RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMvs A1 II
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 II (2025)
Starting from £6500 new
Best for Professional sports, wildlife & high-resolution studio work
View A1 II
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 Sports, Wildlife & High-Resolution Studio Work — A1 II (2025): The most complete camera ever made — 50MP, 30fps, 8K, and the world's best EVF in a single flagship body.
Who should buy what
A1 II (2025)
- Professional sports and wildlife photographers who need 30fps, 50MP, and the best AF available
- Commercial and advertising photographers who demand 50MP resolution alongside pro video specs
- Photojournalists who need a single body capable of handling every assignment
- Sony system shooters ready to invest in the absolute best
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 II (2025) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £6,500 |
| Sensor | f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) | 50.1MP full-frame stacked BSI CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 50.1MP |
| Video | 90cm minimum focus distance | 8K/30p, 4K/120p 10-bit, 4K/240p super slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF | AI subject recognition — human, animal, bird, insect, vehicle, aircraft, train |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) | 8.5-stop IBIS (with in-lens OSS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 30fps electronic (with full AF/AE), 10fps mechanical |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~530 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1530g | 743g body only |
| Dimensions | 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length | 136.1 × 96.9 × 82.9mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF 0.9× 9.44M-dot — the highest resolution EVF available |
| Screen | N/A | 3.2" fully articulating touchscreen, 2.1M dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony E-mount (full-frame) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Dual CFexpress Type A / SD UHS-II slots |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, Wi-Fi 6GHz, Bluetooth 5.3, HDMI full-size |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | A1 II |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | ||
| Sports | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Travel | — |
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Camera family history