Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM £979/$899

Massive reach in a compact package

- Matthew Richards 

Specifications

Mount: Canon RF

Full frame: Yes

Autofocus: Yes

Image stabilisation: Yes

Lens construction: 11 elements in 8 groups

Angle of view: 3.5 degrees

Diaphragm blades: None

Minimum aperture: f/11 (fixed aperture)

Minimum focusing distance: 6m

Maximum magnification ratio: 0.14x

Filter size: 95mm

Dimensions: 102 x 282-352mm

Weight: 1,260g

Think light, affordable, fixed-aperture super-telephoto prime, and you’re probably thinking along the lines of a reflex/mirror lens like the Rokinon/Samyang 800mm. They used to be quite popular a few decades ago, but image quality was mediocre at best.

The other option has more recently been a conventional super-tele prime – like the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM, which is big and heavy, and costs around £13,200/$13,000, putting it beyond the reach of most of us. At a fraction of the weight and cost, Canon’s RF 800mm f/11 lens aims for an ideal compromise.