Canon - RF800mm F11 IS STM Telephoto Lens for EOS R-Series Cameras - Black

I would say that to use this lens, you should really be familiar with your camera’s capabilities and the exposure triangle. Between the f/11 (low light intake) and the 800mm (requiring a fast shutter speed to avoid motion blur), you will need to know what settings you can get away with. I shoot with the R5 and so the dynamic range, ISO, and IBIS let’s me get away with some iffy settings. With that said, I LOVE this lens. It’s super light in comparison to my EF 100-400mm and RF 85mm and I have no problems walking around with it for a long time. It’s sharp and the IS lets you get away with a slower shutter speed without compromising image quality much. It is a bit hard to locate your subject due to the zoom, but that’s a reality of telephoto lenses as tight as this one. I’ve used this to shoot photos of birds, cityscape, planes, and pretty much anything that is far. I’m more of a portrait guy lately, but this has let me explore things like planetary and wildlife photography. One downside (aside from the obvious) is the need to unlock the lens and pull it out to use. I forget to do this, causing a bit of a delay when I grab my camera spontaneously and in a rush to capture a picture. And it leave me a bit worried keeping it extended when not in use. It’s a bit annoying but not really a dealbreaker. Overall though, I love going out with this lens. I can’t praise it enough. And when combined with the 2x teleconveter, it’s amazing.

This is a great lens for the price! It's sharp and allows you to get those far off shots that you would miss with anything with less reach. I was worried about the f/11 aperture in low light but it does an amazing job paired with the low light and image stabilization of the R6. For wildlife and daytime sports it's a spectacular deal in my opinion. I almost didn't purchase it because of the closed down aperture, but so glad I did! The only thing I wish it had is weather sealing since it is used mostly outside, but I just carry a lens cover on inclement days.

I'm going to start with the drawbacks of this lens, because they are significant. -Fixed f/11 aperture means no flexibility in depth of field, and no shooting in poor light (unless you're willing to really crank the ISO). -Fixed focal length means no flexibility in zoom range. -Minimum focus distance of 6m (about 20 feet) means no shooting objects close to you like you might be used to. All that said, I would still recommend this lens for those with an R5/R6 (or newer) who are interested in daylight wildlife photography (its main and really only use case). 800mm is a focal length that was long out of reach of most non-professional shooters. The pro lenses of this length have always been the price of a used car, so to have a reasonably-priced 800mm is a boon, even with the drawbacks mentioned above. Especially a stabilized lens that offers good sharpness and reasonably quick and accurate autofocus, as this lens does. But still, recognize that this is a compromise lens, and it still answers to the laws of physics. It will provide excellent images of a well-lit bird or mammal in the near distance. It will NOT bring a far-off bird close in, and it will not negate atmospheric haze. It will struggle to focus on a target obscured by branches and whatnot (and I'd note that it narrows the focus area to the center 50% or so of the frame). But for the price, it's really the only game in town, and it's not bad at all if you know what to expect from it, and what it can and can't do. Given the value for the money, as a specialist lens I'm giving it full marks.

For an F11, plastic fantastic, this lens is remarkable. Buying a 16,999.00 lens is not possible for me at this juncture, nor is carrying the weight of it. That's the opposite of fun; however, this lens is light and saved me 16,000.00. Yes, the aperture is tight, but there's a trade off. Money and convenience. And the reach on an R5 is wonderful. Love the prime.

An 800mm f/11?!? Honestly when canon announced this lens I thought they were joking but it’s amazing! It’s sharp. It’s lightweight enough to shoot handheld. It delivers great DOF. The auto focus is fast. I’ve shot a lot of wildlife with this lens and even though I’m using the cheapest R-series camera (EOS RP) which does NOT have animal eye AF, I’m getting amazing photos. Don’t overthink it. Just buy it!