Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM Lens Overview

Introduction

The Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is a compact and affordable telephoto zoom lens for Canon’s full-frame RF mirrorless system. Offering impressive reach in a lightweight body, it’s a versatile option for wildlife, sports, and travel photographers who want high-quality telephoto performance without the bulk of traditional super-telephoto lenses.

Design & Build

Designed with portability in mind, the RF 100-400mm weighs just 635g, making it easy to carry on long shoots or trips. Despite its lightweight build, it maintains solid construction with a smooth zoom ring and well-placed controls for intuitive handling. The lens is designed to balance comfortably on both full-frame and APS-C RF-mount cameras.

Optical Performance

The lens provides a flexible focal range of 100–400mm, extending to 160–640mm equivalent when paired with an APS-C body. It features advanced optics with Super Spectra Coating to reduce flare and ghosting, ensuring sharp and vibrant images. The variable aperture of f/5.6–8 helps keep the design compact while still delivering quality results.

Autofocus & Stabilization

Powered by Canon’s Nano USM motor, the autofocus is fast, accurate, and quiet—ideal for both still photography and video recording. The built-in Optical Image Stabilizer offers up to 5.5 stops of shake correction, which extends to 6 stops when used with compatible in-body stabilization (IBIS). This ensures sharp handheld shots even at long focal lengths.

Creative Flexibility

The RF 100-400mm is compatible with Canon RF teleconverters, pushing its reach even further for wildlife and sports shooters. With a close focusing distance of just 88cm at 100mm, it also enables semi-macro shooting, offering up to 0.41x magnification for detailed close-ups of subjects like flowers, textures, and small wildlife.

Compatibility

As part of the RF lineup, this lens is designed exclusively for Canon EOS R-series mirrorless cameras. It complements lightweight bodies like the EOS R7 or EOS R10 for APS-C shooters, as well as full-frame models like the EOS R6 or EOS R5, making it a versatile telephoto solution across the lineup.

Conclusion

The Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM is an excellent choice for photographers who need telephoto reach in a compact, affordable package. With sharp optics, reliable stabilization, fast autofocus, and compatibility with teleconverters, it delivers flexibility for wildlife, sports, travel, and close-up photography. Lightweight yet powerful, this lens is a practical addition to any RF-mount kit.

Canon RF 100-400mm F/5.6-8 IS USM Camera Lens Specs