Canon 100-500mm RF Lens - 3 Year Review - Professional Wildlife Photographer - Should You Buy?

My long term review of the Canon R5 here: https://youtu.be/HE0eR5n-tEo?si=gaL0_IHLbqoCJSI8

I’ve been a professional photographer for nearly 40 years and the 100-500 is my favorite lens of all time. I use it for wildlife, landscapes, portraits, and even at a wedding!

I went from a sigma 150-600mm with an adaptor on my R7 to the RF 100-500mm and the difference is exceptional! Seriously blown away and honestly don’t care about how much it cost (although I did get a £500 off deal on mine). This is a lifetime lens for sure!

Thanks for this review! super informative, dynamic and great to learn a bit more for this leans on mirrorless Canon cameras! Simply great to see its results in photo-video and variety on extreme conditions to work with! thanks!

Awesome Harry, thanks for sharing!!

Hey. The shots of the canon were amazing. Thanks for sharing your experience with it. Greets Stefan

I’m so excited to buy this lens soon ❤

Great review! This inspired me to pair the lens with the R5. I am duly impressed with all aspects of it in the field (image quality - so sharp!, weight, IS for both video and photos, top among them), bar the AF performance in lowlight for photos especially. It really does keep searching around dusk or in dark, forest environments - a noticeable stepdown from the EF 300 2.8II, with TCs.

They are some great pictures and videos Harry. Even given your two negatives about the lens no one would notice it in the quality of your shots. I recently upgraded my Canon RF400 to the 100-500 and yes the quality is superb but compared to the little 400, wow it’s heavy.

Great video, thanks

Amazingly talented!

Great review & outstanding images and videos, Harry. When the 100-500mm first came out, I had the reaction, "F7.1? I'd never use that." This past spring, I set up for hummingbirds on my back deck. When I heard another photographer mention the 3 ft minimum focus distance, I thought... "That could work very nicely." And it did. I was really surprised to find out that the F7.1 was pretty much a non-issue. I won't repeat all the positive comments from your video but I will concur with them. ...Jerry

Hi Harry, very useful video and great images and a 3-year review in just 6.5 minutes is really appreciated . I've been looking at the 1-500 for use on an R6/R7 back-up when travelling. The 2-800 is tempting but the R7/1-500 combo will give 800mm max if needed so you've really helped in my decision. Thanks a lot!

That loon shot at 2:21 is just incredible!

So all of these were shot on the 100-500? Wow. You have a great ability to find good light and know where the animals are going to be. Congratulations on getting to this point. The video of the elks was outstanding, great angle, great details like how they used their muscles. So much better than most documentaries that make it to the mainstream. Light on the puffin was insane. I dream of finding this kind of light. But with kids and a job, my resources are limited. Make sure you pat yourself on the back sometime. Great work.

Amazing shots! And I wish I would have kept my 100-500, but traded it in for a 400mm prime. I wanted that smaller aperture, but someday I hope I will get one again! Great review of it and I agree with everything you said about it!

Such pretty pictures ❤

Harry... ... I have owned my RF 100-500mm also for about 2.5 years, and fully agree with everything you have said... I own 5 of Canon cameras with/ 10 of their lenses... including the EF 600mm f/4, and NOW, that lens stays at home because I have the 100-500mm which is much more versatile... For me, my favorite is shooting hummingbirds at a distance of 8 ft on a tripod with this combination... Just love it...

Great video!

I’m ‘only’ a keen amateur, and last year I had the opportunity to spoil myself. I bought an R3 last May, and then a 100-500 with 1.4x in the Black Friday bonanza. If you’re a keen amateur like me and wondering whether this lens is for you, just do it. You’ll forget about the price the first time you use it. This lens is almost permanently on my camera now, usually with the 1.4x, and the results astound me. Even I can achieve almost professional photographs! The few negative points are also soon forgotten. Yes, I would love to own an RF 600mm f4, but there’s just no way I can splash out £14k on one, and I’d lose the zoom, and add 2kg!