RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMvs A1
Canon
RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM (2020)
Starting from £2799 new
Best for Wildlife, birding & sports photography
View RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM
VS
Sony
A1 (2021)
Starting from £5999 new
Best for Professional sport, wildlife, portrait & hybrid shooting
View A1
GearScore™ Verdict — Which should you buy?
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.
Professional Sport, Wildlife, Portrait & Hybrid Shooting — A1 (2021): 50MP, 30fps, 8K — the Sony A1 is the most complete professional camera ever made.
Who should buy what
A1 (2021)
- Professional photographers who need resolution and speed without compromise
- Sports and wildlife photographers demanding the absolute fastest Sony
- Studio and fashion photographers who also shoot sport or events
- A9 III or A7R V owners who want a single body that does everything
Quick take: The rf 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1l is usm is the most affordable. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM (2020) | A1 (2021) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £5,999 |
| Sensor | f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) | 50.1MP Full-Frame Stacked BSI CMOS Exmor RS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | 90cm minimum focus distance | 8K/30p, 4K/120p, 1080p/240p |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF | Real-time Tracking, AI subject recognition — 759 phase-detect points |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) | IBIS — up to 5.5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic with full AF/AE |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~430 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1530g | 737g (with battery) |
| Dimensions | 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length | 128.9 × 96.9 × 80.8mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 9.44M dots, 0.90× magnification, 240fps |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" fully tilting touchscreen |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony FE mount (full-frame E-mount) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Wi-Fi 5GHz, Bluetooth, Ethernet, HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | A1 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Wedding | — |
More comparisons with RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM
Camera family history