RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMvs FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS

GearFrame · Updated March 2026

Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM 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 FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS Sony FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (2017) Starting from £2499 new Best for Wildlife, sports & birds in flight View FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS

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.

Wildlife, Sports & Birds In Flight — FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (2017): The benchmark wildlife and sports telephoto for Sony mirrorless — G Master quality with Dual XD tracking that locks onto subjects and holds them.

↓ Full specifications below

Who should buy what

Quick take: The fe 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 gm oss 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)FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS (2017)
Price £2,799 £2,499
Sensor f/4.5-7.1 (variable max aperture) f/4.5-5.6 (variable max aperture)
Video 90cm minimum focus distance 112cm minimum focus distance
Autofocus Dual Nano USM — fast subject tracking with Dual Pixel CMOS AF Dual XD linear motors — ultra-fast tracking for moving subjects
Stabilisation 5-stop IS (up to 6 stops combined with IBIS on compatible bodies) 4.5-stop OSS (up to 5.5 stops combined with body IBIS)
Burst Rate N/A N/A
Battery Life N/A N/A
Weight 1530g 1395g
Dimensions 93.8mm diameter × 207.6mm length 93.9mm diameter × 218mm length
Weather Sealed Yes Yes
Viewfinder N/A N/A
Screen N/A N/A
Mount Canon RF Sony FE (full-frame E-mount)
Memory Cards N/A N/A
Connectivity N/A N/A

Suitability by genre

Genre RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USMFE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS
Wildlife
9.0
9.0
Sports & Action
9.0
9.0
Landscape
7.0
7.0
⚡ Compare specs side by side RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM prices → FE 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 GM OSS prices →

More comparisons with RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM

Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A1 → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A1 II → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A6100 → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A6400 → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A6600 → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A6700 → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A7C → Compare RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs A7C II →