Wildlife, Birding & Sports Photography — RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM (2020): Canon RF's definitive wildlife and birding lens — 500mm reach with L-series quality and IS that makes handheld shooting at extreme focal lengths genuinely viable.
Sports, Wildlife & Weddings On Nikon Z — NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S (2022): A superb Z-mount telephoto zoom — outstanding at every focal length with class-leading VR.
Who should buy what
Quick take: These cameras are closely matched across the key specs below. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM (2020) | NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S (2022) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £2,799 |
| Sensor | f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) | Nikon Z mount (full-frame) |
| Video | 90cm minimum focus distance | N/A — lens |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF | Multi-Focus System — fast tracking, near-silent |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) | Vibration Reduction (VR) — 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A | N/A |
| Weight | 1530g | 1360g |
| Dimensions | 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length | 89mm diameter × 220mm length |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | N/A |
| Screen | N/A | N/A |
| Mount | Canon RF | 77mm filter thread |
| Memory Cards | N/A | N/A |
| Connectivity | N/A | N/A |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Sports | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM