All of the R6 Mark II photos (except the Caroline Wren) were made on a tripod and gimbal head in decent light. The R7 shots were handheld in closer to mid-day light.
Hello Phil , thank you very much for your nice videos... I like your videos very much.. But this video has not the quality like all your other videos...Perhaps you can think about , why all your videos are offered in a far better quality... So I have no oportunities to compare your photos because of the bad quality.. I just have controlled my tablet and all other videos are offered in a far! better quality! So I hope you can change the quality later.. Best wishes, Jörg Preis
Thanks for getting this out so quickly, Phil. Firstly, I've never seen that many sandhills in one place. That is awesome! They are such striking birds. Looks like heat aberrations might be an issue with that distance on the R7 as I saw some interesting background in the shots. In general, it looks quick sharp when you fill the frame and there were a few of those in flight shots with the crane small in the frame that were absolutely beautiful. Looking forward to your thoughts on this very the RF 100-500 at some point. Seems like a very solid performer from Canon here.
You now have the 200-800 mm. And you have the 100-500mm on the r7 that crops th 160-800. Sounds like a side by side showdown is in order. Keep up the good work.
I think that the 200-800 is an affordable lens for 800 mm. Canon is going to sell alot of 200-800 because the quality and the focal length is meeting a market demand. I fussed over the 100-500 or the 200-800 and finally decided that for the cost and focal length then it was certainly good enough for me. I intend to pair this with an R5 ii and a 1.4 extender.
Wow, safe to say I'm impressed with the way these turned out - some GREAT shots. I think having access to 800mm is going to be extremely fun and useful. Can't wait to get mine and take advantage of the winter birds here in Florida.
Aloha Phil and thanks for getting this video posted quickly. I appreciate your time and effort. I look forward to seeing some head shots of tiny tiny song birds!
Thanks for sharing photos from this lens so quickly. I’m convinced by your video that the 200-800 performs nicely with a good camera like the R6mII and the R3. I think that I will get less keepers with my R7, which is what I currently have. I have also preordered a 200-800 and my dream is to combine it with the R5mark II. You got your 200-800 before I got mine, so I’m thrilled so watch your video. I liked your landscape photos also.I am looking forward to seeing more videos from you using that lens. I hope to get my preordered 200-800 this month. Greetings from Per, Denmark
Awesome 🙂 Thank you Phil 👍 Looks like you had a good time with the new lens, and no big surprises. Anxious to see you shoot some more small birds from closer, which should be really easy for you with your fantastic blind setup. Anyway, this just makes me all the more anxious to be getting my rental in about a week 😉 Thanks again 👍
Thanks Phil.......Ive been waiting to see this video since you announced it. Anxious to see if you think it is a good investment, even if you own the R6II & 100-500 (+1.4 tele).
I live in Norway, that is not cold :) I have taken photo of swans in -19 Celsius. It,s warmer in the water they are in then it is in the air. So they are dipping their hole body in the water all the time. Seems like a great lens. I will purchase one as soon as it is in stock her in Norway. Great video.
Great stuff Phil, thanks for sharing this , here in the UK we can only dream of Crane shots like you have! A good variety of images and actually I think the 200-800 renders backgrounds very well indeed! 👏👍😀 PS you’re very natural in front of the camera, some folks I watch seem to exaggerate everything and pull strange faces when recording themselves, which can be a bit off putting, lol.
Thank you! Well, it's cheaper, it's 100mm longer and it's 1/3 stop faster than the 100-500 with 1.4x attached. I'll have to look into a sharpness comparison at some point.
Thanks for sharing the results from the new lens Phil. What’s your thoughts on it using on a full frame compared to a crop sensor after your outing? Cheers for sharing 👍
Thank you, Adrian! I think this lens is better on a full frame camera. It's nearly overkill on APSC especially on Canon's higher 1.6x crop ratio. This lens allows me to do bird photography with my best autofocusing camera body, the R6 Mark II. A lens like this almost makes me consider a high resolution full frame body.
I’m so glad I wasn’t lured in by this lens. Got the 100-500 instead for my R7. 500mm on a crop is all you need. Plus you get L glass with f4.5-7.1. If I bought this lens I know id regret it and always wonder what I could have been missing. And it would have been a LOT. Trust me.
I have an R7 and the 100-500 L. You'll find many many videos on this channel where I use that combination. My fiancee, Heather, uses that combo as well. We love it. I will say the R6 Mark II with this new lens certainly focuses a little better. It also weighs more. There are pros and cos with both combinations.
Phil, that really appears to be a sweetheart lense , open at f9 that's pretty decent. It takes alot of light though. Great video some really nice shots Phil. Thanks again for taking us along
I am envious that you got your lens already, happy for you, sad for me. 😂 I am really looking forward to getting my copy of this lens. Your images confirmed for me that I will be happy with this lens.
Well done Phil. You certainly had the rigth light for these photographs. The new lens is looking well worth the investment! How are the pictures looking before processing? I do like the water reflection shots. Well done Canon, it is so nice to have lots of lens options! Good to see you also had some clear weather. I haven't seen a good day in weeks!
Thanks for posting this great first experience video. May I ask, how did you find the handheld experience with this larger lens compared with the 100-500mm?
Excellent video; really helpful with my new R7 and 200-800 on the way. If you could add one of those new “Thanks” buttons to your videos I’d be proud to buy you a beer; those things are really convenient and serve to remind me how indebted I am to all you great photographers who’ve taught me so much.
Hi Phil again thanks for this review, what is the length of the lens foot, I need to order the lens plate and would like to find out the measurement. Thank you so much.
hi Phil Thank you for sharing your experience with Canon Rf 200-800 lens. I think the Canon R6 mark II is the best camera for this lens. What strikes me is that with full-screen birds it seems that the lens performs better than with overview bird photos. thanks again for this informative video.
Sandhill Cranes are abundant here too now. Too bad I get so many mushy photos? I still have not figured out my problem. I just love the flocks of cranes passing over with each photo having different wing patterns. And when pairs get side by side making more cool wing patterns. Great birds to shoot. They make me forget about all the swans and many types of geese with them.
Definitely appreciate this video. I've got an R8 and was considering this lens but decided the weight is too much for me. I have to hike a while and don't like carrying a lot of weight... am spoiled by the 600/f11. Watching your video, I think the 200-800 looks best with the landscape-type shots, where you want to identify the background better. Getting the habitat of the wren is perfect, what a nice shot! Using the fog to help separate the background was a nice strategy. I think using this lens for coastal birds would work well.
Watched on a 43" 4k smart tv @1440P. Gotta say the R6 shots seemed a bit sharper overall. I'm not sure how noticeable the difference would be on a smaller screen if I wasn't looking for it. Great captures just the same. It will be interesting to hear your thoughts after you spend more time with the lens.
There are a bunch of sandies in my area at a safari park. I like the blue and bronze coloring with that wild red head. I have been using a sigma 60-600 on an R6II and have been wanting to see how this lens might compare. I’ll have to rent it from the local camera store whenever it becomes more broadly available. Thanks for the Video.
Great explanatory video, and congratulations for all your shots and good work. I have a canon r6 mark II and canon rf 100-500 with the 1.4x duplicator. I have a question whether to buy the Canon R7 because it has the 1.6x multiplication factor of the body and not invest in the Canon 200--800 or, on the contrary, buy the Canon RF 200-800 and keep the equipment I have. If you could clear my doubts I would appreciate it. Thanks a million.
Hey Phil you made some great shots of the cranes. Looks like that 200-800 did a pretty good job. Now that you have had it for a bit what do you think of it?
Hi Phil, beautiful first images with the 200-800 👍. Strangely, this video (which I knew was coming) only appeared this morning in my windows chrome browser, together with your head-to-head with heather and her 160-800. The 2 videos you posted in between did appear when they should, but RUclips only wanted to expose this one to me only after 11k other already watched it 😛 I must admit, I'm getting pretty tempted to order the 200-800 myself and stop using the TC1.4 on the 100-500. Still waiting a few days for judgement of Jan Wegener and Duade Paton ..
I worked today with the 200-800, then 800 f/11 then 100-500 with 1.4x for a couple of hours at the Sandhill Crane location. All three did well. Working on the images now. The video will be Saturday morning.
@@PhilThach Looking forward to that, and I hope youtube doesn't hide it for me for another 6 days ;-) The 800/11 will not have lost it's qualities and remains the reach-for-$$$ king, but it will never be able to zoom. I would expect the 800/9 images to be a tad more bokehfied than from 700/10. When birds are close enough, I expect the 100-500 to provide the best IQ, but when you need more reach the 200-800 sounds more practical than the 420-700, and according to the MTF's the 200-800 may even give better IQ
@@PhilThach heheh. 15 months ago, I swapped my R6 for the R5 because I was left craving for reach. It seems the 200-800 is game-changing by making the R6 & R6ii much more suitable for birding. When diving deeper in comparing your R6ii + 200-800 with Heather's R7 + 100-500, she has more resolution but with f11.36 a bit less good bokeh .. I believe there remain scripts for many more video's 😛
Thanks. Hope you can get out in some good light and try some more song birds at close to mfd at 800 mm on the r6. It’s the only real way to show the sharpness of that lens. I find it takes me a good little while to give a lens a real shake down because the birds don’t cooperate to let you really test the lens to reveal its real strengths and weaknesses. Lucky you to be the first one on youtube to get the lens. You deserve it though so good on you!
Nice video! I have the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary combined with the R6II. Feel like having an upgrade for better AF and sharper images. Would you recommend the RF 200-800mm or the RF 100-500mm? Thanks!
Really nice Phil. I was looking forward to this video, and you did not disappoint. Very satisfying and informative. Q: How did the lens “feel” shooting with it with the R6 mkii, as compared to using the 100-500, with the 1.4 ext.? Did you ever try an extender in this outing. I noticed you zoomed in and out quite a bit. I trust that capability was helpful in your changing conditions. I’m still holding out for a more technical comparison. But, your videos are more real life and similar to one’s own shooting experience. Thanks again.
Thank you! To me it feels better than the 100-500 with the 1.4 extender. That combination feels weird to me for some reason. Maybe it because it doesn't zoom the entire way.
I am headed to Wheeler Wildlife refuge this morning here in Alabama. Lots of Sandhill cranes there right now. Someone said there's between 12 and 15 Whooping cranes there right now. I'm going to get shots of some up close. I shoot with a Nikon z6 II. It's not the best camera for birds flying. I bought the 180-600mm lens this summer. There's been a lot of pelicans at Wilson Dam on the Tennessee river. It's slightly cloudy today so I think I'll have good shooting conditions. A lot of light but not harsh light.
@@PhilThach that's my biggest issue. The tinted glasses raises your ISO and it degrades your images. There were 3 adult whooping cranes and one juvenile this morning. I missed some great shots of 2 flying. I had lowered my shutter speed for some Sandhills close by that were just standing there. I didn't have time to raise my shutter speed back up when I saw the whooping cranes flying. I might have got one good shot that's not blurry.
Great shots! Love 5:21, 5:54, 6:57. I've been hitting the 100-400 hard this year on the R6, have been cropping heavy, and usually feeling like I want more reach. I'm not looking to rush into anything, but how do you feel about 500, 600, 800? I'd guess at 500 on FF I'll feel somewhat similar as I do now. 600 would feel about right, 800 would be cool but maybe even overkill occasionally? Happy Canon is embracing some of these new designs/zooms/lengths, but I imagine others like me would have loved to see an "ordinary" 200-600 range as well.
The 100-400mm mark ii was my go to lens for birds and wildlife for 5 years and then I had a huge upgrade to the RF 600 f/4. I agree with you that the 100-400 is not enough reach. I considered the 400mm f/2.8, the 600mm f/4, and the 800 f/5.6 and after my research and renting the 600, I knew it was the best focal length for me. I absolutely love that lens and I still have the 100-400 for the shorter rage stuff.
Excellent review Phil. Great shots,although low light performance maybe an issue with the longer focal lengths. I am waiting on mine to try some test shots of small birds in my area. 🙏
I use a Sigma 150-600 C with my R7. Do you think that the 200-800mm would be a good upgrade or is the performance with the R7 not as good as you'd like?
interesting. Looks like a winner. If I didn't already have the 100-599 L lens I would have been on the pre-order list for the 200-800. Your review has peaked interest for sure.
Good info thanks Phil, I guess it’s horses for courses but can we assume the 100-500mm is a bit more useful than the 200-800mm in most circumstances,,? Like a lot of enthusiasts I can only afford one or the other ☹️.
On APS-C I’d recommend the 100-500. On full frame it’s less certain. A lot depends on what you are photographing. Big targets might be better with the 100-500. Small targets might lean toward the 200-800.
It would be very interesting to see a comparison between this Canon RF200-800 and the Sony 200-600, especially in terms of bokeh. Yes, the Canon at 800mm at f9 achieves the same blur as the Sony at f6.3. Greetings
Thanks for the sharing your initial experiences with the 200-800. You didn't mention the AF and/or eye detection with the R6. How does it compare to the R6 on the 100-500? Thanks!
Phil how does the eye tracking work with the birds in flight . Since you're photographing at F 9.0 at 800 mm was the lens having a hard time keeping up with birds in flight .
The camera tracks birds in flight just fine with the f/9 lens. I don't think it narrows it down to just the eye at f/9 or any aperture for that matter.
On R6II IQ looks quite OK actually. On R7 it struggle a bit but not bad too. I wonder how would that compare to 800mm f/11, as I could see that you shot @800mm most of the time anyways. This 200-800mm looks very nice but it is so God damn expensive here in UE.
Here in Europe is priced 2013€ (VAT included) in official distribution with two years warranty, which is not that bad considering what people rumored, still a bit chunk from the bank account, I try to imagine myself with this lens, maybe a bit suspicious around airfields, also not that suitable for just walking around town, so I would still have to keep RF 100-400mm for those purposes.
About the distance of objects It also affects the sharpness. I would like to know that in this clip, when you took the photo On average You stay away from birds. Approximately how many meters? Thank you.
@@PhilThach Thanks very much Phil 🙂 With the amount of bad light we get here in Ireland. I think I need to get the R6II. It looks to be a really good all round camera. Hope you get to photograph some great birds with the 200-800 F9. Wishing and your family a very happy Christmas and a great New Year! 🙂
Are the photos on the R6ii, in flight, taken with eletronic shutter or 1st curtain? Wondering how's the rolling shutter with that camera (I own the R7 and it's awful). Thank you
Yes, I unlisted it after I learned that I accidentally received my lens a little early. I don't want anyone at my camera store to get in trouble over an honest mistake. I'll make it public again sometime next week.
I used a tripod until the Carolina Wren shots, after that all were hand held. It's Heavier than the 100-500 but lighter than many zoom lenses. I found it very handholdable.
@@PhilThachwell for me, it’s only going to have to be “as good” as the 800 F11. When I start testing it in a week, I’ll have the 200-800 on one of my R7’s and the 800 F11 on the other. I plan to literally have both in my blind, shooting a burst or two with one, then grabbing the other combo, and shooting a burst or two with it. This should make comparisons easy, with no lens swapping 😉👍
Thank you! It is 2/3 stop faster. has a better minimum focus distance and is not stuck at 800mm at all times. I do love my 800 f/11 lens but I like this new lens more.
Thank you! It is 2/3 stop faster. has a better minimum focus distance and is not stuck at 800mm at all times. I do love my 800 f/11 lens but I like this new lens more.
Great shots. Nothing to do with the photographer but that lens with high aperture value just does not deliver the pleasing wildlife photos but more like vacation photos..
I want this lens so badly, f/9 and non-L lens build quality....I think I'll pass. I 'll wait and see if Sigma starts building RF lens in 2024 as is rumored, and hope that they come out with something better than this lens.
All of the R6 Mark II photos (except the Caroline Wren) were made on a tripod and gimbal head in decent light. The R7 shots were handheld in closer to mid-day light.
Hello Phil , thank you very much for your nice videos...
I like your videos very much..
But this video has not the quality like all your other videos...Perhaps you can think about , why all your videos are offered in a far better quality... So I have no oportunities to compare your photos because of the bad quality..
I just have controlled my tablet and all other videos are offered in a far! better quality!
So I hope you can change the quality later..
Best wishes, Jörg Preis
@@jorgpreis6406 This video is 4k 24fps just like all my other videos.
Thanks for getting this out so quickly, Phil. Firstly, I've never seen that many sandhills in one place. That is awesome! They are such striking birds. Looks like heat aberrations might be an issue with that distance on the R7 as I saw some interesting background in the shots. In general, it looks quick sharp when you fill the frame and there were a few of those in flight shots with the crane small in the frame that were absolutely beautiful. Looking forward to your thoughts on this very the RF 100-500 at some point. Seems like a very solid performer from Canon here.
Thank you! Yes, Agree, there is only so much distance focal length can overcome before atmosphere degrades the image too much to be useful.
You now have the 200-800 mm. And you have the 100-500mm on the r7 that crops th 160-800.
Sounds like a side by side showdown is in order. Keep up the good work.
That will certainly happen, often. Heather still shoots with the R7 and 100-500.
I also shoot with the r7 and 100-500 mm. Not sure if I should add the 1.4 extender.
Would love to know how well the 200 to 600 focuses, how sharp it is ,and the bokeh quality
I think that the 200-800 is an affordable lens for 800 mm. Canon is going to sell alot of 200-800 because the quality and the focal length is meeting a market demand. I fussed over the 100-500 or the 200-800 and finally decided that for the cost and focal length then it was certainly good enough for me. I intend to pair this with an R5 ii and a 1.4 extender.
Wow, safe to say I'm impressed with the way these turned out - some GREAT shots. I think having access to 800mm is going to be extremely fun and useful. Can't wait to get mine and take advantage of the winter birds here in Florida.
Thank you! I'll be taking it to the Black Point Wildlife Drive in January. Can't wait!
@@PhilThach I’ve never been! I need to check that place out.
Well done. Good to see you this morning.
Thank you, Dan! I'm sorry I didn't bring the 18-50 this morning.
Aloha Phil and thanks for getting this video posted quickly. I appreciate your time and effort. I look forward to seeing some head shots of tiny tiny song birds!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing photos from this lens so quickly. I’m convinced by your video that the 200-800 performs nicely with a good camera like the R6mII and the R3. I think that I will get less keepers with my R7, which is what I currently have. I have also preordered a 200-800 and my dream is to combine it with the R5mark II. You got your 200-800 before I got mine, so I’m thrilled so watch your video. I liked your landscape photos also.I am looking forward to seeing more videos from you using that lens. I hope to get my preordered 200-800 this month. Greetings from Per, Denmark
Thank you!
Awesome 🙂 Thank you Phil 👍 Looks like you had a good time with the new lens, and no big surprises. Anxious to see you shoot some more small birds from closer, which should be really easy for you with your fantastic blind setup.
Anyway, this just makes me all the more anxious to be getting my rental in about a week 😉 Thanks again 👍
Thank you! Will certainly be doing a lot of small bird photography with this lens!
Wow! Look at all the views and comments. This lens is terrific for both photos and content. Well done, Phil!
Thank you, Leon!
Thanks Phil.......Ive been waiting to see this video since you announced it. Anxious to see if you think it is a good investment, even if you own the R6II & 100-500 (+1.4 tele).
Thank you!
I live in Norway, that is not cold :)
I have taken photo of swans in -19 Celsius. It,s warmer in the water they are in then it is in the air. So they are dipping their hole body in the water all the time.
Seems like a great lens. I will purchase one as soon as it is in stock her in Norway. Great video.
Thank you! -19 C is too cold for me. :)
Great stuff Phil, thanks for sharing this , here in the UK we can only dream of Crane shots like you have! A good variety of images and actually I think the 200-800 renders backgrounds very well indeed! 👏👍😀 PS you’re very natural in front of the camera, some folks I watch seem to exaggerate everything and pull strange faces when recording themselves, which can be a bit off putting, lol.
Thank you!
That's actually a Snow Goose x Ross's Goose hybrid at 1:37, cool find! The second shot is a pure Snow Goose.
Thank you! Very interesting!
Awesome shots! I love the Sandhill Cranes. I'm glad you were able to capture the pelicans. I'm hoping to get down there in the next few weeks.
Thank you! I wasn't happy with my pelican shots. I hope to see them again but in better light sometime soon.
great video, thanks Phil. Still not sure there's any substantial advantages of the 200-800 over the 100-500 with a 1.4x ... what do you think ?
Thank you! Well, it's cheaper, it's 100mm longer and it's 1/3 stop faster than the 100-500 with 1.4x attached. I'll have to look into a sharpness comparison at some point.
thank you @@PhilThach
Hello Phil I hope you are having a wonderful day today and having fun with your new lens 👍
Thank you! It was a fun morning!
Well you seem fairly pleased with the new lens. I will continue watching for more reviews on the 200 to 800. Thanks Phil
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing the results from the new lens Phil. What’s your thoughts on it using on a full frame compared to a crop sensor after your outing? Cheers for sharing 👍
Thank you, Adrian! I think this lens is better on a full frame camera. It's nearly overkill on APSC especially on Canon's higher 1.6x crop ratio. This lens allows me to do bird photography with my best autofocusing camera body, the R6 Mark II. A lens like this almost makes me consider a high resolution full frame body.
The new glass looks like it is working great for you 👍📸
Thanks, David!
I’m so glad I wasn’t lured in by this lens. Got the 100-500 instead for my R7.
500mm on a crop is all you need. Plus you get L glass with f4.5-7.1. If I bought this lens I know id regret it and always wonder what I could have been missing. And it would have been a LOT. Trust me.
I have an R7 and the 100-500 L. You'll find many many videos on this channel where I use that combination. My fiancee, Heather, uses that combo as well. We love it. I will say the R6 Mark II with this new lens certainly focuses a little better. It also weighs more. There are pros and cos with both combinations.
Phil, that really appears to be a sweetheart lense , open at f9 that's pretty decent. It takes alot of light though. Great video some really nice shots Phil. Thanks again for taking us along
Thank you!
lovely video mate, really chilled out and informative. one to follow for sure!
Thank you!
Nice photos Phil! I’ve never seen a sandhill crane here in PA. They do visit here but are not as plentiful as where you live.
Thank you! We are pretty lucky that so many of them visit our area!
I am envious that you got your lens already, happy for you, sad for me. 😂
I am really looking forward to getting my copy of this lens. Your images confirmed for me that I will be happy with this lens.
Thank you!
FANTASTIC! Cheers!
Thank you!
The shots with the r6ii looks exceptional
Thank you!
Well done Phil. You certainly had the rigth light for these photographs. The new lens is looking well worth the investment! How are the pictures looking before processing? I do like the water reflection shots. Well done Canon, it is so nice to have lots of lens options! Good to see you also had some clear weather. I haven't seen a good day in weeks!
The Hiwassee Wildlife refuge is setup so that the sun is at your back in the early morning. Perfect!
Cool! Can't wait to get mine from my pre-order! It looks like an amazing lens! Thanks for giving us a real world view!
Thank you!
Thanks for posting this great first experience video. May I ask, how did you find the handheld experience with this larger lens compared with the 100-500mm?
Thank you! The 100-500 is lighter and smaller but this lens is reasonable for it focal length. Very handholdable.
Excellent video; really helpful with my new R7 and 200-800 on the way. If you could add one of those new “Thanks” buttons to your videos I’d be proud to buy you a beer; those things are really convenient and serve to remind me how indebted I am to all you great photographers who’ve taught me so much.
Appreciate this video. I have an R7 and 100-500 combo, and I’ve been anxious to see an objective review of the 200-800.
Thank you! I still own and enjoy the R7 / 100-500 combo.
Blue Heron shots are awesome, Phil. Thanks for the 200-800 peak. Still awaiting mine.
Thank you!
The Images with the R6II looked very nice. Without zooming in to the images it harder to determine but what you presented is very nice.
Thank you!
Loved this video ! The osmo pocket footage looks really nice and smooth !
Thank you! I know they just released version 3 but I'm still happy with version 2!
Hi Phil again thanks for this review, what is the length of the lens foot, I need to order the lens plate and would like to find out the measurement. Thank you so much.
Thank you! The base of the foot is right around 3.75" or 95mm.
Great shots with the new Canon super zoom Phil!👏
Thank you! :)
hi Phil
Thank you for sharing your experience with Canon Rf 200-800 lens. I think the Canon R6 mark II is the best camera for this lens. What strikes me is that with full-screen birds it seems that the lens performs better than with overview bird photos. thanks again for this informative video.
Thank you! I agree. I prefer to use full frame with this lens.
Very nice shots Phil! Seemed to be getting decently fast shutter speeds at modest ISOs.
Thank you! I was lucky to have a lot of light. Still had to go very slow on the shutter speed for the woodland Carolina Wren shots.
Merci Phil pour cette vidéo
Thank you!
Sandhill Cranes are abundant here too now. Too bad I get so many mushy photos? I still have not figured out my problem. I just love the flocks of cranes passing over with each photo having different wing patterns. And when pairs get side by side making more cool wing patterns. Great birds to shoot. They make me forget about all the swans and many types of geese with them.
I love Sandhills too!
4k...everything looks so good!
Thank you! If I had realized that premiers only show up in 1080p I would not have don a premier!
Definitely appreciate this video. I've got an R8 and was considering this lens but decided the weight is too much for me. I have to hike a while and don't like carrying a lot of weight... am spoiled by the 600/f11. Watching your video, I think the 200-800 looks best with the landscape-type shots, where you want to identify the background better. Getting the habitat of the wren is perfect, what a nice shot!
Using the fog to help separate the background was a nice strategy. I think using this lens for coastal birds would work well.
Thank you! I haven't tried the 600 f/11 but I own and enjoy the 800 f/11.
Great One… i would really want to understand low light condition performance with R8… please request to do some videos
Thank you! You can look at the two Carolina Wren images. They were made in low light with the R6 Mark II. It has the same sensor as the R8.
Could you please do a comparison with 100-500 and 200-800 with R7.. its an request..
Watched on a 43" 4k smart tv @1440P. Gotta say the R6 shots seemed a bit sharper overall. I'm not sure how noticeable the difference would be on a smaller screen if I wasn't looking for it. Great captures just the same.
It will be interesting to hear your thoughts after you spend more time with the lens.
Thank you!
I think that first snow goose is actually a Ross’s, nice find!
Thank you!
Great video Phil !Looks like the lens can get the job done !
Thank you, Roger! It was nice to see you again yesterday!
@@PhilThach nice to see you again!
There are a bunch of sandies in my area at a safari park. I like the blue and bronze coloring with that wild red head. I have been using a sigma 60-600 on an R6II and have been wanting to see how this lens might compare. I’ll have to rent it from the local camera store whenever it becomes more broadly available. Thanks for the Video.
Thank you!
Great explanatory video, and congratulations for all your shots and good work. I have a canon r6 mark II and canon rf 100-500 with the 1.4x duplicator. I have a question whether to buy the Canon R7 because it has the 1.6x multiplication factor of the body and not invest in the Canon 200--800 or, on the contrary, buy the Canon RF 200-800 and keep the equipment I have. If you could clear my doubts I would appreciate it. Thanks a million.
I don’t know if it will clear your doubts but this morning I am working with the R7 and the 200-800 together and it is really something!
AWESOME post Phil 💯‼️
Thank you!
Very nice photos! Thank you for sharing them.
Thank you!
Thanks for the video. The images look great out of the 200-800😊
Thank you!
Great shots with that lens. Hope you take a photo of the full moon with it sometime.
Thank you! That would be pretty cool, especially with the 32.5 MP 1.6x crop R7!
Thanks,, great to know..
Thank you!
Great video Phil with some great shots. Looks like a really nice lens. Well done Canon😀
Thank you!
Hey Phil you made some great shots of the cranes. Looks like that 200-800 did a pretty good job. Now that you have had it for a bit what do you think of it?
I like it a lot. It's a keeper for sure.
Hi Phil, beautiful first images with the 200-800 👍. Strangely, this video (which I knew was coming) only appeared this morning in my windows chrome browser, together with your head-to-head with heather and her 160-800. The 2 videos you posted in between did appear when they should, but RUclips only wanted to expose this one to me only after 11k other already watched it 😛
I must admit, I'm getting pretty tempted to order the 200-800 myself and stop using the TC1.4 on the 100-500. Still waiting a few days for judgement of Jan Wegener and Duade Paton ..
I worked today with the 200-800, then 800 f/11 then 100-500 with 1.4x for a couple of hours at the Sandhill Crane location. All three did well. Working on the images now. The video will be Saturday morning.
@@PhilThach Looking forward to that, and I hope youtube doesn't hide it for me for another 6 days ;-)
The 800/11 will not have lost it's qualities and remains the reach-for-$$$ king, but it will never be able to zoom.
I would expect the 800/9 images to be a tad more bokehfied than from 700/10.
When birds are close enough, I expect the 100-500 to provide the best IQ, but when you need more reach the 200-800 sounds more practical than the 420-700, and according to the MTF's the 200-800 may even give better IQ
@@WernerBirdNature I should let you write the script for this video lol 👍
@@PhilThach heheh.
15 months ago, I swapped my R6 for the R5 because I was left craving for reach. It seems the 200-800 is game-changing by making the R6 & R6ii much more suitable for birding.
When diving deeper in comparing your R6ii + 200-800 with Heather's R7 + 100-500, she has more resolution but with f11.36 a bit less good bokeh ..
I believe there remain scripts for many more video's 😛
Thanks. Hope you can get out in some good light and try some more song birds at close to mfd at 800 mm on the r6. It’s the only real way to show the sharpness of that lens. I find it takes me a good little while to give a lens a real shake down because the birds don’t cooperate to let you really test the lens to reveal its real strengths and weaknesses. Lucky you to be the first one on youtube to get the lens. You deserve it though so good on you!
Thank you!
Nice video! I have the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary combined with the R6II. Feel like having an upgrade for better AF and sharper images. Would you recommend the RF 200-800mm or the RF 100-500mm? Thanks!
With the R6 Mark II for birds, I would suggest the 200-800. With the R7 I'm not sure just yet.
Nice real world test, Still waiting for mine
Thank you!
Really nice Phil. I was looking forward to this video, and you did not disappoint. Very satisfying and informative.
Q: How did the lens “feel” shooting with it with the R6 mkii, as compared to using the 100-500, with the 1.4 ext.? Did you ever try an extender in this outing.
I noticed you zoomed in and out quite a bit. I trust that capability was helpful in your changing conditions.
I’m still holding out for a more technical comparison. But, your videos are more real life and similar to one’s own shooting experience.
Thanks again.
Thank you! To me it feels better than the 100-500 with the 1.4 extender. That combination feels weird to me for some reason. Maybe it because it doesn't zoom the entire way.
I am headed to Wheeler Wildlife refuge this morning here in Alabama. Lots of Sandhill cranes there right now. Someone said there's between 12 and 15 Whooping cranes there right now. I'm going to get shots of some up close. I shoot with a Nikon z6 II. It's not the best camera for birds flying. I bought the 180-600mm lens this summer. There's been a lot of pelicans at Wilson Dam on the Tennessee river. It's slightly cloudy today so I think I'll have good shooting conditions. A lot of light but not harsh light.
Sounds like fun. I have been two wheeler once. I liked it but didn't like making photos through glass. Otherwise it was great!
@@PhilThach that's my biggest issue. The tinted glasses raises your ISO and it degrades your images. There were 3 adult whooping cranes and one juvenile this morning. I missed some great shots of 2 flying. I had lowered my shutter speed for some Sandhills close by that were just standing there. I didn't have time to raise my shutter speed back up when I saw the whooping cranes flying. I might have got one good shot that's not blurry.
Great shots! Love 5:21, 5:54, 6:57. I've been hitting the 100-400 hard this year on the R6, have been cropping heavy, and usually feeling like I want more reach. I'm not looking to rush into anything, but how do you feel about 500, 600, 800? I'd guess at 500 on FF I'll feel somewhat similar as I do now. 600 would feel about right, 800 would be cool but maybe even overkill occasionally? Happy Canon is embracing some of these new designs/zooms/lengths, but I imagine others like me would have loved to see an "ordinary" 200-600 range as well.
The 100-400mm mark ii was my go to lens for birds and wildlife for 5 years and then I had a huge upgrade to the RF 600 f/4. I agree with you that the 100-400 is not enough reach. I considered the 400mm f/2.8, the 600mm f/4, and the 800 f/5.6 and after my research and renting the 600, I knew it was the best focal length for me. I absolutely love that lens and I still have the 100-400 for the shorter rage stuff.
Thank you! Anytime you can afford more focal length, get it!
Excellent review Phil. Great shots,although low light performance maybe an issue with the longer focal lengths. I am waiting on mine to try some test shots of small birds in my area. 🙏
Thank you!
May have to give this lens a chance! Great images Phil
Thank you!
I use a Sigma 150-600 C with my R7. Do you think that the 200-800mm would be a good upgrade or is the performance with the R7 not as good as you'd like?
The performance is probably as good or better on the R7 as you are getting now with your adapted Sigma lens.
Looks good to me. Thanks Phil
Thank you!
interesting. Looks like a winner. If I didn't already have the 100-599 L lens I would have been on the pre-order list for the 200-800. Your review has peaked interest for sure.
Thank you! I enjoyed your sandhill video last night but didn't comment because I watched it on my TV.
@@PhilThachThanks Phil and no worries.
Great shots can't wait to get mine have the R7 sold the R6 thinking about the R5? but your shots with the R6II were great
Thank you! I think I'd wait for the R5mkii if you can.
Good info thanks Phil, I guess it’s horses for courses but can we assume the 100-500mm is a bit more useful than the 200-800mm in most circumstances,,? Like a lot of enthusiasts I can only afford one or the other ☹️.
On APS-C I’d recommend the 100-500. On full frame it’s less certain. A lot depends on what you are photographing. Big targets might be better with the 100-500. Small targets might lean toward the 200-800.
It would be very interesting to see a comparison between this Canon RF200-800 and the Sony 200-600, especially in terms of bokeh. Yes, the Canon at 800mm at f9 achieves the same blur as the Sony at f6.3. Greetings
I agree! I really need a Sony full frame camera to do it right. I could do it on APSC.
Looks like you've found another great lens!
Thank you, Tim!
Thanks for the sharing your initial experiences with the 200-800. You didn't mention the AF and/or eye detection with the R6. How does it compare to the R6 on the 100-500? Thanks!
Thank you! It seems to work just as well as it does using the 100-500.
Thanks@@PhilThach
Phil how does the eye tracking work with the birds in flight .
Since you're photographing at F 9.0 at 800 mm was the lens having a hard time keeping up with birds in flight .
The camera tracks birds in flight just fine with the f/9 lens. I don't think it narrows it down to just the eye at f/9 or any aperture for that matter.
I love this video. thanks
I love this comment! Thank you!
Thank you
Thank you!
Great shots on the Sandhill Cranes. Good lighting and nice foggy background. Did you sharpen the pictures?
Thank you! I use Topaz Denoise AI to sharpen my images. I use the default settings.
@@PhilThach How do you compare the sharpness between the 200-800 and 100-500 (native raw) before applying any sharpness?
On R6II IQ looks quite OK actually. On R7 it struggle a bit but not bad too. I wonder how would that compare to 800mm f/11, as I could see that you shot @800mm most of the time anyways. This 200-800mm looks very nice but it is so God damn expensive here in UE.
I'll try to compare the 800 f/11 with the 200-800 at some point.
Excellent review and example shots. I was on the fence on whether to order, but I just put my order in. How did you get yours so soon?
Thank you!
How it compares with the 100-500 cause it looks sharpe as well
Check out my other video. There’s a link to it at the end of this video. It has a northern cardinal on the thumb now.
Here in Europe is priced 2013€ (VAT included) in official distribution with two years warranty, which is not that bad considering what people rumored, still a bit chunk from the bank account, I try to imagine myself with this lens, maybe a bit suspicious around airfields, also not that suitable for just walking around town, so I would still have to keep RF 100-400mm for those purposes.
Nothing wrong with the 100-400. I like that lens a lot.
About the distance of objects It also affects the sharpness.
I would like to know that in this clip, when you took the photo On average You stay away from birds. Approximately how many meters?
Thank you.
Each shot will be different. 25m, 50m, etc. Much less on the two songbird photos.
Hi Phil, Great video. I currently have the R7, would you choose the 100-500 F7.1 or the 200-800 lens to use with it?
I'll probably use the 100-500 more often with the R7, to me this 200-800 is better suited for full frame cameras.
@@PhilThach Thanks very much Phil 🙂 With the amount of bad light we get here in Ireland. I think I need to get the R6II. It looks to be a really good all round camera. Hope you get to photograph some great birds with the 200-800 F9. Wishing and your family a very happy Christmas and a great New Year! 🙂
How can you compare picture quality RF200-800mm to RF100-500mm ?
Yes, take a look at my other video. It is linked at the end of this video and has a red Northern cardinal on the thumbnail as well as the two lenses.
Are the photos on the R6ii, in flight, taken with eletronic shutter or 1st curtain? Wondering how's the rolling shutter with that camera (I own the R7 and it's awful).
Thank you
All photos in this video were made with the electronic shutter on both cameras.
Was this video unlisted or something? Only way I can find it is if I go through the comments notification
Yes, I unlisted it after I learned that I accidentally received my lens a little early. I don't want anyone at my camera store to get in trouble over an honest mistake. I'll make it public again sometime next week.
Thanks for making this video today! Really nice images. The lens sharpness looks great.
Thank you!
Were all the photos taken hand-held? How was it to hand hold?
I used a tripod until the Carolina Wren shots, after that all were hand held. It's Heavier than the 100-500 but lighter than many zoom lenses. I found it very handholdable.
Hello Phil, as compared to the rf800mm f11 lens, do you think both are equally sharp or this new lens is better?
I think this new lens is a little bit sharper but I will have to test that to know for sure.
@@PhilThachwell for me, it’s only going to have to be “as good” as the 800 F11. When I start testing it in a week, I’ll have the 200-800 on one of my R7’s and the 800 F11 on the other. I plan to literally have both in my blind, shooting a burst or two with one, then grabbing the other combo, and shooting a burst or two with it. This should make comparisons easy, with no lens swapping 😉👍
I think I will stick with my 500f4 prime and 1.4x TC.
If it's not broken don't fix it.
Very nice! How much does that lens weigh? 200-800?
It's about 4.5 pounds.
Thank you! 4.5 pounds or 2 Kg.
Did you get to try it with a teleconverter?
Not yet but I will at some point.
@@PhilThach Sweet, thanks!
Dang everyone is getting their lens and mine is still on back order 😢
I hope you get yours soon!
Thanks Phil, for your early hands on testing. Certainly confirms that I should leave my pre-order in place!
Thank you!
Hello. can see you mostly shoot at 800 mm, why don't you use rf 800 mm f 11? it is much cheaper
Thank you! It is 2/3 stop faster. has a better minimum focus distance and is not stuck at 800mm at all times. I do love my 800 f/11 lens but I like this new lens more.
Thank you! It is 2/3 stop faster. has a better minimum focus distance and is not stuck at 800mm at all times. I do love my 800 f/11 lens but I like this new lens more.
Well, it looks like the 200-800 is a keeper. These were great Phil. I’ve had a Sony and the 200-600 in my cart for a week. Now, I don’t know.
Thank you, Bob!
Great shots. Nothing to do with the photographer but that lens with high aperture value just does not deliver the pleasing wildlife photos but more like vacation photos..
I think both the lens and the photographer did a great job! :)
I want this lens so badly, f/9 and non-L lens build quality....I think I'll pass. I 'll wait and see if Sigma starts building RF lens in 2024 as is rumored, and hope that they come out with something better than this lens.
Other than the missing red stripe, it feels exactly like an L lens.
The R7 seems to have nicer IQ 😊.
I was thinking the R6 Mark II shots looked better. :)
Real world??? This lens is only imaginary out here in the real world!