Canon introduces the RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM

Sunday 23 April 2023, 14:41 by Nando Harmsen | 3,181 views | 10 comments

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Canon has introduced a very interesting super-telephoto zoom lens, the RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM. This fast lens with this zoom range could be very interesting for a large group of photographers.

Previously, when it came to super-telephoto lenses with a large aperture, you had to rely on fixed focal length lenses. A 300mm f/2.8 or a 400mm f/2.8. This meant you missed out on the flexibility of a zoom lens.

Canon has addressed this with the introduction of the RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM. The lens combines the flexibility of a zoom with a large aperture. It is ideal for sports photography, including indoor sports, and for news and nature photography.

The lens has a fixed aperture of f/2.8 and a minimum focusing distance of 1.8 metres. The magnification factor is 0.16x. At 2.59 kilograms, it is not a light lens, but it is still the lightest in its class.

The lens can be combined with the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters. The zoom range and maximum aperture then become 140-420mm at f/4 and 200-600mm at f/5.6, respectively. The lens's image stabilisation is 5.5 stops.

The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8L IS USM will be available from May 2023. The recommended retail price is 12,199 euros.

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About the author

Nando Harmsen has been photographing for more than 40 years. He specialises in wedding photography and landscape photography. Nando also gives talks, workshops, masterclasses and photo trips, and regularly reviews new and interesting equipment.

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10 comments

Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 10:29 | reply
The article is almost a copy of Canon's press release. In any case, it is not a review.
The lens will certainly be of excellent quality, and it should be for a price of over 12000€. So unaffordable for most amateur photographers.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 10:34 | reply
@Donald: it is indeed not a review but an announcement. What makes you think this would be a review?
Translated from Dutch.

Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 10:53 | reply
@Nando, an announcement is of course fine, but in my opinion a review is better, because you then read more about the experiences with the lens and whether the promises made in the announcement are fulfilled.
Personally, I will never buy this lens, because that would cost me my gross annual income. I would certainly like to have it, don't get me wrong, but then I would also like to see reviews. I do find reviews important to take into consideration when making a purchase decision. Reviews partly determined that I traded in my DSLRs for a Canon Eos R7.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 11:01 | reply
@Donald: if Canon Netherlands provides a copy, there will definitely be a review.
Translated from Dutch.

Donald Willemsen wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 11:11 | reply
@Nando, unfortunately Canon only has one copy available in the entire Benelux for reviews.
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Thursday 4 May 2023 at 09:31 | reply
Donald, it looks like I managed to arrange that one copy for a review. At the end of May I expect to be able to write a nice review - stay tuned
Translated from Dutch.

Donald Willemsen wrote on Thursday 4 May 2023 at 10:34 | reply
@Nando, I am very curious about your findings. I think I am not the only one.
Translated from Dutch.

WIl wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 13:32 | reply
You say: "The lens can be combined with the 1.4x and 2.0x teleconverters. The zoom range and maximum aperture then become 140-420mm at f/4 and 200-500mm at f/5.6, respectively." Why not 200-600mm?
Translated from Dutch.

Nando wrote on Wednesday 26 April 2023 at 09:24 | reply
A typo.
I will adjust it
Thank you for pointing it out
Translated from Dutch.

Marcel de Bruin wrote on Tuesday 25 April 2023 at 17:39 | reply
Beautiful lens, however a missed opportunity that it doesn't have a built-in TC! The price is bizarre and I don't know whether it will really significantly outperform my EF f2.8 300mm... The zoom function may come in handy though.
Translated from Dutch.

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