedingHelp24 said:

Thanks otaraka,

I think I am going to side with the 800 as I don't want to get the 600, and then have to get the 800 as I realise it's simply not enough for what i need. Is it more a tripod mounted lens as opposed to quick handheld shots? I want to go to a nature reserve and wait a while and see what I can get so it'll more than likely be on a tripod

Click to expand...

It's a big jump from 400 to 800, with nothing in-between, but the 800/11 offers not just more magnification, but more background blur and more total subject light from the same distance with the same shutter speed, due to a 77mm pupil. The 600/11 doesn't offer a much larger pupil, so even if you buy an RF1.4x to go with the RF100-400,

800mm/11 = 77mm
400mm/8 = 50mm
560mm/11 = 50mm
600/11 = 53mm

So, the 600/11 offers a pupil not much bigger than 400/8 or 560/11 with the 1.4x. The 800/11 gives you a bit more extra beyond the 100-400 than what the 600/11 does, even with a 1.4x on the 100-400.

I own both the RF f/11 telephotos, and the 800 gets used more often with the R7 for birds, but I could see putting the 600 on the R5 for a comfortable BIF setup, which I haven't tried much yet.

NewbieNeedingHelp24 · May 19, 2024

I have just got the DXO photo labs 31 day free trial.

I have used it on some of the shots I got yesterday and I'm impressed by what the software can do in regards to enhancing the images.

Can anyone please advise me on which version to purchase?

The Elite version for £209 or the Essential version for £129?

I've looked on the website but I can't make heads or tails of what each offers and which is better?

Any help is greatly appreciated as this is my first photo editing software (well other than the Canon DPP4 I've been struggling to use)

RF 600mm f11 or 800mm f11

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