Cameras Ranked

600 Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM vs 800 Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM

Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM vs Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM: our pick for most people is the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM. Pick the Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM if you carry it all day or travel light, you want a wider view at the short end, or you want cheaper filters (weight: 930 g vs 1260 g; focal length: 600 mm vs 800 mm; filter thread: 82 mm vs 95 mm). Pick the Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM if you want more reach at the long end (focal length: 600 mm vs 800 mm).

To one scale. Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM: length 199.5 mm, diameter 93 mm, filter thread 82 mm; Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM: length 281.8 mm, diameter 101.6 mm, filter thread 95 mm.199.5 mmCanon 600930 g281.8 mmCanon 8001260 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 600mm F11 IS STM: length 199.5 mm, diameter 93 mm, filter thread 82 mm; Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM: length 281.8 mm, diameter 101.6 mm, filter thread 95 mm.199.5 mmCanon 600930 g281.8 mmCanon 8001260 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 600

4.5points

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

Canon 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 600 on its ownThe Canon 800 on its ownAll Canon RF lenses

Where they differ

5 of 18 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. Weight

    Importance 2

    Canon 600930 g1Canon 8001260 g2

    330 g apart (35.5%), to the Canon 600

    2points

  2. Focal length (longest)

    Importance 2

    Canon 600600 mm3Canon 800800 mm4

    200 mm apart (33.3%), to the Canon 800

    2points

  3. Focal length (widest)

    Importance 2

    Canon 600600 mm3Canon 800800 mm4

    200 mm apart (33.3%), to the Canon 600

    2points

  4. Filter thread

    Importance 0.5

    Canon 60082 mm1Canon 80095 mm2

    13 mm apart (15.9%), to the Canon 600

    0.5points

  5. Closest focus, wide end

    Importance 1

    Canon 6004.5 m1Canon 8006 m2

    1.5 m apart (33.3%), not counted: compared only between lenses of the same focal length (widest)

    0points

Also different, no weight reads them5

  1. Length

    Canon 600199.5 mm1retractedCanon 800281.8 mm2retracted

    82.3 mm apart (41.3%)

    Not weighted

  2. Diameter

    Canon 60093 mm1Canon 800101.6 mm2

    8.6 mm apart (9.2%)

    Not weighted

  3. Elements

    Canon 600101Canon 800112

    1 apart (10%)

    Not weighted

  4. Groups

    Canon 60071Canon 80082

    1 apart (14.3%)

    Not weighted

  5. Stabilization effect

    Canon 6005 stops1Canon 8004 stops2

    1 apart (25%)

    Not weighted

Specifications

SpecificationsCanon RF 600mm F11 IS STMCanon RF 800mm F11 IS STM
Focal length600 mm3800 mm4
Closest focus4.5 m16 m2
Stabilization5 stops14 stops2
Weight930 g11260 g2
Length199.5 mm (retracted)1281.8 mm (retracted)2
Diameter93 mm1101.6 mm2
Filter thread82 mm195 mm2
Elements101112
Groups7182
HoodET-88B1ET-1012

Same on both

  • Widest aperture f/113
  • Maximum magnification 0.14x1
  • Mount Canon RF1
  • Covers Full frame
  • Type Prime
  • Weather sealed No1
  • Focus motor Leadscrew-type Stepping Motor + Rack System1
  • Extenders Extender RF 1.4x, Extender RF 2x1

Full specifications, side by side†

Show all 16 rows
Full specifications, side by sideCanon 6001Canon 8002
Diagonal angle of view04°10′ (Diagonal)03°05′ (Diagonal)
Horizontal angle of view03°30′ (Horizontal)02°35′ (Horizontal)
Vertical angle of view02°20′ (Vertical)01°40′ (Vertical)
Closest focusing distance4.5 / 14.766.0 / 19.69
Lens construction7-108-11
Diameter and length93 x 199.5 (Retracted)101.6 x 281.8 (Retracted)
Diameter and length93 x 269.5 (Extended for Shooting)101.6 x 351.8 (Extended for Shooting)
Drive systemLeadscrew-type Stepping Motor + Rack SystemLeadscrew-type Stepping Motor + Rack System
Filter size8295
Max magnification0.140.14
Minimum aperturef/11 (Fixed f/11 Aperture)f/11 (Fixed f/11 Aperture)
Anti-dust and moistureNot supportedNot supported
Weight9301260
Lens capE-82 IIE-95
Lens hoodET-88BET-101
Lens bagLZ1328LZ1435

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. Canon product specifications: Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM, checked Oct 6, 2026
  2. Canon product specifications: Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM, checked Oct 6, 2026
  3. Wikidata: Canon RF 600mm F11 IS STM, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)
  4. Wikidata: Canon RF 800mm F11 IS STM, checked Oct 9, 2026 (CC0 1.0)

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.

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