Great review. I agree with your conclusions completely, the portability of this lens, it's surprisingly low price (especially for Canon), makes up in large measure for the small max aperture and the long minimal focus distance. I rented both the 600 and 800 RF lenses from Lens Rental and ended up buying only the 800 (so far!) . I also did get the RF 100-500 which bales me out when I am trying to get an image of something close up. Thanks again.
Really insightful video thanks, that F/11 not much good to me here in Ireland.. Can I ask where you are from ? I can’t place the accent , some words sound very familiar
Alex Fu, For some reason I am unable to see your comment here or reply to it. To your question, yes it was extremely overcast that day and hence the high ISO, also remember, it was at f11.
I'm using an APSC crop sensor Canon 250d/SL3 so using F11 and high iso would be terrible for me as that body can't really handle high isos. The Canon 600 and 800 f11 look to be great lenses but I just bought the Sigma 150 - 600mm contemporary lens which will suit me better for now 😊
6:03 My favourite shot, perfect moment. Maybe with the zoom lens quickly moving back to a slightly wider field of view and compose it a bit more towards the left, it would have been even better.
Do you think 800mm f11 on a apsc camera without ibis like canon r50 can take some great pictures in normal day light than 150-600m gen-2 f6.3 crop in as 800mm. i want to try 800mm f11 on canon r50..
Nice video. I just switch to the Canon R5 and it does not disappoint. The Camera makes shooting fun. That said I am waiting to get my hands on the RF 100-500mm. With f/7.1at the long end it should do better in low light and with the IBIS system shutter speed is critical for subject movement, not camera shake. The trick is the combination of the lens AND the camera.
hello. did you have to send your 150-600 in to tamron to upgrade the firmware? I ordered one but realized the firmware couldnt be upgraded through the console
Version 1 you have to send in. I´m not living far away from a Tamroncentral in germany and just walked in for an update. This thing is an old old lens. Had to update it, to work with my RP. I have an R6 incoming and hope it works there too. :)
I got an M6 II (w/ the EVF) and Sigma 150-600 lens, which is about the same price as the RP and RF 800 Fll lens (≈ $1800). I thought that the M6 II setup is better since you have more megapixels (if you crop the 800mm image to 900mm, it's about 20 vs 32 megapixels), a higher framerate (14 fps vs 5 fps), and a lower aperture (f10 equiv. vs f11). I didn't check if the sharpness of the RF 800 was better or not, I assumed it would be either the same or worse. Knowing that the RF 800 F11 is significantly sharper than the Sigma/Tamron150-600, I almost regret my purchase decision lol. Maybe the megapixel difference counters that?
The sharpness difference is only when you view them side by side; and then too it is sometimes hard to tell especially with live subjects. I have taken many sharp pictures with my Tamron. I believe your sharpness will more likely be influenced by shooting technique, light, shutter speed etc. I have not used the M6II, however I did use a canon 7D for a long time and got great pictures with it. However, going from aps-c to full frame seemed to cause an apparent improvement in sharpness and image quality for me, predominantly due to less noise of the larger sensor. Good luck and congratulations on your camera gear. Happy shooting!
@@carminered3229 Thanks for your detailed reply. I guess the 800 f11 route would only be worth it vs my current setup if I get the R5/R6 rather than the RP. Close enough.
Tamron 150-600 g2 is the lens to buy; versatile for wildlife because of the zoom; very sharp, good iso at 6.3-8; hope soon Tamron/Sigma come out with their RF lenses
You may want to rent one first. The 600 and 800 are sharp lenses and are very handy, however remember they are f11..so you do lose some light and need a camera that can handle higher ISO. Best when light is good.
@@Thomasjcolbert82 Should work great then!. However, would still rent one first to see if you need the extra light for your kind of shooting circumstances and to see if you will miss the zoom. Cheers!
@@carminered3229 I appreciate you answering :). I forgot one bit of info. I also show with the Tele on so I'm at F9 840MM. I have had no problem with that at all. I'm willing to lose 40MM in exchange for light carrying. lens. The IS will be much better as well. I have. shot in the early morning and late at night and it's not easy, but the camera performs well and I have enough data to bring some details back. I just can't find one for sale lolol. it is easy to find something and zoom into it, yes, deff. But that is a trade off. I can count on my hands how much I've shot at under 600MM Nobody around here has one to rent either.
@@Thomasjcolbert82 In that case, I think you will love it! People I know who have it say they have it on their lens all the time. I also found them to be sharper even at higher ISOs compared to my Tamron 150 to 600.
Yes, yes you do need a f4 lens due to shutter speed, AF speeds, significantly better image quality, no quality loss with extenders, superior build quality, weather sealing and such. F5.6 840mm is significantly significantly significantly more usable than the RF 600 with 1.4X extender. It's not even a competition.
Totally agree. Not sure many people would have the money to get a 12000 dollar lens or have the muscle to carry it around. Just saying that for such a small package, it is an outstanding lens that works well when the light is right. Not everyone is a professional photographer! 🙂
It's very interesting to go back through months of youtube videos to see how severely of a photography elitist you are in the comments section. Not everyone needs nice gear to have fun. Not everyone has the money for nice gear but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to give an aspect of photography a chance.
@@Joe-hm1zk The truth is, most people can afford one with some money management and saving. This video was asking if an f4 lens is necessary and my response is yes, if you have a problem with that, don't tell me about it because I don't particularly want to hear it. However, of course people can just have fun with photography however personally, I would find it much harder to enjoy photography with a lens that I wouldn't actually be able to use in overcast, dark conditions like the RF 11's.
The first is shot at F11, The second picture is shot at 6.3 to highlight that even at a lower iso, the Canon F11 lens appears better. Sorry for the confusion!
Good to know. Is that your experience using them? Many respected reviewers feel the image quality is actually quite good. In my experience it was very good too in the right light. You cannot obviously compare it to f4 600 mm lens, which is in a whole different price and weight bracket!
@@carminered3229 Sorry, but it’s not about the optical quality only, here this lens is maybe just so so and average. The real issue is the f/11, where you need maybe ISO 1600 with an f/4, you need then ISO 12800 with the f/11.With ISO 12800 you definitely lose details, in bird photography just hardly acceptable as you push for feather perfection. No, this f/11 lens is not good, keep in mind that wildlife you typically take at low light in the morning or later afternoon and mostly at 1/800 and shorter.
@@Stefan1968ful Very true. You need good light for this lens. That being said, the R5 can handle higher ISOs that the older cameras. Hope the new RF 600 mm f4 lens is cheaper and lighter. Waiting for that one in 2021.
@@carminered3229 God sake, stop using that argument of 'IT CAN HANDLE HIGHER ISO', I own an R5 with an EF 500 f4 II and let me tell you, no it can't handle 16,000+ISO which would be required for early mornings here in UK, I literally wouldn't be able to use fast shutter speeds with an f11 lens, unless I was shooting during the day with extremely good lighting conditions, not even going to go into the Bokeh, subject separation differences...
Thanks for the informative and insightful review 👍
Thank you! Glad it was useful.
Great review. I agree with your conclusions completely, the portability of this lens, it's surprisingly low price (especially for Canon), makes up in large measure for the small max aperture and the long minimal focus distance. I rented both the 600 and 800 RF lenses from Lens Rental and ended up buying only the 800 (so far!) . I also did get the RF 100-500 which bales me out when I am trying to get an image of something close up. Thanks again.
Thank you for your comments! Glad you are enjoying the lens!
Really insightful video thanks, that F/11 not much good to me here in Ireland..
Can I ask where you are from ? I can’t place the accent , some words sound very familiar
Thank you for your comment. Yes it needs fairly good light. I was born in India.
Alex Fu, For some reason I am unable to see your comment here or reply to it. To your question, yes it was extremely overcast that day and hence the high ISO, also remember, it was at f11.
I'm using an APSC crop sensor Canon 250d/SL3 so using F11 and high iso would be terrible for me as that body can't really handle high isos.
The Canon 600 and 800 f11 look to be great lenses but I just bought the Sigma 150 - 600mm contemporary lens which will suit me better for now 😊
Agree with you on that point. The Sigma is a great lens with great reach. Enjoy your camera/lens!
6:03 My favourite shot, perfect moment.
Maybe with the zoom lens quickly moving back to a slightly wider field of view and compose it a bit more towards the left, it would have been even better.
Thank you very much. I agree ...could have been framed better.
Do you think 800mm f11 on a apsc camera without ibis like canon r50 can take some great pictures in normal day light than 150-600m gen-2 f6.3 crop in as 800mm. i want to try 800mm f11 on canon r50..
@@bikashpathak3229 I have not thought about it, but I do not think the RF 800 would fit on an apsc body.
Nice video. I just switch to the Canon R5 and it does not disappoint. The Camera makes shooting fun. That said I am waiting to get my hands on the RF 100-500mm. With f/7.1at the long end it should do better in low light and with the IBIS system shutter speed is critical for subject movement, not camera shake. The trick is the combination of the lens AND the camera.
The R5 is a great camera. Glad you are enjoying it. Yes the 100 to 500 is a great lens!
good review buddy, have a new subscriber 👍🏼😉
Thank you! Much appreciated.
hello. did you have to send your 150-600 in to tamron to upgrade the firmware? I ordered one but realized the firmware couldnt be upgraded through the console
No, I have never really upgraded the firmware.
Version 1 you have to send in. I´m not living far away from a Tamroncentral in germany and just walked in for an update.
This thing is an old old lens. Had to update it, to work with my RP. I have an R6 incoming and hope it works there too. :)
@@Tahydrahel cool. i ended up having to return it since it was grey market -_- and tamron wouldn't update firmware
Excellente review
Thank you very much!
I got an M6 II (w/ the EVF) and Sigma 150-600 lens, which is about the same price as the RP and RF 800 Fll lens (≈ $1800). I thought that the M6 II setup is better since you have more megapixels (if you crop the 800mm image to 900mm, it's about 20 vs 32 megapixels), a higher framerate (14 fps vs 5 fps), and a lower aperture (f10 equiv. vs f11). I didn't check if the sharpness of the RF 800 was better or not, I assumed it would be either the same or worse. Knowing that the RF 800 F11 is significantly sharper than the Sigma/Tamron150-600, I almost regret my purchase decision lol. Maybe the megapixel difference counters that?
The sharpness difference is only when you view them side by side; and then too it is sometimes hard to tell especially with live subjects. I have taken many sharp pictures with my Tamron. I believe your sharpness will more likely be influenced by shooting technique, light, shutter speed etc. I have not used the M6II, however I did use a canon 7D for a long time and got great pictures with it. However, going from aps-c to full frame seemed to cause an apparent improvement in sharpness and image quality for me, predominantly due to less noise of the larger sensor. Good luck and congratulations on your camera gear. Happy shooting!
@@carminered3229 Thanks for your detailed reply. I guess the 800 f11 route would only be worth it vs my current setup if I get the R5/R6 rather than the RP. Close enough.
Tamron 150-600 g2 is the lens to buy; versatile for wildlife because of the zoom; very sharp, good iso at 6.3-8; hope soon Tamron/Sigma come out with their RF lenses
Intersting comparison. I have the Sigma 150-600. I'm thinking of switching to the RF800 just for weight savings. What do you think?
You may want to rent one first. The 600 and 800 are sharp lenses and are very handy, however remember they are f11..so you do lose some light and need a camera that can handle higher ISO. Best when light is good.
@@carminered3229
I do have the R5, I forgot to say this.
@@Thomasjcolbert82 Should work great then!. However, would still rent one first to see if you need the extra light for your kind of shooting circumstances and to see if you will miss the zoom. Cheers!
@@carminered3229 I appreciate you answering :). I forgot one bit of info. I also show with the Tele on so I'm at F9 840MM. I have had no problem with that at all. I'm willing to lose 40MM in exchange for light carrying. lens. The IS will be much better as well. I have. shot in the early morning and late at night and it's not easy, but the camera performs well and I have enough data to bring some details back. I just can't find one for sale lolol.
it is easy to find something and zoom into it, yes, deff. But that is a trade off. I can count on my hands how much I've shot at under 600MM
Nobody around here has one to rent either.
@@Thomasjcolbert82 In that case, I think you will love it! People I know who have it say they have it on their lens all the time. I also found them to be sharper even at higher ISOs compared to my Tamron 150 to 600.
R u using tamron 160-600 mm G1 with adaptor on R5?
I have the same combination but my R5 is not accepting tanron 150-600 mm G1 with adaptor.
Yes it's the version one tamron. It works great with my R5. Wonder if your adaptor has an issue?
Yes, yes you do need a f4 lens due to shutter speed, AF speeds, significantly better image quality, no quality loss with extenders, superior build quality, weather sealing and such.
F5.6 840mm is significantly significantly significantly more usable than the RF 600 with 1.4X extender. It's not even a competition.
Totally agree. Not sure many people would have the money to get a 12000 dollar lens or have the muscle to carry it around. Just saying that for such a small package, it is an outstanding lens that works well when the light is right. Not everyone is a professional photographer! 🙂
It's very interesting to go back through months of youtube videos to see how severely of a photography elitist you are in the comments section.
Not everyone needs nice gear to have fun. Not everyone has the money for nice gear but that doesn't mean they shouldn't be allowed to give an aspect of photography a chance.
@@Joe-hm1zk The truth is, most people can afford one with some money management and saving.
This video was asking if an f4 lens is necessary and my response is yes, if you have a problem with that, don't tell me about it because I don't particularly want to hear it.
However, of course people can just have fun with photography however personally, I would find it much harder to enjoy photography with a lens that I wouldn't actually be able to use in overcast, dark conditions like the RF 11's.
@@Joe-hm1zk 🙂
1:30 both are at f/11...then shortly after you say Tamron iso is lower since it is shot at f/6.3
Confusing! Which is it?
The first is shot at F11, The second picture is shot at 6.3 to highlight that even at a lower iso, the Canon F11 lens appears better. Sorry for the confusion!
What was the difference in focusing speed between the 2 lenses?
Not much that I could tell. Native lens likely a hair quicker, but difference was not very perceptible.
How do I choose which lens is
Not sure I understand your question. Both are good lenses in the right hands. Canon f11 is lighter, sharper, but needs more light.
Yes tamron over that lens any day
Is is a pretty good all round lens.
Lol no crap lens f11 😂
@@thomassiegers3007 Its actually a pretty good lens for the weight and price...not kidding !
These f/11 lenses are just garbage. Image quality sucks, that’s all to be said.
Good to know. Is that your experience using them? Many respected reviewers feel the image quality is actually quite good. In my experience it was very good too in the right light. You cannot obviously compare it to f4 600 mm lens, which is in a whole different price and weight bracket!
@@carminered3229 Sorry, but it’s not about the optical quality only, here this lens is maybe just so so and average. The real issue is the f/11, where you need maybe ISO 1600 with an f/4, you need then ISO 12800 with the f/11.With ISO 12800 you definitely lose details, in bird photography just hardly acceptable as you push for feather perfection. No, this f/11 lens is not good, keep in mind that wildlife you typically take at low light in the morning or later afternoon and mostly at 1/800 and shorter.
@@Stefan1968ful Very true. You need good light for this lens. That being said, the R5 can handle higher ISOs that the older cameras. Hope the new RF 600 mm f4 lens is cheaper and lighter. Waiting for that one in 2021.
@@carminered3229 God sake, stop using that argument of 'IT CAN HANDLE HIGHER ISO', I own an R5 with an EF 500 f4 II and let me tell you, no it can't handle 16,000+ISO which would be required for early mornings here in UK, I literally wouldn't be able to use fast shutter speeds with an f11 lens, unless I was shooting during the day with extremely good lighting conditions, not even going to go into the Bokeh, subject separation differences...
@@frostybe3r I don't disagree with you. However not everyone can afford the price or heft of f4 or f 2.8 lenses. It's all about compromises.