Cameras Ranked

100–400 Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM vs 200–800 Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM

Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM vs Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: our pick for most people is the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM. Pick the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM if you carry it all day or travel light, you shoot in low light or want a blurrier background, you want a wider view at the short end, or you want cheaper filters (weight: 635 g vs 2050 g; widest aperture: f/5.6-8 vs f/6.3-9; focal length: 100-400 mm vs 200-800 mm; filter thread: 67 mm vs 95 mm). Pick the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM if you want more reach at the long end (focal length: 100-400 mm vs 200-800 mm).

To one scale. Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: length 164.7 mm, diameter 79.5 mm, filter thread 67 mm; Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: length 314.1 mm, diameter 102.3 mm, filter thread 95 mm.164.7 mmø79.5Canon 100–400635 g314.1 mmø102.3+149.4 mmCanon 200–8002050 g
Both to one scale, from each maker's length and diameter, the filter thread in yellow. The rings are drawn, not measured.
To one scale. Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: length 164.7 mm, diameter 79.5 mm, filter thread 67 mm; Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: length 314.1 mm, diameter 102.3 mm, filter thread 95 mm.164.7 mmø79.5Canon 100–400635 g314.1 mmø102.3+149.4 mmCanon 200–8002050 g
Both to one scale, from each maker's length and diameter, the filter thread in yellow. The rings are drawn, not measured.

The pick, in points

Lead for a pick: 1

Canon 100–400

7.5points

Wins on weight, widest aperture, focal length (widest) and filter thread.

Canon 200–800

2points

Wins on focal length (longest).

Each real difference scores its importance for the side that wins it; a lead under 1 is “it depends”. How the weights work

The Canon 100–400 on its ownThe Canon 200–800 on its ownAll Canon RF lenses

Where they differ

6 of 22 specs

Each bar is the gap as a share of the smaller value, on one scale from 0 to 100%; an arrow end is a gap past 100%. The dashed tick marks where a gap starts to count.

  1. Widest aperture

    Importance 3

    Canon 100–400f/5.61Canon 200–800f/6.32

    0.7 apart (12.5%), to the Canon 100–400

    3points

  2. Weight

    Importance 2

    Canon 100–400635 g3Canon 200–8002050 g4

    1415 g apart (3.2×), to the Canon 100–400

    2points

  3. Focal length (longest)

    Importance 2

    Canon 100–400400 mm5Canon 200–800800 mm2

    400 mm apart (2×), to the Canon 200–800

    2points

  4. Focal length (widest)

    Importance 2

    Canon 100–400100 mm5Canon 200–800200 mm2

    100 mm apart (2×), to the Canon 100–400

    2points

  5. Filter thread

    Importance 0.5

    Canon 100–40067 mm3Canon 200–80095 mm4

    28 mm apart (41.8%), to the Canon 100–400

    0.5points

  6. Closest focus, wide end

    Importance 1

    Canon 100–4001.2 m3at 100mmCanon 200–8000.8 m4at 200 mm

    0.4 m apart (50%), not counted: compared only between lenses of the same focal length (widest)

    0points

Also different, no weight reads them8

  1. Widest aperture at the long end

    Canon 100–400f/81Canon 200–800f/92

    1 apart (12.5%)

    Not weighted

  2. Length

    Canon 100–400164.7 mm3Canon 200–800314.1 mm4

    149.4 mm apart (90.7%)

    Not weighted

  3. Diameter

    Canon 100–40079.5 mm3Canon 200–800102.3 mm4

    22.8 mm apart (28.7%)

    Not weighted

  4. Maximum magnification, wide end

    Canon 100–4000.09x3at 100mmCanon 200–8000.25x4at 200 mm

    0.16 apart (2.8×)

    Not weighted

  5. Closest focus, long end

    Canon 100–4001.05 m3at 400mmCanon 200–8003.3 m4at 800 mm

    2.25 m apart (3.1×)

    Not weighted

  6. Maximum magnification, long end

    Canon 100–4000.41x3at 400mmCanon 200–8000.2x4at 800 mm

    0.21 apart (2×)

    Not weighted

  7. Elements

    Canon 100–400123Canon 200–800174

    5 apart (41.7%)

    Not weighted

  8. Groups

    Canon 100–40093Canon 200–800114

    2 apart (22.2%)

    Not weighted

Side by side, to scale

Focal length on one log scale

Focal length on one log scale: Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: 100 to 400 mm; Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: 200 to 800 mm.Canon 100–400Canon 200–800−100 mm+400 mm85135200400800
The focal lengths each maker states.

Specifications

SpecificationsCanon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USMCanon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM
Focal length100-400 mm5200-800 mm2
Widest aperturef/5.6-81f/6.3-92
Closest focus1.2 m at 100 mm, 1.05 m at 400 mm30.8 m at 200 mm, 3.3 m at 800 mm4
Maximum magnification0.09x at 100 mm, 0.41x at 400 mm30.25x at 200 mm, 0.2x at 800 mm4
Weight635 g32050 g4
Length164.7 mm3314.1 mm4
Diameter79.5 mm3102.3 mm4
Filter thread67 mm395 mm4
On sale fromOct 20216Not stated
Elements123174
Groups93114
Weather sealedNot statedYes4
Focus motorNano USM3Nano USM & Position Sensors4
HoodET-74B (sold separately)3ET-101 (included)4
Tripod ringNot statedYes4
Extends when zoomingNot statedYes4

Same on both

  • Stabilization 5.5 stops3
  • Mount Canon RF3
  • Covers Full frame
  • Type Zoom
  • Aperture blades 93
  • Extenders Extender RF1.4x, Extender RF2x3

Full specifications, side by side†

Show all 10 rows
Full specifications, side by sideCanon 100–4003Canon 200–8004
Closest focusing distance0.88 m / 2.89 ft (at 200mm)0.8 m / 2.62 ft (f=200mm)
Closest focusing distance1.05 m / 3.44 ft (at 400mm)1.8 m / 5.91 ft (f=400mm)
Lens construction9 groups, 12 elements11 groups, 17 elements
Diameter and length79.5 mm × 164.7 mm (Approx.)102.3 mm × 314.1 mm (Approx.)
Drive systemNano USMNano USM & Position Sensors
Filter size67 mm95 mm
Minimum aperture32 - 4532 - 51
Diaphragm blades99
Weight635 g (Approx.)2050 g (Approx.)
Included lens capLens Cap E-67 II & Lens Dust Cap RF (included)Lens Cap E-95 & Lens Dust Cap RF (included)
Rows only one maker lists: 18

Also on the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM spec page3

Diagonal angle of view24°00′ - 6°10′
Horizontal angle of view20°00′ - 5°10′
Vertical angle of view14°00′ - 3°30′
Closest focusing distance1.2 m / 3.94 ft (at 100mm)
Max magnification0.09x (at 100mm)
Max magnification0.41x (at 400mm)
Lens hoodLens Hood ET-74B (sold separately)
Lens caseLens Case LP1224 (sold separately)

Also on the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM spec page4

Diagonal angle of view12°00′ to 3°05′ (Diagonal)
Horizontal angle of view10°00′ to 2°35′ (Horizontal)
Vertical angle of view7°00′ to 1°40′ (Vertical)
Closest focusing distance2.8 m / 9.19 ft (f=600mm)
Closest focusing distance3.3 m / 10.83 ft (f=800mm)
Max magnification0.25x (f=200mm)
Max magnification0.2x (f=800mm)
Anti-dust and moistureYes
Included lens hoodET-101 (included)
Lens bagLZ1438 (sold separately)

How the pick works

  1. Widest aperture3

    Lower wins once they are 0.3 apart.

  2. Weight2

    Lower wins from a 12% gap.

  3. Focal length (longest)2

    Higher wins from a 15% gap.

  4. Focal length (widest)2

    Lower wins once they are 2 mm apart.

  5. Optical stabilization1

    Having it wins.

  6. Closest focus, wide end1

    Lower wins from a 15% gap. Compared only between lenses of the same focal length (widest).

  7. Filter thread0.5

    Lower wins once they are 5 mm apart.

  8. Lead for a pick1

Our pick or our take adds up the importance of each real difference, with these importances and thresholds: a gap smaller than its row's threshold is too close to call and counts as the same. They are our editorial choice, not a measurement, the same on every page, and they never read prices, sales or who sells it.

Paid placements0

How we rank, in full

Sources

  1. Wikidata, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)
  2. www.usa.canon.com, cited by Wikidata for Focal length, Widest aperture (Wikidata checked Oct 9, 2026; we didn't read this page)
  3. Canon product specifications: Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM, checked Oct 6, 2026
  4. Canon product specifications: Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM, checked Oct 6, 2026
  5. www.canon.at, cited by Wikidata for Focal length (Wikidata checked Oct 9, 2026; we didn't read this page)
  6. global.canon, cited by Wikidata for On sale from (Wikidata checked Oct 9, 2026; we didn't read this page)

Worked out by code, not stated by a source

  • Read from the lens name: each maker marks the sensor size a lens covers (Sony FE/E, Canon RF/RF-S, Nikon DX, Tamron Di III/Di III-A, Sigma DG/DC); every Fujifilm X lens is APS-C and every Micro Four Thirds lens is Four Thirds.
  • Prime or zoom, read from the focal length in the lens name.

Each value is checked automatically against the source it links, on the date shown. How we build these pages

† The makers' own tables, row by row, with labels in our plain words (translated where the maker's page isn't in English); each row's numbers are checked against the page it links.

What we don't know yet

  • On sale from for the Canon RF 200-800mm F6.3-9 IS USM: our sources don't state it yet.
  • Weather sealed for the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: our sources don't state it yet.
  • Tripod ring for the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: our sources don't state it yet.
  • Extends when zooming for the Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM: our sources don't state it yet.

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