Canon’s determination to launch two totally different 70-200mm f/2.8 lenses for the RF mount has left many photographers scratching their heads about which one to purchase. The selection turns into much more complicated if you issue within the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM instead for reaching longer focal lengths, particularly since all three lenses occupy related value factors and goal overlapping use instances.
Coming to you from Gordon Laing, this revealing video places three Canon RF lenses head-to-head in a complete optical check that may change how you concentrate on telephoto zoom selections. Laing assessments the unique RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM, the newer RF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM Z, and the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM throughout a number of focal lengths and aperture settings. His methodology entails exact heart and nook sharpness comparisons at numerous focal lengths, from 70mm all the best way as much as 200mm, utilizing similar taking pictures circumstances and cautious crop evaluation. What makes this check significantly invaluable is his inclusion of each Canon RF extenders with the 70-200mm Z lens, pushing the efficient focal size out to 400mm, the place it straight competes with the 100-500mm lens. The testing reveals efficiency traits that are not instantly apparent from spec sheets alone.
The outcomes reveal some shocking truths about optical efficiency that Canon would not promote of their advertising supplies. Whereas each 70-200mm lenses ship glorious heart sharpness when shot extensive open, their nook efficiency tells a dramatically totally different story that would affect your buying determination. Laing demonstrates how subject flatness impacts real-world taking pictures eventualities, significantly if you’re centered on topics in the midst of the body however want sharp particulars extending to the sides. His testing additionally reveals which lens mixture really delivers the sharpest outcomes at 400mm, a focal size that is turn out to be more and more essential for wildlife and sports activities pictures. The comparability contains each 1.4x and 2x extender combos, exhibiting how every lens maintains or loses optical high quality when pushed past its native focal size vary.
The comparability extends past simply optical high quality to look at sensible concerns that have an effect on your taking pictures expertise and long-term satisfaction together with your lens selection. Weight variations, measurement variations, and operational comfort all play essential roles if you’re deciding between a 70-200mm with extenders versus a devoted 100-500mm lens. Laing’s real-world perspective addresses the trade-offs between having f/2.8 brightness within the shorter focal lengths versus the comfort of native 500mm attain with out swapping extenders mid-shoot. The video additionally explores how these lenses carry out with Canon’s 1.4x and 2x extenders, revealing which combos preserve professional-level picture high quality and which of them present noticeable compromises in distinction or sharpness. Maybe most significantly, Laing examines the price-to-performance ratio if you think about the price of extenders alongside the bottom lens costs. Try the video above for the complete rundown from Laing.
