RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMvs A6100
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
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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.
Beginner, Family, Travel — A6100 (2019): Best autofocus in its class for the price.
Who should buy what
A6100 (2019)
- First-time mirrorless buyers who want solid AF
- Families stepping up from a smartphone
Quick take: The a6100 is the most affordable; only the rf 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1l is usm is weather sealed. Scroll down for the full spec breakdown.
Full specifications
| Specification | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM (2020) | A6100 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £549 |
| Sensor | f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) | APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | 90cm minimum focus distance | 4K 30fps |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF | 425-point phase-detect, real-time tracking |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) | None |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 11fps |
| Battery Life | N/A | 420 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1530g | 396g (body only) |
| Dimensions | 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length | 119.9 × 66.9 × 59.4mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF 0.39" 1.44M-dot |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 921k-dot |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony E-Mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A | SD UHS-I / Memory Stick |
| Connectivity | N/A | Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.1, Micro USB, Micro HDMI |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | A6100 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | — | |
| Sports & Action | ||
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Casual | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — |
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Camera family history