The Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens is a compact and lightweight telephoto zoom designed for Canon EOS R series mirrorless cameras, offering excellent reach for subjects like wildlife, sports, and distant landscapes. Its key benefits include robust image stabilization and fast autofocus, making it highly versatile for both stills and video. While its variable aperture from f/5.6 to f/8 means it's best suited for well-lit conditions, its portability and performance make it an outstanding choice for photographers on the go.
Versatile Telephoto Zoom: Covers a broad 100-400mm focal range, ideal for capturing distant subjects in sports, wildlife, and nature photography.
Compact & Lightweight Design: Designed for portability, making it comfortable for extended handheld shooting and easy to carry in a camera bag.
Optical Image Stabilization (IS): Provides up to 5.5 stops of shake correction, crucial for sharp images at long focal lengths, especially in lower light. This increases to 6 stops when used with EOS R bodies featuring In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS).
Fast & Quiet Nano USM Autofocus: Utilizes Canon's Nano USM motor for quick, smooth, and near-silent focusing performance, benefiting both still photography and video recording.
Impressive Close-Up Capability: Achieve a minimum focusing distance of 2.89 feet (0.88m) at 200mm, offering a maximum magnification of 0.41x at 400mm for detailed close-up shots of smaller subjects.
Customizable Control Ring: Features a dedicated control ring on the lens barrel, allowing for direct and quick adjustment of assignable settings such as aperture, ISO, or shutter speed.
Extender Compatibility: Fully compatible with Canon RF Extenders 1.4x and 2x, extending the maximum focal length to 560mm and 800mm respectively, for even greater reach.
High-Quality Optics: Incorporates a single Ultra Low Dispersion (UD) element to effectively correct chromatic aberrations, resulting in crisp images with accurate colors and reduced color fringing.
Excellent Portability: Lightweight and compact design makes it easy to carry and handle for extended periods.
Effective Image Stabilization: Up to 5.5 stops (or 6 stops with IBIS) reduces camera shake for sharper photos.
Fast & Silent Autofocus: Nano USM ensures quick, precise, and quiet focusing, great for video.
Versatile Zoom Range: 100-400mm is perfect for a wide array of telephoto subjects.
Close-Up Performance: 0.41x magnification allows for surprisingly detailed near-macro shots.
Extender Compatible: Offers expanded reach with Canon RF Extenders for extreme telephoto needs.
Variable Aperture: The f/5.6-8 aperture can limit performance in low-light conditions and offers less subject isolation than constant aperture lenses.
Limited Low Light Performance: At 400mm, the f/8 maximum aperture requires higher ISO or slower shutter speeds in dim environments, potentially leading to noise or blur.
Excellent Portability: Lightweight and compact design makes it easy to carry and handle for extended periods.
Effective Image Stabilization: Up to 5.5 stops (or 6 stops with IBIS) reduces camera shake for sharper photos.
Fast & Silent Autofocus: Nano USM ensures quick, precise, and quiet focusing, great for video.
Versatile Zoom Range: 100-400mm is perfect for a wide array of telephoto subjects.
Close-Up Performance: 0.41x magnification allows for surprisingly detailed near-macro shots.
Extender Compatible: Offers expanded reach with Canon RF Extenders for extreme telephoto needs.
Variable Aperture: The f/5.6-8 aperture can limit performance in low-light conditions and offers less subject isolation than constant aperture lenses.
Limited Low Light Performance: At 400mm, the f/8 maximum aperture requires higher ISO or slower shutter speeds in dim environments, potentially leading to noise or blur.
The Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM lens excels in situations where reach and portability are paramount.
Wildlife Photography: Its 100-400mm range, combined with excellent image stabilization, makes it a go-to for capturing birds, animals, and other wildlife from a distance without needing a heavy setup. The Nano USM ensures you can track fast-moving subjects quietly and efficiently.
Sports Photography: While not a fast prime, the zoom range and quick autofocus are well-suited for daylight sports events, allowing photographers to react to the action across the field.
Nature & Landscape Details: Isolate distant peaks, capture intricate patterns in nature, or zoom in on specific elements within a broader landscape. The UD element helps ensure color fidelity.
Travel: Its lightweight design is a huge advantage for travelers who want telephoto capability without the bulk. You can comfortably carry it on hikes or city tours.
Close-Up Photography: Don't underestimate its ability to focus closely. At 200mm, you can get within 2.89 feet of your subject, achieving a 0.41x magnification at 400mm. This opens possibilities for detailed shots of flowers, insects, or product details.
Video Production: The quiet Nano USM motor is a significant asset for videographers, preventing distracting autofocus noise from being picked up by onboard microphones. The image stabilization also helps to smooth out handheld footage.
Attach to Camera: Align the red dot on the lens mount with the red dot on your Canon EOS R series camera body. Rotate the lens clockwise until it clicks securely into place.
Remove Lens Cap: Remove the front and rear lens caps.
Adjust Control Ring: If desired, customize the function of the lens's Control Ring via your camera's menu (e.g., to adjust aperture, ISO, or shutter speed). Refer to your camera's manual for specific instructions.
Canon EOS R Series Cameras: This lens is designed exclusively for Canon's full-frame and APS-C mirrorless cameras using the RF mount (e.g., EOS R, R5, R6, R7, R10). It is not compatible with EF/EF-S mount DSLRs without an adapter, or M-series mirrorless cameras.
Canon RF Extenders: Fully compatible with Canon RF Extender 1.4x and RF Extender 2x to extend focal length. Note that using extenders will further reduce the effective maximum aperture.
Cleaning: Use a soft, lint-free cloth or a dedicated lens cleaning kit to gently wipe dust and smudges from lens surfaces. Avoid harsh chemicals. Use a blower brush to remove loose dust before wiping.
Storage: Store the lens in a dry, cool place, ideally with the lens caps attached, away from direct sunlight and extreme temperatures. Using a moisture-absorbing desiccant packet in your camera bag can help prevent mold growth in humid climates.
Handling: Always hold the camera by the lens barrel when attaching or detaching to avoid putting undue stress on the camera mount. Avoid dropping or subjecting the lens to harsh impacts.