REVIEW – CANON RF 600mm f11 IS STM LENS

RF 600mm f11 IS STM Lens

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The Canon Rf 600mm f11 IS STM is a super telephoto prime lens and a staple part of my personal kit bag. So I may be a little biased , this compact lens that I pair with a Canon R5 body gives me stunning optical performance , quick and quiet autofocus thanks to the STM motor and with 5-stop image stabilisation the ability to shoot hand held. The lens is competitively priced and aimed at enthusiasts who are looking for an affordable step into long focal length prime lenses. So what’s not to like ?

The lens if part of the RF mirrorless lens series , specifically designed for use with the EOS R camera bodies including the R3 , R6 and my choice the R5 and is ideal for getting close up and personal with wildlife. One key factor in my purchase of this lens has to be just how light and compact this lens is when travelling or carrying in a camera pack. Coming in at a mere 930g and measuring 93mm x 269mm this might lens packs a real punch without weighing you down . ( You do have to extend the lens to use and this does increase the length by a about 120mm. )

You have the option to switch to lens to manual focus and to turn off the stabilisation and the lens has the new style control ring , giving you the option to customise the lens to your particular needs. In real world use the autofocus works a treat , the STM motor is quick quiet and precise and allows you to make full use of all the bodies autofocus capabilities. I have used this lens extensively at the meadow hide and found it to be reliable and the images are truly stunning.

While this lens might be light and compact it certainly feels sturdy and well made. I have dropped this lens a couple of times , albeit onto grass with no problems at all. One of my favourite features is the tripod mount, fully integrated within the lens body . It’s a neat and compact solution to using the lens on a mount and means the traditional foot doesn’t get in the way whilst hand holding. The lens has a 68mm thread filter size and comes in the box with a front lens cover and RF dust cap. One slight niggle , it doesn’t come with a lens hood , this is an optional extra ( Canon Et88B ) and is a considerable extra expense, although there are other third party hoods available.

Having a fixed focal length of 600mm and a minimum focus distance of 4.5 metres , you might have to adjust your normal shooting style, but for me working from a hide it’s almost perfect. Ok the elephant in the room might be the f11 aperture and yes the performance does drop off slightly in poor light. While the R5 does cancel out some of this shortfall it’s still worth noting. In reality I do most of my photography during the day and the f11 has never caused me a problem

So let’s cut to the chase , would I recommend this lens. The answer is yes , absolutely. It feels well constructed. You are definitely not going to find another 600mm prime lens this compact and lightweight and at a very reasonable price point. It delivers surprisingly good images and the autofocus is a joy to use. I have given the lens 4 out of 5 , mainly for the missing lens hood but in reality it’s a cracking lens and has a permanent spot in my camera bag !

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Specifications