My First Shots with the RF 100-500mm L

[FloridaDrafter]

I've had the R5 for several months, but have been using the EF 100-400mm L II. I've had the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 for just a few days now and within 15 minutes of unboxing, was out on my porch taking some shots in the late evening sun. Not ideal, but in my mind, a fair test because low light is what I typically shoot in. All of the bird shots, unless noted, were taken from 30-40 feet away. I also use my long lens to get closeups, so the next day, I wandered our property and shot some closer, smaller subjects. Obviously, a macro lens is what you want to use for such shots, but I don't always have one with me and use my long lens in a pinch. BTW, the 100-400mm L II was my "walk around" lens, and it looks like this in my new one 🙂

Blue Jay - 40 feet.

Blue Jay - 30 feet.

Tufted Titmouse.

Tufter Titmouse Head Shot.

Northern Cardinal, female.

 Northern Cardinal, female Head Shot.

Ruby-crowned Kinglet from 35-40 feet. This was a good test because these birds are just under 3 inches in length and constantly moving through the tree canopy. Imposible to track, but the quick focusing of the R5 and 100-500mm L made fairly easy work and allowed me a 95% keeper rating. I took roughly 20 shots of this little guy flitting around in the foliage. I chose this shot because of the intense expresion it has.

These next two flowers are about the size of a dime.

Daisy Fleabane - at 4 feet.

False Hawksbeard at 4 feet.

Fruit Fly at 3.5 feet, or roughly min. focus distance.

I always have to get a moon shot with a new lens. I may have overcropped and converting to jpg didn't help 🙂

Newton

[Tronhard]

Wow Newton: you have some nice shots there!  Congratulations on your new acquisition.  Personally, I found that several legacy lenses did a great job with the adapters:  I tried out all of the following EF lenses:

70-300 IS USM MkI and MkII, along with the 70-300L version, 70-200 f/2.8 IS USM MkII and the f/4 MkII version

100-400L MkII and the 24-105L MkI.  They all seemed to work perfectly.

That said, some of the new RF optics are amazing!

[FloridaDrafter]

Thank you, Trevor. That means alot.

It really wasn't that the EF 100-400 L II and EF 100mm f/2.8 L IS USM didn't perform to my liking on the R's, I just wanted to give the RF glass a go. Of course, I didn't go into the R5, R6, and RF glass blind, but dug into specs and reviews. I've always wanted the next thing, as tech goes, be it musical instruments, computers/software, or now, camera gear. Not being a pro, I don't quite need the big whites, or even want them for that matter. The two RF L lenses I have, 100mm macro and 100-500mm, fulfill my needs for macro and fairly close birding. My wife bought the RF 100-400 (non-L) for her R6, because she needs something light.Those are our primary interests, We do have some EF consumer glass, like the EF 50mm f/1.8 STM, an EF 40mm STM pancake, LOL, an EF 24mm f/2.8 (nice lens), an EF-S 35mm macro (the one with the ring light) for our Rebels, an old EF 50mm Compact Macro that we used on our SLR's (another nice lens), but that one is the only one from our film days that we still occasionally use. It just produces a "look" that we like. I know you'll understand what I mean by that. I also have a 70-300mm L II laying around. We try to keep a rig at each window, just in case 🙂 We have lots of cameras, most long since retired, like the EOS AE-1 Program, ELAN II, and a Roliflex medium format, boy did I love that camera. I still occasionally use our XSi and T4i and the 7D mark II, but untill recently, the 5D mark IV was my walk around. I'm sure I'll still use that, but I'm liking the R5.

So far, just from the EF L lenses I have to compare, the RF L, and the non L, are a bit better glass to my eye, plus they are lighter. Canon has done a great job designing these lenses.

[shadowsports]

Guys,

Both of your recent shots are fantastic!

[FloridaDrafter]

Thank you, Rick! I'm fortunate to have great subjects to photograph. It's been a slow year for me, photographically, but I'm starting to get out more. Nothing is more motivating than new gear 🙂

Newton

[Tronhard]

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@FloridaDrafter wrote:

Thank you, Rick! I'm fortunate to have great subjects to photograph. It's been a slow year for me, photographically, but I'm starting to get out more. Nothing is more motivating than new gear 🙂

Newton

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It's been a year of living in my back yard mostly but there is relief in site, even if the new COVID variant.  It should mean I can get out a bit more and might be able to photograph something else but gannets (always a good fallback though...) and the odd zoo animal.

Glad to see you are getting out Newton...