Canon RF 800mm 11.0 IS STM

We didn't expect too much from the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM. However, after having used it in real life, it has its merits - with a couple of caveats. Despite the slow aperture, it can be surprisingly sharp. The CAs are low, and image distortions are absent. There's some vignetting in RAW files, but it's well auto-corrected. Despite common perception related to the max aperture of f/11, the quality of the bokeh is actually quite good. It's also a very well-made lens. The used materials are of high quality despite targeting consumers rather than professionals. Canon did, however, omit weather-sealing, which is hard to understand because this is an outdoor-only lens, really. The retractable design may seem to be odd at first, but you can get used to this in no time. Unlike its (distant) professional cousin, it is actually a quite portable lens that you can carry for long distances without breaking your back. The AF speed is sufficiently fast unless you want to use it for very fast action photography. Keep in mind that the covered AF field of the camera is somewhat reduced, though. The big elephant in the room is, of course, the max aperture of f/11, and most will use this lens in hand-held mode. More often than not, you will shoot at very high ISO settings of > ISO 2000 or (much) higher - also because the image stabilizer isn't all that efficient at just 4 f-stops. Traditionally, ISOs this high were like entering a no-go zone, and it still is if you prefer JPEGs straight out of the camera. When using advanced RAW converters such as DxO RAW/PhotoLab or Topaz Labs DeNoise AI, the results can be impressive - although limitations regarding dynamic range still apply. Even with all the support from new AI tools, shooting in low light is a challenge.

Highly Recommended - A light and inexpensive lens for long range telephoto photography.

The Canon RF 600mm and 800mm f11 are relatively light and affordable super-telephoto lenses for the full-frame EOS R mirrorless system. An aperture of f11 may ring alarm bells on older cameras, but the EOS R bodies can autofocus at f11 - or even at f16 and f22 when using tele-converters - in all but the dimmest conditions, while the brightness of their viewfinders automatically increase to avoid the dim image you’d get with a DSLR. Meanwhile a non-adjustable aperture and a fixed tripod foot rather than a rotating collar allow weight and costs to be kept down. In practice both lenses proved remarkably usable, successfully tracking birds in flight and various sports in good to fair conditions, while also proving more than capable for aviation or lunar photography. The f11 aperture does however prove limiting at dus or in shaded areas, inevitably bumping you up to the highest sensitivities while also delivering modest blurring on closer backgrounds. If you want a shallower depth-of field or to maintain faster shutters or lower ISOs in dim light, Canon has plenty of options but large aperture telephotos are neither light nor cheap. Ultimately few lenses offer the reach, portability or affordability of the RF 600 and 800. They may not suit high-end wildlife photographers, but for the rest of us open up a World that was literally out of reach. Which to buy depends on the subjects you want to capture. I found the RF 600mm f11 the more flexible of the pair, suitable for large birds, and more sports and landscapes, while the shorter focal length and better stabilisation made it easier to aim and film; I also preferred its greater portability. But if you’re photographing smaller or more distant wildlife, Sea sports or the Moon, no lens is too big and the RF 800 will be your preferred choice. Both share similar image quality and come Highly Recommended so long as you understand and can work with their limitations.