EOS R7 lens suggestions for faraway sports photography

[LizJ24]

Hello All!

I am a novice/hobby photographer. I just bought the EOS R7 to be able to shoot dog sport content mostly. I bought the stock lense that comes with the camera and it has been great when I can be close to the action. However, one of the sports we compete in involves being far from the dogs because it is a herding trial so the area can be large. I was wondering what your suggestions for a zoom lense would be that ideally wouldn't be too heavy if i was walking around taking more shots. At the end of the day I know the more zoom the heavier. 

I also was wondering what suggestions for a close up lense suggestion would be for small cosplay photo shoots. 

I would definitely appreciate any advice so I can start saving up towards lenses and continue to learn. 🙂

Here are some photos I took at a recent herding trial to give an idea of why I need to be able to zoom in more as well as some fun ones I too from trainings 😄 I had to crop down a few photos to meet the community photo size requirements. Thank you!

[deebatman316]

Do you have a budget for a lens. What lens or lenses do you currently have the R7 can come with different kit lens options. What limitations have you found with lens if any.

[JFG · Accepted solution]

Hello LizJ24,

For action photography such as dog sports like Herding, Agility, Schutzhund and Rally Obedience or any other sport, you'll want a lens that offers fast autofocus, good reach, and a wide aperture for capturing fast-moving subjects.  Here are some great RF lens options:

*Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM - It's a versatile telephoto zoom lens for that provides excellent reach for outdoor sports.

*Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM - It's a professional-grade lens with a wide aperture for fast shutter speeds and great subject isolation.

*Canon RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 is a newly released budget-friendly telephoto zoom lens that offers flexibility for sports and wildlife photography.

If you're shooting in low light or need faster autofocus, the RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM is a top tier choice.  If you need more reach, the RF 100-400mm or RF 75-300mm F4-5.6 could be great options.

For shooting in both indoor and outdoor sports, you'll need a lens that performs well in varying lighting conditions while also offering excellent reach and fast autofocus.  The RF 70-200mm F2.8 L IS USM is an excellent all-around choice.  It works well in both indoor and outdoor conditions.  If you need extra reach, I will consider the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM lens - It's a great telephoto zoom lens that works well with Canon Extender RF 1.4x for extra reach, making the focal length range extend to 140-700mm. 

I think this will help you look at the aforementioned lenses and decide what lens will be more suited to you based on your budget and your needs.  By the way, those are nice photos.

[LizJ24]

EOS R7 RF-S18-150mm F3.5-6.3 IS STM Lens Kit

This is what I purchased. At the time canon was only offering this lense kit with the camera. I love the lense just can't zoom for far off photos for herding trials. My price range varies since I understand lenses are expensive so I'm looking at options in the mid to higher range. With the higher range being around 1-2k. It gives me something to save for. If there's anything around the 500-600 range I'd love to know. 

[LizJ24]

Thank you so much for a quick reply!!! I will look into those lenses and start saving and acquiring what I need. Thank you for your compliment on the photos! I csnt wait to get better and learn more. Us dog people never get enough photos especially high quality ones. 😄

[deebatman316]

The RF 70-200mm F/2.8L IS USM is a very good lens optically and focuses very fast. It also has image stabilization. Lens IS and IBIS will work in tandem providing more image stabilization. The RF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 is based off the older EF 75-300mm F/4-5.6 III lens which uses a slow AF motor and lacks IS. The lens isn’t known for being good optically. Your camera’s IBIS can only help so much with lenses without IS. The RF 100-400mm F/5.6-8 IS USM lens is also another great lens. Just beware that this lens won’t work as well in low light. But for daytime work it works very well. The same goes for the RF 100-500mm F/4.5-7.1L IS USM. Note the 100-500mm lens is only compatible with teleconverters with the zoom ranges 300-500mm. Also this version of the RF 70-200mm is not compatible with teleconverters. 

[deebatman316]

The RF 100-500mm F/4-7.1L IS USM lens only works with teleconverters with the zoom set to 300mm or longer. The lens will not allow you to go under 300mm with a teleconverter attached. If you need under 300mm you must remove the teleconverter first. Also teleconverters cannot be mounted with the lens set to 100mm. 

 

[stevet1]

LizJ24,

You mentioned, "I was wondering what your suggestions for a zoom lense would be that ideally wouldn't be too heavy if i was walking around taking more shots."

I've been kicking around the same idea for a while, and I myself would go for the lighter weight, even if I had to settle for a shorter focal length. For example, the 100-500mm lens weighs 48oz or 3lbs. The 100-400mm lens only weighs 22 oz or 1.4lbs. Carrying that around all day would make a difference to me.

Steve Thomas

[JFG]

Hi Steve (stevet1),

Yes, the RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM is light with great features 👌   The only thing is that it will not do as well as the RF100-500mm in low lighting conditions. However, the RF100-400mm comes with  a 5.5 stop image stabilizer, that ensures sharp handheld shots.  Fast focus with its Nano USM System.   Ultra low dispersion (UD) glass, reducing chromatic aberrations for crisp sharp pictures, and it's compatible with canon extenders. At a price of $649.00 at Amazom, it's a great deal.  

The Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM and the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM are designed to cater to different needs and budgets.

Which One Should You Choose?
The RF 100-500mm: Ideal for professionals and serious enthusiasts who need extra reach, better build quality, and weather sealing for outdoor shooting.
Or the RF 100-400mm: A great budget-friendly option for hobbyists who want a lightweight telephoto lens with solid performance.

If you need better zoom range, durability, and wider aperture, the RF 100-500mm is the way to go. But if you want a lighter, more affordable lens with decent magnification, the RF 100-400mm is for you.

Which one are you leaning towards? 🤔 

[stevet1]

Joe,

Right now, a future purchase is just a "twinkle in your mother's eye" 😀, but I'm saving up for an R10 with an 18-150 lens as my everyday walk-around setup. I was fortunate enough to have been gifted an 18-135, and it stays on my camera 90-95 percent of the time.

I don't do much, if any, long distance shooting, but for those times when I would want that extra reach, I would go for the 100-400. For physical reasons, weight is a big factor for me. 

Steve