RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMvs A6400
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
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.
Content Creation & Vlogging — A6400 (2019): The best value APS-C Sony you can buy — especially used. Real-time Eye AF at this price point was transformative when it launched and still makes it one of the most reliable autofocus systems in the lineup.
Who should buy what
A6400 (2019)
- Vloggers and content creators who need a flip screen and reliable AF
- Photographers upgrading from a compact or smartphone
- Beginners who want room to grow into a full E-mount lens ecosystem
- Anyone prioritising autofocus performance at an accessible price
Quick take: The a6400 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) | A6400 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £899 |
| Sensor | f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS BSI |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | 90cm minimum focus distance | 4K/30p (6K oversampled, no crop), 1080p/120p slow-motion |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF | Phase-detect, 425 points, real-time Eye AF & animal AF |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) | None (no IBIS) |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 11fps mechanical, 8fps with AF tracking |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~410 shots (CIPA) |
| Weight | 1530g | 403g (body, battery, card) |
| Dimensions | 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length | 120.0 × 66.9 × 59.7mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | No |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" tilting touchscreen, 180° flip for selfie/vlog, 921k dots |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony E-mount |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Single SD UHS-I |
| Connectivity | N/A | Micro-USB, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | A6400 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | — |
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