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Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5

Started 9 months ago | Discussions
Canon Addicted Forum Member • Posts: 96
Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5

Hi everyone!

Enjoying an EOS R5, I have the opportunity to acquire a second hand EF 200-400 f/4 L IS USM for $5’000.

Apart from size and weight and a lesser price ($2’900), I’m wondering how the RF 100-500 would compete against that lens… What do you think?

Did anyone have the opportunity to compare results?

Thanks for you help and insights

 Canon Addicted's gear list:Canon Addicted's gear list
Canon PowerShot G7 X Canon G7 X II Canon EOS-1D X Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EOS R5 +40 more
Canon EF 200-400mm f/4L IS USM Extender 1.4x Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM
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fredlord
fredlord Veteran Member • Posts: 3,303
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5
5

The 200-400 is old technology and very heavy. I tried it when it came out and decided to stick with my 500 f/4 IS. The versatility is nice with the 200-400 but my feeling was that there was no advantage for me to use it when shooting birds.

I have the R5, 800 f/11, and RF100-500 at present along with the 500L II IS.

I think you would be happier with the RF 100-500 as it is lighter, more versatile, and cheaper. It also is very sharp in my experience.

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 fredlord's gear list:fredlord's gear list
Canon EOS R5 Canon EOS R7 Canon TS-E 17mm f/4L Canon EF 100mm F2.8L Macro IS USM Sigma 15mm F2.8 EX DG Diagonal Fisheye +13 more
CameraCarl Veteran Member • Posts: 9,193
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5
1

I would get the RF 100-500. It is a great lens, much lighter and smaller than the 200-400, and I doubt you will miss the f4 aperture considering how ISO capable the R5 camera is.

BirdShooter7 Veteran Member • Posts: 9,127
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5
1

Canon Addicted wrote:

Hi everyone!

Enjoying an EOS R5, I have the opportunity to acquire a second hand EF 200-400 f/4 L IS USM for $5’000.

Apart from size and weight and a lesser price ($2’900), I’m wondering how the RF 100-500 would compete against that lens… What do you think?

Did anyone have the opportunity to compare results?

Thanks for you help and insights

Well, the 100-500L is lighter and less bulky so there’s that.

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Some of my bird photos can be viewed here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/gregsbirds/

mit_physicist Forum Member • Posts: 83
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5

If you really need f/4, I think the 400 DO ii is a better option than the zoom unless you absolutely have to zoom out -- lighter, similar or better IQ, save a few bucks. Otherwise you can't really go wrong with the 100-500.

 mit_physicist's gear list:mit_physicist's gear list
Canon EOS 90D Canon EOS R7 Canon EF 85mm F1.8 USM Canon EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 IS USM Canon Extender EF 1.4x III +3 more
KENTGA Veteran Member • Posts: 8,727
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5

First of all, I'm not a big wildlife shooter but I have R5 and mostly use 24-105 but I did get RF 100-400 and a 2x extender. Lightweight combo but I won't use it that much except on photo trips.

Take what Fred Lord has to say seriously.

Kent

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Here is a link to some of my travels since 2006. Feel free to comment.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/108062364@N04/albums
KENTGA = Kent from Georgia (metro Atlanta)

 KENTGA's gear list:KENTGA's gear list
Canon EOS 7D Canon EOS 6D Canon EOS Rebel SL1 Canon EOS 80D Tamron AF 18-270mm F/3.5-6.3 Di II VC LD Aspherical (IF) MACRO +14 more
Cristi CC Regular Member • Posts: 133
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5

No doubt, RF100-500L.

 Cristi CC's gear list:Cristi CC's gear list
Canon EOS R5 Canon RF 24-105mm F4L IS USM Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8L IS USM Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM Canon RF 85mm F1.2L USM +2 more
Steve Balcombe Forum Pro • Posts: 15,571
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5
3

Canon Addicted wrote:

Hi everyone!

Enjoying an EOS R5, I have the opportunity to acquire a second hand EF 200-400 f/4 L IS USM for $5’000.

Apart from size and weight and a lesser price ($2’900), I’m wondering how the RF 100-500 would compete against that lens… What do you think?

I've known a couple of people who have used a 200-400 for wildlife. It's a nice focal range (including the 1.4x), and it has a respectable MFD which is important for some small wildlife subjects. But if you make the inevitable comparison with the EF 500/4L IS II, which is the same generation, it's somewhat heavier (though slightly smaller) and is f/4 at 400 mm vs f/4 at 500 mm. I think you would need to be very sure you need the zoom, and can handle the weight, before choosing it over the prime.

The RF 100-500 is a completely different kettle of fish. It's an eminently hand-holdable lens, and it works very well with the RF 1.4x (except that it physically limits the zoom range, as much discussed elsewhere). Image quality is very close to the big whites. The small aperture can be an issue, but it's much less of a problem with the R5, with its bright viewfinder and excellent AF even with the TC. It's a much better proposition than the EF 100-400 was on a DSLR.

I have an EF 600/4L IS III (which is also lighter than the 200-400), and an RF 100-500. Guess which one gets the most use?

birdbrain
birdbrain Veteran Member • Posts: 4,258
Re: Lens choice for wildlife photography with the R5
3

RF 100-500!

Excellent image quality in a very neat package.

Works extremely well with not only the RF 1.4x but the RF2x! As well.

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Sony RX10 II Canon EOS R5 Canon EOS R6 Canon EF 16-35mm F2.8L II USM Canon EF 24-70mm F2.8L II USM +7 more
EJ Fudd
EJ Fudd Senior Member • Posts: 2,150
RF 100-500 would be much better (mic drop NT)
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"The fact is that relatively few photographers ever master their medium. Instead they allow the medium to master them and go on an endless squirrel cage chase from new lens to new paper to new developer to new gadget, never staying with one piece of equipment long enough to learn its full capacities, becoming lost in a maze of technical information that is of little or no use since they don't know what to do with it."
A Great Quote by Edward Weston...

 EJ Fudd's gear list:EJ Fudd's gear list
Canon EOS 5DS R Canon EOS 5D Mark IV Canon EOS 90D Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM Canon EF-S 15-85mm f/3.5-5.6 IS USM +18 more
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