Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM 800mm
Its retractable, locking barrel and gapless diffractive optics deliver an 800mm reach in a 1260g body, making handheld super-telephoto shooting genuinely practical. The fixed f/11 aperture keeps the design compact and affordable, while 4-stop optical stabilization helps maintain sharpness in lower light. This lens is best for wildlife and outdoor sports photographers who need extreme reach without the bulk or cost of traditional fast super-telephotos.
Snapshot
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Strong stabilization (93rd percentile) 93rd
- Strong af (87th percentile) 87th
- Strong social proof (78th percentile) 78th
Cons
- Below average build (23rd percentile)
- Below average macro (26th percentile)
- Below average versatility (34th percentile)
What owners think
How owner sentiment changed over time
ExclusiveBased on when customers actually wrote their reviews - so you can see whether early praise held up.
Based on 54 dated customer reviews, grouped by calendar quarter. Period analysis is in English.
The proof
Performance
Specifications
Full Specifications
Optics
| Type | Super-telephoto |
| Focal Length Min | 800 |
| Focal Length Max | 800 |
| Elements | 11 |
| Groups | 8 |
| Coating | Air Sphere and Super Spectra Coatings |
Aperture
| Max Aperture | f/11 |
| Min Aperture | f/11 |
| Constant | Yes |
| Diaphragm Blades | 9 |
Build
| Mount | Canon RF |
| Format | full-frame |
| Weather Sealed | Yes |
| Weight | 1.3 kg / 2.8 lbs |
| Filter Thread | 95 |
AF & Stabilization
| AF Type | STM |
| Stabilization | Yes |
| Stabilization Stops | 4 |
Focus
| Min Focus Distance | 6000 |
| Max Magnification | 1:7 |
vs Competition
| Spec | Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM 800mm | Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 | Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 VXD G2 | Sigma Contemporary 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN | Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12060 | Sony G SELP28135G.SYX |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal Length | 800mm | 17-28mm | 28-75mm | 10-18mm | 12-60mm | 28-135mm |
| Max Aperture | f/11 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/2.8 | f/4 |
| Mount | Canon RF | Nikon Z | Sony E | Sony E | Micro Four Thirds | Sony E |
| Stabilization | true | false | false | false | true | true |
| Weather Sealed | true | true | true | true | true | true |
| Weight (g) | 1260 | 450 | 540 | 260 | 320 | 420 |
| AF Type | STM | Stepping Motor | VXD | Autofocus | linear motor | SSM |
| Lens Type | super-telephoto | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom | zoom |
| Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare | Compare |
| Product | AF | Bokeh | Build | Macro | Optical | Aperture | Versatility | Social Proof | Stabilization |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canon RF 800mm f/11 IS STM 800mm | 87 | 53.6 | 23.1 | 25.9 | 53.2 | 54.9 | 33.6 | 77.9 | 92.8 |
| Nikon NIKKOR Z 17-28mm f/2.8 Compare | 87 | 88.1 | 73.6 | 86.3 | 87 | 85.8 | 68.1 | 64.6 | 38 |
| Tamron Di III 28-75mm f/2.8 VXD G2 Compare | 54.6 | 88.1 | 67.2 | 87.3 | 87.8 | 85.8 | 78.2 | 83.1 | 38 |
| Sigma Contemporary 10-18mm f/2.8 DC DN Compare | 54.6 | 83.5 | 87.3 | 93.3 | 81.6 | 85.8 | 69.1 | 68.8 | 38 |
| Panasonic Leica DG Vario-Elmarit H-ES12060 Compare | 98 | 88.1 | 83.1 | 50.4 | 90.2 | 85.8 | 93.1 | 63.5 | 83.2 |
| Sony G SELP28135G.SYX Compare | 94.2 | 80.2 | 75.5 | 31.2 | 87 | 69.9 | 92.4 | 50.2 | 92.8 |
Usage Scores
A full written review is coming soon. The specs, scores, prices and charts above are always up to date.
