Are Canon's Unique 600mm f/11 and 800mm f/11 Lenses Worth Buying?

Canon's RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses caused a bit of a stir when they were announced, as they offered ultra-long telephoto reach at a very affordable price, but also raised eyebrows with their very narrow maximum apertures. So, how do these unique lenses hold up in practice? This great video review takes a look at what you can expect. 

Coming to you from Gordon Laing, this excellent video review takes a look at the Canon RF 600mm f/11 IS STM and RF 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses. Both these lenses caused quite a stir when they were released, as they are quite unlike anything we have seen from a major manufacturer in recent years. Personally, I think they are great, as they open a new and affordable cost level in a focal length range that is traditionally populated by stratospherically priced lenses. This makes them a fantastic option for any photographer who does not want to spend five figures on such a lens or who wants to carry a long lens for an occasional supertelephoto shot without sacrificing their back or their wallet. Check out the video above for the full rundown from Laing. 

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Alex Cooke is a Cleveland-based portrait, events, and landscape photographer. He holds an M.S. in Applied Mathematics and a doctorate in Music Composition. He is also an avid equestrian.

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4 Comments

If you're willing to deal with the compromise that is f11, then it's worth it. It looks like the R5/6 do pretty well in low light, so that will help. But it might be frustrating for those early morning/late evening shoots.

No

It's a rubbish. Canon dunno what to do to survive, but all their moves look like suicide.

I think that both of these lenses will sell quite well, and deservedly so.

The thing that bothers me most is not that their largest aperture is f11 ...... it is that their ONLY aperture is f11. I do a fair bit of wildlife photography at f16 and f22, and not being able to stop down smaller than f11 would be quite limiting when I want a broad depth of field.