RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMvs A6600
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
A6600 (2019)
Starting from £1299 new
Best for Hybrid photography, travel & video on Sony APS-C
View A6600
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.
Hybrid Photography, Travel & Video On Sony Aps-C — A6600 (2019): The APS-C Sony that has everything — IBIS, real-time Eye AF, excellent battery life, and 4K/30p in a weather-sealed body.
Who should buy what
A6600 (2019)
- Sony APS-C shooters who need IBIS — the only A6000-series body to offer it
- Hybrid photographers who want the best of stills and video from a compact E-mount body
- A6400 or A6100 owners who want IBIS and a headphone jack for video work
- Travel photographers who need compact full-featured weather-sealed performance
Quick take: The a6600 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) | A6600 (2019) |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £2,799 | £1,299 |
| Sensor | f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) | 24.2MP APS-C Exmor CMOS |
| Resolution | — | 24.2MP |
| Video | 90cm minimum focus distance | 4K/30p (no crop), 1080p/120p |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF | Real-time Eye AF, real-time tracking — inherited from A9 |
| Stabilisation | 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) | 5-axis IBIS — 5 stops |
| Burst Rate | N/A | 11fps continuous with AF/AE |
| Battery Life | N/A | ~810 shots (CIPA) — large NP-FZ100 battery |
| Weight | 1530g | 503g body only |
| Dimensions | 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length | 120 × 66.9 × 69.3mm |
| Weather Sealed | Yes | Yes |
| Viewfinder | N/A | EVF, 2.36M dots, 0.70× magnification |
| Screen | N/A | 3.0" touchscreen, tilting |
| Mount | Canon RF | Sony E-mount (APS-C) |
| Memory Cards | N/A | Single SD UHS-I slot |
| Connectivity | N/A | USB-C, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, 3.5mm mic & headphone jacks |
Suitability by genre
| Genre | RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | A6600 |
|---|---|---|
| Wildlife | ||
| Sports & Action | — | |
| Landscape | — | |
| Portrait | — | |
| Travel | — | |
| Vlogging & Video | — | |
| Street | — | |
| Sports | — |
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