Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM

Compact and affordable RF zoom

Less than a quarter of the price of Canon’s RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1L IS USM zoom and much more compact, this is a tempting proposition. Typical of Canon’s non L-series lenses, the RF 100-400mm doesn’t have any weather-seals, but there are plenty of enticing features.

Autofocus is driven by a Nano USM motor that is super-fast for stills and delivers smooth focus transitions. There’s a 5.5-stop optical stabiliser, boosted to 6-stop effectiveness with R system cameras that feature IBIS, and an additional control ring. Upmarket glass includes one UD element and one precision-moulded aspherical element.

Performance

Autofocus speed and stabilisation lived up to their claims, while image quality is impressive. Sharpness is good across most of the frame throughout the zoom range, while colour fringing and pincushion distortion are minimal, even when uncorrected in-camera.