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An In-Depth Review of Canon's RF 600mm & 800mm f/11 IS STM Lenses
Canon raised a lot of eyebrows when they announced the extremely affordable RF 600mm & 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses. “An 800mm lens for $899??? But it’s f/11??? What’s going on here??” Canon has so far been unique in this sub-$1,000 venture, especially considering the 800mm lens. What are the real trade offs with these smaller & cheaper f/11 600mm and 800mm lenses?
Canon raised a lot of eyebrows when they announced the extremely affordable RF 600mm & 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses. “An 800mm lens for $899??? But it’s f/11??? What’s going on here??”
Canon has so far been unique in this sub-$1,000 venture, especially considering the 800mm lens. As far as I can tell from looking at the websites of Sony, Nikon, Panasonic, Sigma, Rokinon & Samyang, the only other major camera or lens manufacturer that actively produces an 800mm lens is Nikon, and it costs over $16,000. Canon’s 800mm f/5.6 lens costs around $13,000. So what are the real trade offs with these smaller & cheaper f/11 600mm and 800mm lenses?
I own both the 600mm and 800mm f/11 IS STM lenses and use them both, but this article looks primarily at the 800mm since it lets me test more extreme focal lengths.
This page contains links to products, so if you find this site useful and use a link to make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks!
Can They Really Produce Sharp Images?
I wanted to see if these lenses are sharp, and I started with a very controlled environment that you probably wouldn’t be in whether you’re trying to have fun or make money. I mounted the 800mm f/11 on a tripod indoors, attached a wired remote trigger to my Canon EOS R5, and focused on some playing cards that were about 20 feet away. The distance of 20 feet is important, because 19.69ft is actually the minimum focusing distance for the 800mm f/11 (it’s 14.76ft for the 600mm). I got as close to the cards as I could while still being able to focus on the King’s face. I took one shot with the stabilizer on and one shot with the stabilizer off, both using Electronic 1st curtain shutter. The camera settings were ISO 100, 800mm, f/11, 2.5 seconds. Here are the results of those two shots:
When I looked at the first image on my computer screen (when the stabilizer was off) I had absolutely no complaints about image sharpness. In fact, I was impressed. No one should be complaining about the sharpness of this 800mm lens for the price! I can see more detail in the playing cards from 20 feet away that I would typically notice if I was holding the card in my hand.
The image with the stabilizer turned on showed a little bit of blur. I assumed this would happen because I could see it in the camera’s LCD before I took the shot… the image moved around ever so slightly and constantly, and it is clear that stabilizers in an 800mm lens are not designed for long tripod exposures. I have accidentally left the stabilizer on when using a Canon RF 15-35mm wide angle lenses on a tripod and had no detrimental effects on sharpness, but with these super-telephoto lenses the stabilizer is definitely designed for faster shutter speeds during hand-held shooting.
Here are cropped versions of the above photos with the stabilizer on and off:
You can see in the above cropped images that when the stabilizer is off it is sharp enough to see the tiny fibers on the top edge of the card and the texture of the card itself. But when the stabilizer is on, it is slightly blurry.
Call me crazy, but I wanted to see if the image was still sharp if I threw a Canon Extender RF 2x on the 800mm lens. Since I was already stuck at f/11 with the lens, adding a 2x Extender will cause me to be stuck at f/22! I did an 8 second exposure instead of a 2.5 second exposure. I also moved back about 10 feet in order to keep a few different cards in the frame. Here is the shot from about 30 feet away with a 2x Extender, both uncropped and cropped:
Once again I was impressed! Even at when using a 2x Extender to achieve 1600mm, the image was sharper than I expected. From 30 feet away I can see the tiny fibers on the top edge of the cards, the texture of the cards, and the texture of the fake plant leaf behind the cards.
Thumbs up for Canon’s glass quality & sharpness, for both the lens and extender!
How Good are those Stabilizers? Hand-Holding Shots for Stationary Objects
One of the biggest challenges with 600mm or 800mm lenses is camera shake. The tiniest movement or vibration can cause your image to turn out blurry. Even the shutter or mirror in your camera can cause the image to be blurry, which is why I used 1st curtain electronic shutter for the longer tripod shots and electronic shutter mode for shots quicker than 0.5 seconds. Very fast shutter speeds and lens stabilizers can overcome vibration from a camera’s mirror or shutter, but since I am trying to specifically test the stabilizers in these lenses at different shutter speeds I wanted to eliminate that potential cause of vibrations.
When you are hand-holding such a long lens for the first time, you might be surprised how hard it is to keep it still! The longer the lens, the more the subject will appear to be jumping around. This is why there is a “rule” about keeping your shutter speed about twice as fast as your focal length when you are shooting with your camera in your hands rather than a tripod. For example, if your lens is 50mm you’d want to use shutter speeds at least as fast as 1/100th of a second. If your lens is 15mm, you should only need a shutter speed of 1/30th sec. Does this rule still apply at 800mm? Let’s find out!
For the next test I found a couple of frogs playing a game, and payed them $20 to sit still for a few minutes (just kidding). I took at least 10 shots at each shutter speed with the stabilizer on and off. I used autofocus to focus on the left frog’s eye before each set of shots. Even though I was stuck at f/11 the background is blurred nicely, due to the fact that I was only about 20 feet away at 800mm. I adjusted exposures to make all the images somewhat similar, because in some shots I had slowed down the shutter speed without being able to change the aperture or lower the ISO further. I also had to move the frogs into the shade once I was testing slower shutter speeds.
For each set of photos, I had the Canon EOS R5 set to continuous shooting with the electronic shutter, which means it was firing at 20 shots per second. I just held down the shutter button until I got at least 10 photos. One thing to note on these non-stabilized shots is how much the photos jump around between shots, despite the photos only being 1/20th of a second apart! It’s a good indication of how hard it is to hold an 800mm lens steady.
My first test set was shot at 800mm, ISO 1000, f/11, 1/1600th sec, stabilizer off. When I looked at the 1/1600th sec shots with no stabilizer, it looks like the “rule” of using a shutter speed twice as fast as your focal length generally held up. I had 17 photos at this shutter speed and they all looked nice and sharp.
Now let’s see how a 1/800th sec. shutter speed did at 800mm since that “breaks the rule:”
Initially when looking at the 1/800th sec. shots on the computer I thought I “perceived” motion blur, but when I zoomed in I couldn’t necessarily prove it. So it seems like 1/800th of a sec. still produces usable images at 800mm, or have such a minor loss of sharpness that most people wouldn’t notice it.
At shutter speeds of 1/200th and 1/400th of a second it is hard to see the motion blur when looking at the whole images, but most of the images lose sharpness at these slower speeds. Here are four of the images at 1/200th:
Here are a couple crops to show the blur up close. One of these shots at 1/200th is fairly sharp, and the other shows a bit of blur:
At 1/100th of a second I took 13 shots with the stabilizer off, and only 1 lucky photo out of 13 was sharp. Once I got down to 1/50th of a second all 12 images I took had noticeable motion blur, and most of the photos were basically unusable:
To summarize the results of the non-stabilized test shots at 800mm:
1/1600th of a second produced all sharp images
1/800th of a second produced mostly sharp images, maybe a little blur creeping in on some
1/400th of a second produced a little motion blur on most images
1/200th of a second produced more motion blur than 1/400th, but still had a couple usable images
1/100th of a second produced 12 blurry images, but I had 1 lucky sharp one in there.
1/50th of a second produced 100% blurry images
So ultimately, the shutter speed that is double your focal length would be the safe choice if you were only taking one photo of a stationary object with the stabilizer off. If you take 20 shots per second like I did in this test, you could get away with lower shutter speeds than the rule suggests if your subject isn’t moving at all and maybe get a couple lucky sharp ones in there. =)
Now let’s see how far we can push shutter speeds with the stabilizer enabled. I am doing these tests with a Canon EOS R5, which has in-body image stabilization. This means if you were to put the same lens on an EOS R which does not have in-body image stabilization, you might not want to push the shutter speeds as low.
Let’s continue with shutter speeds of 1/50th of a second, but this time with image stabilization enabled:
When looking through these 1/50th sec. shots on my computer the one that had the most blur was the first image, captured right after I pushed the shutter button. I could have had a steadier first image if I had used the camera’s 2 second timer, and if I was trying to take a steady single shot that’s definitely what I would do. But generally speaking the stabilizer allowed me to shoot at 1/50th of a second. Also notice how the composition doesn’t jump around much at all! The stabilizer is making up for my slight hand movements that were clearly present in the non-stabilized galleries earlier on. Taking shots with the stabilizer on at 1/100th resulted in all sharp images as well, including the first shot as I was pushing the shutter button.
I ended up taking 12 images in less than a second with a shutter speed of 1/25th, and the photos ranged from being sharp to having a minor amount of blur. Here is a crop of a couple photos at 1/25th from one of the sharper photos and one of the blurriest photos:
So using 1/25th sec. shutter speed for stationary subjects is fair game with this lens, especially when using continuous shooting (aka burst shooting) drive modes and an electronic shutter. As quick as the R5 shoots photos you will probably end up with a couple sharp photos in less than 1 second of shooting.
My test results at 1/13th sec. brings me to the end of our shutter speed stabilization tests, because all of the photos had a little motion blur. The amount of blur was very consistent at 1/13th, and the photos weren’t necessarily unusable but they definitely weren’t perfectly sharp.
To summarize the stabilizer tests with the Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM Lens:
Most or all photos will be sharp when shooting at 1/50th of a second or faster when the stabilizer is on and your subject is still (no animals or people)
You can get away with shooting stationary subjects at 1/25th of a second if you are burst/continuous shooting (hit or miss sharpness)
1/13th second exposures and slower will probably have minor motion blur in all images
You would probably never want or need to be at ISO 100 with a 600mm or 800mm lens like I was in these tests, because most subjects you photograph are going to be moving so you’ll want very fast shutter speeds. Even flowers move in the wind. If you are using these lenses you will probably be using higher ISO’s because subjects move across the frame quickly at super-telephoto focal lengths. The stabilizers are great, but they don’t stabilize the motion of your subject… they only reduce the effect of movement created by your hands holding the camera.
One Interesting Scenario where the RF 600mm and RF 800mm f/11 Lenses Differ Significantly vs. the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM
One interesting thing I’ve discovered with these lenses is the way they handle bright light sources in low-light scenes. To illustrate the issue, I took the same shot with the Canon RF 800mm f/11 lens and the Canon RF 100-500 f/4.5-7.1L Lens with an RF 2x Extender attached to the 100-500 at a lighthouse at night. Both shots were taken back to back with the same camera with a tripod in the same location with the same white balance settings:
Since the RF 800mm f/11 has no aperture blades it renders the glow from lightbulbs along the catwalk as round circles of light, whereas the RF 100-500 f/4.5-7.1L captures the lights as stars with 18 points since that lens has 9 aperture blades. Canon’s user manual for the RF 600mm & 800mm states:
“ … Color flare might appear around the light source depending on shooting conditions…” and “For scenes where a light source is inside the screen, colored flare may occasionally appear as a halo of light around the light source.”
Most photographers will probably prefer the look of lenses with aperture blades when rendering light bulbs in night scenes over bladeless Diffractive Optics lenses like the RF 600mm and 800mm. But most people will not be using these lenses at night, so that shouldn’t be a deal breaker.
Sample Gallery - Photographing Live Animals at 1600mm
For the live animal sample gallery I wanted to take things to the extreme and see what kind of ISO’s and shutter speeds I would be using if I was hand-holding 1600mm, so I attached the Canon RF 2x Extender to the RF 800mm f/11 and took my Canon EOS R5 camera to the zoo. I found the easiest way to walk around photographing animals was to simply put the ISO on Auto with a range of up to 12,800 and control shutter speed as desired. If the camera got tricked by the lighting situation I adjusted settings as needed. I used Animal Eye Autofocus the whole time, which usually made focusing a breeze.
Here is the sample gallery with settings embedded in the photos. None of these photos are cropped at all:
Since this was my first time walking around shooting live animals handheld at 1600mm & f/22 I was slightly concerned about using ISO’s ranging from 3200 to 12,800. I assumed that the noise would be distracting enough to make the photos unusable, but I was impressed with how well the Canon EOS R5 handled it. I had the noise reduction slider in Adobe Lightroom typically between 25 and 40, and that seemed to be enough to make the noise acceptable at these high ISO’s. The combination of high ISO’s and a little of Adobe’s noise reduction allowed me to maintain fast shutter speeds for motion-stopping photos even if the animal was moving.
Initially I didn’t consider trying to photograph animals if there was a chain link fence between me and the animal, but then I tried with the mountain lion and found that the chainlink fence was so out of focus that it didn’t really show up in the image (though it may have impacted sharpness slightly). I also tried it with the tiger and was again fascinated at how the fence was so out of focus it didn’t appear to block the tiger.
These lenses will be a lot of fun for people who want to get into wildlife photography for less than $900, especially if you have a Canon EOS R5, EOS R6 or newer. I imagine this experiment would have been a little more challenging with the Canon EOS R or RP, as those cameras have older sensors and don’t have Animal Eye AF.
Keep in mind I was photographing animals in broad daylight on a beautiful, sunny day. If it was darker outside I would expect autofocus to be slower and less accurate at f/22, and I would have to make some sacrifices with ISO or shutter speed with increased risk of noise or motion blur. For that reason I would imagine it could be difficult to shoot wildlife in the woods with these lenses, but that is an experiment for another day!
Conclusion
Pros of Canon’s 600mm & 800mm f/11 IS Lenses
Glass is surprisingly sharp considering the price & focal length
Stabilizers allow for hand-held shooting
Extremely affordable
Great for learning the challenges of super-telephoto photography
Lots of fun for bird & wildlife enthusiasts who don’t want to drop $13,000+ on a lens
You can add an RF extender for extreme telephoto focal lengths
Autofocus works great in the bright daylight
Cons of Canon’s 600mm & 800mm f/11 IS Lenses
You’re stuck at f/11 (can’t go lower or higher)
Diffractive optics with no aperture blades means lightbulbs at night could flare and won’t have pointy stars like people may prefer
No lens hood or case included
No rotation collar for using camera in vertical position on a tripod (you’d have to put some type of L-bracket on it)
No weather sealing like the higher-end Canon “L” lenses (don’t use outside if there’s a possibility of precipitation)
Products Mentioned in this Article
What Camera & Lens Should I Buy for Real Estate Photography?
I sometimes get asked by people who are getting started in real estate photography what camera and lens they should buy. Do you need an expensive camera for real estate? Do you need an expensive lens? Is it better to spend more money on the lens than the camera? What focal lengths are typically used? This article will hopefully give readers an idea of what cameras are currently available, the pros and cons of various cameras, and some info about lenses. This information can be applied to really any genre of photography, and I will also talk a little bit about the state of the industry.
See also: My extensive article/rant about tripods
See also: Real Estate Photography Techniques for Beginners
See also: DJI Air 2S Reviewed vs. Phantom 4 Pro
I sometimes get asked by people who are getting started in real estate photography what camera and lens they should buy. Do you need an expensive camera for real estate? Do you need an expensive lens? Is it better to spend more money on the lens than the camera? What focal lengths are typically used?
This article will hopefully give readers an idea of what cameras are currently available, the pros and cons of various cameras, and some info about lenses. This information can be applied to really any genre of photography, and I will also talk a little bit about the state of the industry.
Let’s get to it!
This page contains links to products, so if you find this site useful and use a link to make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks!
Mirrorless vs. DSLR
It’s 2020, and essentially all major camera manufacturers are moving to mirrorless. Sony was the mirrorless pioneer, but now Canon and Nikon are putting most of their efforts into mirrorless. I highly recommend getting a mirrorless camera, which will allow you to use the vast majority of new lenses released by camera manufacturers in the future. If you get a mirrorless camera body with a Canon R mount, Nikon Z Mount, or Sony E Mount, you will also be able to use all of the manufacturers’ older DSLR lenses by purchasing one of their adapters. Camera manufacturers’ newest camera bodies and lenses are going to be mostly mirrorless going forward. (See also: my article about how Canon’s recent mirrorless cameras blow away their previous DSLR’s in shadow recovery)
The best choice: Mirrorless
Full-Frame vs. APS-C
Cameras referred to as “full-frame” have larger sensors than cameras referred to as “APS-C” or “crop sensor” cameras, and so they tend to produce images with better detail and more dynamic range. Full-frame cameras have sensors that are 36x24mm wide, and APS-C camera sensors are around 23x15mm but vary slightly by brand.
In the past, camera manufacturers have released a wide variety of APS-C camera & lenses alongside a wide variety of full-frame cameras & lenses. The two camera sensor sizes and their lenses lived side by side in vibrant and profitable markets, bringing home the Benjamins to the camera manufacturers. Think of how popular and well known Canon’s Digital Rebel series was (APS-C camera)! However, I think that is changing. In my opinion, camera companies are going to be putting significantly less effort into APS-C than they have in the past, and focus most of their R&D efforts on full-frame.
The improvement in smartphone camera quality continues to reduce the market for low end camera bodies, and point-and-shoot camera have plummeted. As smartphone camera quality continues to improve, people will use dedicated low-end cameras in fewer situations. At the high end of photography we have full-frame or medium format. Phone photography can’t touch the high end. In the middle, we have APS-C cameras. Canon has already released a sub-$1,000 full-frame mirrorless camera, which essentially begins to place a psychological cost ceiling for APS-C camera bodies at $1,000. Why would you buy a crop sensor for more than $1,000 when you can get a full-frame sensor for less than $1,000? Sony and Nikon haven’t released a sub-$1,000 full-frame camera yet, but they probably are already working on it. This means we have smartphones replacing more of the low end, and full-frame cameras starting to occupy price ranges previously reserved for the mid-range. APS-C cameras are still cheaper and there are lenses available for a variety of purposes, but I think there will be fewer APS-C lenses released in the future as that market shrinks.
All that is to say, full-frame cameras not only produce higher quality images, but they are probably more likely to be future-proof. If you buy an APS-C camera body and some lenses for it now, you may end up having to sell all your APS-C lenses if you upgrade to a full-frame camera body later, and start over with a bunch of full-frame lens purchases. If you start with full-frame now, you can start building a lens collection that will probably be compatible with your future camera body purchases. People tend to keep lenses longer than camera bodies, because lens technology advances slower than camera body technology.
The best choice if your budget can swing it: Full-Frame
Canon EOS R5
Canon EOS R6
Canon EOS R
Canon EOS RP
Nikon Z5
Nikon Z6
Nikon Z7
Sony a7R IV
Sony a7R III
Sony a7R II
The real estate photography cameras for a limited budget: APS-C
Camera Brands
Canon, Nikon, and Sony have been the primary three camera manufacturers in recent years. In 2019 Canon had about 45% of the overall camera market, Sony had about 20%, and Nikon had about 18%. Sony has been doing extremely well with full frame and mirrorless sales, however. Sony has been in the full-frame mirrorless game since 2013, with Canon and Nikon entering in 2018. Canon’s first full-frame mirrorless offerings were not good enough to match Sony, but now that they’ve released their flagship EOS R5 and EOS R6 in 2020, their mirrorless cameras are among the best.
Nikon has not released a new “flagship” full-frame mirrorless camera since 2018. They recently released the Nikon Z5, which is simply their cheapest full-frame mirrorless camera. But as I am writing this article, Nikon has an event scheduled where they will release information about their new Z6 II and Z7 II full-frame mirrorless. Hopefully they will continue to remain competitive with Canon and Sony, because competition makes cameras better for photographers!
As I mentioned earlier, Canon is currently the only brand making a sub-$1,000 full-frame mirrorless with the Canon EOS RP. Even though it’s the cheapest full-frame mirrorless you can get, any Canon RF lenses you buy to use with the RP will work with Canon’s future high-end camera bodies when you want to upgrade. It will be interesting to see how long it takes Sony and Nikon to follow Canon in breaking the $1,000 price point. Keep in mind that if you get a more expensive full-frame mirrorless than the $999 Canon EOS RP to you can get more features, better dynamic range, more megapixels, more photos per second, etc. But you don’t need any of those things for real estate photography! The camera’s dynamic range is not as important as in many other photography genres because your subject doesn’t move, and you can exposure bracket your scenes. You can put your camera on a tripod and take several photos that are 1 stop apart, then manually blend them in Adobe Photoshop or quickly merge them to HDR in Adobe Lightroom. You don’t need fantastic autofocus because you aren’t photographing birds in the Amazon. Buying the cheapest full-frame mirrorless available to get started in real estate is not a bad idea, especially with a limited budget. If you are going to be using the camera in multiple genres, like weddings or night photography, you might start to run into a cheaper camera’s limitations more quickly than a high-end model.
Camera Body Price Point Winner: Canon
One of the reasons people go with one camera brand or another is available lenses. I’m not going to jump into the world of 3rd party lenses right now (Sigma, Tamron, Rokinon, Zeiss, Samyang), but here are some lenses that will be able to get you through any real estate photoshoot, whether interior or exterior. All of these lenses can be used on the corresponding camera brand’s mirrorless camera bodies without an adapter, and are (in my opinion) the focal length sweet spot for your first real estate photography lens purchase. Keep in mind you can’t use a lens made by one brand with another brand of camera body (e.g. you can’t use a mirrorless Sony lens with a mirrorless Canon body or vice versa).
Full-Frame Mirrorless Lenses
Canon RF 15-35mm F2.8 L IS USM
Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS
Canon’s lens is faster (f/2.8 vs f/4) than the Sony or Nikon lenses I selected above and has the biggest zoom range. As a result it’s about $1,000 more expensive. Canon does not currently have a cheaper full-frame mirrorless (RF mount) do-it-all real estate lens. They do have an older EF-mount lens (for their previous DSLR’s) that you could use with an adapter for a similar price point (below), but since Sony and Nikon have cheaper mirrorless mount real estate lenses I’ll give them the price point win.
Canon EF 16-35 f/4 IS USM
Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R - the adapter required to use a Canon EF lens with one of their mirrorless camera bodies
Full-Frame Mirrorless Do-It-All Real Estate Lens Price Point Winners: Sony & Nikon
APS-C Mirrorless Lenses
If you end up going with an APS-C mirrorless camera body, then here are the lenses you could use. Notice the focal lengths all seem shorter than the full-frame lenses. That’s because APS-C (crop sensor) cameras have a 1.5x or 1.6x crop factor, so in order to be as wide as a full-frame camera you have to have wider focal ranges in the lenses.
Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 STM
Since Nikon’s mirrorless APS-C real estate lens doesn’t exist, I’ll give the win to Canon and Sony. You can still use the Z50 for real estate but you’d have to use an older lens with an adapter.
Nikon Mount Adapter FTZ
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
APS-C Mirrorless Do-It-All Real Estate Lens Winners: Canon & Sony
Understanding Focal Lengths in Real Estate Photography
The reason I chose specific lenses for this real estate specific article is their focal length ranges. Most real estate work can be done from around 16-17mm up to around 30-35mm (when dealing with full-frame focal lengths). When you are trying to capture an entire bedroom or the expanse of the main living areas, you may find yourself wanting to be below 20mm. When you are photographing the details, the kitchen, or exteriors of a home, I tend to like to be at a longer focal length, like 24-35mm. Having a single zoom lens that allows you to handle any of these focal length ranges will allow you to move quickly through a photoshoot without changing lenses. If you get to a point in your career where you get to spend more time during photoshoots you could start using specialized lenses like tilt shift lenses or longer focal lengths, but for anyone who is just getting started it is extremely valuable to have your workhorse lens that can handle the entirety of any job.
Wider focal lengths tend to exaggerate the size of whatever objects are close to the camera, and longer focal lengths tend to make everything in the frame a more appropriate size. If you can fit everything you want in a shot at a longer focal length the composition will probably be more pleasing, but in many cases a realtor will want you to show the whole room or make rooms look big. If you look at real estate photos on Zillow or your local MLS the interior photos tend to be fairly wide in general. If you are just starting you should probably provide wide photos that show the whole room to the realtors that hire you and use longer focal lengths on the exterior. As you practice composition you might start finding ways to capture rooms using longer focal lengths in ways that the realtors appreciate, but you will probably start out with lots of clients that want wide interior photos for selling houses.
Summary
Hopefully this article gives you enough information to get started. You really could get started with any brand of camera and lens, but I would definitely go with a full-frame mirrorless if you can make it work. Not only will full-frame cameras produce better images, but they are cheaper than ever before and full-frame lenses can be used on your next few camera bodies as well. I will try to update this article as new products come out in the future, but for now here is a summary of the products mentioned in this article. If you found it helpful and use one of these links, I’ll get a small commission. Thanks!
Products Mentioned in this Article
Canon Cameras
Canon EOS R5
Canon’s Best Full-Frame Mirrorless
Canon EOS R6
Canon’s Mid-Range Full-Frame Mirrorless
Canon EOS RP
Canon’s Cheapest Full-Frame Mirrorless
Canon EOS M50
A Canon Mirrorless APS-C (Lower Cost than Full-Frame, but compatible lenses are probably less future-proof)
Canon Lenses
Canon RF 15-35mm f/2.8L IS USM
A very fast, expensive, sharp full-frame mirrorless lens that can handle everything from real estate to astrophotography.
Canon EF 16-35 f/4 IS USM
An older, cheaper canon lens that you can use on a full-frame mirrorless with an adapter.
Canon EF-M 11-22mm f/4-5.6 IS STM
A Canon APS-C lens that is only compatible with the M50
Sony Cameras
Sony a7R IV
Sony’s Highest Megapixel Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera
Sony a7R III
A mid-range Sony Full-Frame Mirrorless Camera
Sony a7R II
A lower-cost Sony Full-Frame Mirrorless
Sony a6100
A Sony Mirrorless APS-C (Lower Cost than Full-Frame, but compatible lenses are less future-proof)
Sony Lenses
Sony 16-35mm Vario-Tessar T FE F4 ZA OSS
A reasonably priced lens for your full-frame mirrorless Sony camera that can handle any real estate job
Sony E 10-18mm F4 OSS
An APS-C lens for your Sony a6100 with an ideal real estate focal range
Nikon Cameras
Nikon Z7
Nikon’s Best Full-Frame Mirrorless
Nikon Z6
Nikon’s Mid-Range Full-Frame Mirrorless
Nikon Z5
Nikon’s Cheapest Full-Frame Mirrorless
Nikon Lenses
Nikon Z 14-30mm f/4 S
A lens for Nikon full-frame mirrorless with a good real estate focal range
Nikon AF-P DX NIKKOR 10-20mm f/4.5-5.6G VR
An APS-C lens to use with the Nikon Z50, but it requires an adapter
Canon Announces New R5 and R6 Cameras, Begins Pre-orders
MELVILLE, NY, July 9, 2020 – With anticipation at a fever pitch, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the company’s next generation of full-frame mirrorless cameras – the EOS R5 and EOS R6. These groundbreaking cameras are the result of many years of collecting and listening to feedback from Canon users and are sure to meet the needs and demands of a variety of creators. The EOS R5 is a camera designed for professional applications featuring a new 45-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and uncropped 8K video recording up to 29.97 fps.
The Secret Is Out: Canon Officially Announces The Canon EOS R5 and R6, The Company's Most Advanced Full-Frame Mirrorless Cameras Ever
The Company is Also Announcing Four RF Lenses, Two RF Lens Extenders, and a PRO Printer
( This page contains links to products, so if you find this site useful and use a link to make a purchase, I’ll get a small commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Thanks!)
MELVILLE, NY, July 9, 2020 – With anticipation at a fever pitch, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, is excited to introduce the company’s next generation of full-frame mirrorless cameras – the EOS R5 and EOS R6. These groundbreaking cameras are the result of many years of collecting and listening to feedback from Canon users and are sure to meet the needs and demands of a variety of creators. The EOS R5 is a camera designed for professional applications featuring a new 45-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and uncropped 8K video recording up to 29.97 fps. The EOS R6 is geared towards advanced amateurs featuring a 20.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and 4K video recording up to 59.94 fps. The addition of the EOS R5 and the EOS R6 cameras within the EOS R series lineup further solidifies Canon’s commitment to providing the equipment needed for users to bring their content to the next level.
Canon is also introducing four RF lenses and two RF lens extenders: The Canon RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM, Canon RF600mm F11 IS STM, Canon RF800mm F11 IS STM, and RF85mm F2 MACRO IS STM lenses. All four new lenses were designed to meet the ever-expanding demands of the skilled creatives who capture amazing imagery using EOS R series cameras, including the new EOS R5 and EOS R6. In addition to the lenses, there are two new RF lens extenders, a 1.4x and a 2x model, allowing for users to take their compatible RF lens focal lengths even farther, and a 13-inch professional printer, the imagePROGRAF PRO-300, to bring photos to life through the power of print.
“For all of the Canon research and development team members who worked tirelessly on the production of these new products, today marks the culmination of a long journey. For those people looking for the next great tools to work with to expand their creative possibilities, the door is now wide open,” said Tatsuro “Tony” Kano, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Canon U.S.A.’s Imaging Technologies & Communications Group. “The industry has asked for new products that can push their levels of creativity to new heights, and we are confident that the EOS R5 and EOS R6, alongside the new lenses, lens extenders, and the pro printer, will fulfill those needs and more.”
Canon EOS R5 and EOS R6
Both the EOS R5 and EOS R6 cameras have the ability to capture the action of a variety of fast-moving subjects with impressive accuracy and speed. When using the mechanical shutter, each can shoot up to 12 fps and up to 20 fps when using the completely silent shutter. Both cameras are the first to be outfitted with Canon’s advanced Dual Pixel CMOS AF II which utilizes up to approximately100 percent coverage of the AF area and EOS iTR AF X incorporating AF tracking algorithms using deep learning technology and enhanced readout speed of the CMOS sensor and processing speed thanks to the DIGIC X image processor. The 1,053 automatically selected AF Zones are made even more potent by the ability to detect the human eye, face or head as well as the eye, face or body of animals such as dogs, cats and even birds[i]. Adding to the feature set is the 5-axis In-Body Image Stabilizer, having coordinated control with Optical Image Stabilizer in IS equipped RF lenses. This provides up to 8 stops[ii] of shake correction, a feature that many creators have long asked for from Canon. Both the EOS R5 and R6 cameras come with a new LP-E6NH battery with a higher capacity than the previous model.
As the new flagship model in the EOS R series lineup, the EOS R5 camera has features that pack a punch for a variety of users who create both still and video content. It has a powerful 45-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and is driven by the speedy DIGIC X image processor, giving wide dynamic range as well as boasting an ISO range of 100-51,200 that is expandable up to 102,400[iii]. In a camera full of eye-popping features, one that really stands out is the ability to record uncropped 8K RAW internal video recording up to 29.97 fps and 8K internal video recording up to 29.97 fps in 4:2:2 10-bit Canon Log (H.265)/4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265). The camera can also record 4K internal video recording up to 119.88 fps in 4:2:2 10-bit Canon Log (H.265)/4:2:2 10-bit HDR PQ (H.265). External recording in 4K is also available up to 59.94 fps. When in DCI modes, the 8K and 4K video recording is uncropped and Dual Pixel CMOS AF II is available in all 8K and 4K recording modes. Additional features of the EOS R5 camera include:
Dual-card slots: 1x CFexpress[iv] and 1x SD UHS-II[v]
Built-in 0.5-inch OLED EVF with approximately 5.76 million dots and a 119.88 fps refresh rate[vi]
3.2-inch 2.1 million dots vari-angle LCD touch screen
5GHz/2.4GHz Built-in Wi-Fi®[vii] and Bluetooth[viii] Technology with the ability to utilize the image.canon application, as well as optional WFT-R10A wireless file transmitter with Ethernet support
Enhanced operating controls such as rear-dial, multi-controller
The ability to voice tag photos and videos
Weather, drip and dust sealing on par with the EOS 5D series
The EOS R6 camera is well-equipped with a host of new features to push the limits of creativity for imaging enthusiasts. The combination of the EOS-1D X Mark III based 20.1-megapixel full-frame CMOS sensor and the DIGIC X image processor produces an ISO range of 100-102,400 and is expandable to 204,800. Internal video recording at 4K is capable up to 59.94 fps or 1080p up to 119.88 fps in 10 bit 4:2:2 Canon Log(H.265) or HDR PQ(H.265). The camera also features a built-in 0.5-inch OLED EVF with approximately 3.69 million dots and a 119.88 fps refresh rate[vi]. Additional features of the EOS R6 camera include:
Dual UHS-II SD card slots
3-inch 1.62 million dots vari-angle LCD touch screen
2.4GHz Built-in Wi-Fi®[vii] and Bluetooth Technology[viii] with the ability to utilize the image.canon application
Enhanced operating controls such as rear-dial, multi-controller
Weather, drip and dust sealing on par with the EOS 6D series
Pre-orders Now Available on Amazon
The Good, the Bad, & the Beautiful - Using Teleconverters & Extenders
The Benefits, Disadvantages, & Considerations of Using Teleconverters/Focal Length Extenders with your Lenses.
The Benefits, Disadvantages, & Considerations of Using Teleconverters/Focal Length Extenders with your Lenses
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So you wish you had an 800mm lens, but they can be a little pricey. Or, maybe you already have a 70-200mm lens and just want some extra focal length occasionally, but not frequently enough to justify the purchase of an additional lens. Depending on your photographic intentions, an extender (some call them teleconverters) might be the perfect fit.
You typically install the teleconverter on the lens first, and then attach the lens (with the teleconverter) to the camera body. The effect this has is essentially a magnification of what is showing in the center of your telephoto lens, effectively increasing your focal length. If you install a 1.4x extender you’ll see a 40% increase in focal length, and with a 2x extender you’ll see your focal length double. Different camera manufacturers have compatibility charts to show you which lenses the extenders are compatible with, you make sure you check their specifications to make sure your lens is compatible.
The Benefits
Teleconverters are a really a great option for a number of reasons. If you want to travel somewhere to photograph a subject at 800mm but only have space and weight limit for a 100-400mm lens (Canon’s EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM lens is 10 lbs & 18 inches long vs. the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM which is only 3.5 lbs & less than 8 inches long), you could add a 2x teleconverter to your 100-400 zoom to attain 800mm in a more travel-friendly package.
Another obvious benefit is the price. Using a teleconverter to get you above 600mm is going to be a fraction of the cost of buying a lens with a focal length over 600mm.
Teleconverters also open up possibilities that otherwise would not be possible. For example, if you own a Nikon AF-S FX NIKKOR 200-500mm f/5.6E ED, you could pop on one of their teleconverters and carry around a 400-1000mm zoom lens!
Everything looks better at 1000mm! This photo of the Lighthouse in South Haven, Michigan at sunset was taken with a 2x teleconverter on a 100-500mm lens.
The Disadvantages & Considerations
Fortunately for teleconverter users, the sharpest part of a lens is typically the center, which is what extenders are magnifying. That being said, images produced by a dedicated 800mm lens are going to be sharper and cleaner than a 400mm lens with a 2x teleconverter. Considering the price difference, that should be expected! Teleconverters can magnify lens imperfections like chromatic aberration and softness, whereas an enormous 800mm lens with an equally enormous price tag is designed to be tack-sharp at its focal length.
The more noticeable disadvantages of teleconverters are all related to the fact that they reduce the amount of light the lens captures by preventing you from using the widest aperture the lens could otherwise offer. If you think about how big the glass is on an 800mm f/5.6 lens compared with the size of the glass on a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, a loss of lens speed makes sense, because the aperture number (or f-stop) is the focal length divided by the diameter of the entrance pupil. Since a teleconverter increases the focal length without increasing the diameter of the lens glass, the aperture ratios are all higher. This means if you put a 1.4x extender on a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, you will now have a 140-560mm f/6.3-8 lens. If you put a 2x extender on a 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 lens, you’d now have a 200-800mm f/9-11 lens.
Considerations for the reduction in lens speed include:
Autofocus might be slower, limited, or unavailable, depending on the extender and lens combination
Camera shake will be more of a concern since you are using longer focal lengths and cannot use wide open apertures
A DSLR’s optical viewfinder will be noticeably darker, because you don’t have access to the widest aperture as you would without the extender
Manual focusing might be more difficult in low light whether using an optical viewfinder or the live view on a mirrorless or DSLR camera, because live view & electronic viewfinders will be noisier due to the slower lens speeds
Since most of the disadvantages of using focal length extenders/teleconverters are related to reduced light, that will be what most people should consider when deciding whether or not to use one. If you rely heavily on fast autofocus or use autofocus to track moving subjects, a teleconverter might be more difficult or impossible to use. If you are hand-holding the camera in lighting conditions other than bright daylight, ISO might have to increase enough to add noise to your photos.
If you’re able to use a sturdy tripod while shooting it will help negate some of the effects of the slower lens speeds and longer focal lengths.
Alternatives
There are alternatives to using teleconverters to zoom into far away subjects without slowing down your lens. One of those would be to use a high-megapixel APS-C camera. Since APS-C cameras have a crop factor of around 1.5 or 1.6, you could put your full-frame compatible lens on a compatible APS-C camera and get 1.5x the focal length without losing lens speed and auto focus capabilities. Of course, this would be a useless exercise if you own a 61-megapixel full frame camera and throw one of the full-frame compatible lenses on a 30-megapixel APS-C! But, if you’re comparing a 30-megapixel full frame with a 30-megapixel APS-C, it might be useful to get 1.5x longer focal length on the APS-C.
Another option would be to simply use a high megapixel camera and crop the image in post-processing. Since Canon, Nikon, Fujifilm, and Sony all make at least one model of camera body that is at least 45 megapixels, you could crop the image significantly to make it look like you used a much longer focal length, and still have enough detail to use the image for many purposes.
Hopefully that gives readers and focal-length enthusiasts a better idea of what teleconverters/extenders can do, and how they affect camera use. As mentioned at the top, if you found this article helpful and use a product link to make a purchase, I’ll make a small commission. Thanks!
