Why the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Should Be in Your Kit

Supertelephoto lenses offer unique capabilities that can transform your photography. This fun video explores the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM and its practical uses in different shooting environments.

Coming to you from Anthony Gugliotta, this engaging video highlights the experience of shooting with the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens. Gugliotta takes you through the Toronto Zoo, demonstrating how this lens excels in capturing detailed images of animals from a distance. The flexibility of the 100-500mm range means you can shoot wide at 100mm and zoom in for tight shots at 500mm. This versatility is crucial for wildlife photography, where getting physically close to the subject isn’t always possible.

Gugliotta also points out the lens’s limitations, such as its size and weight, which can make it cumbersome to carry around. Despite these challenges, the benefits of capturing clear, distant subjects make it a valuable tool for specific types of photography.

A key feature is how the 100-500mm can blur out distracting backgrounds, making your subject stand out sharply. This effect is particularly useful in crowded environments like zoos, where you want to highlight the animal rather than the enclosure. He also notes the lens’s impressive autofocus capabilities, which can track fast-moving subjects accurately.

A practical tip from Gugliotta involves using the viewfinder for added stability when shooting with long lenses. Holding the camera up to your eye and tucking your elbows in provides a third point of contact, reducing camera shake and helping you get sharper images. This advice is particularly useful for handheld shooting, where maintaining stability can be challenging.

If you’re wondering whether to invest in a supertelephoto lens, Gugliotta suggests considering your primary photography interests. For wildlife, sports, or astrophotography, a supertelephoto lens is invaluable. However, for general photography, a 70-200mm lens might be more versatile and easier to handle. Check out the video above for Gugliotta's full thoughts on the topic. 

Alex Cooke's picture

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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3 Comments

"Why the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM Should Be in Your Kit"
Don't think it would do much good duct-taped to my Sony and Panasonic bodies.

I'd go with Tamron's 50-400 or 150-500 instead. Except I don't need 500mm, so I already have Tamron's 70-300. Could sure use a 300/4 or 100-300/4, though, for indoor use. Used to be you couldn't swing a cat in a camera store without hitting one. Now, nobody makes them any more.

I love this lens. Set your focus detection and use servo mode and it is nonstop action for 10-hour motorsports events. I have taken great portraits at 100mm and really can't think of anything I would improve on it. One of those products you buy and forget about the price because it's so good. Great job Canon !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I’m used to the 70-200 range for 4 decades, and when I got the 100-500 the poor old favorite took a back seat.