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Canon

Canon RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM

Canon's flagship supertelephoto prime — essentially the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III re-mounted for RF, and the standard for professional sports, wildlife and photojournalism work needing extreme reach at f/2.8. Noticeably lighter than older 400mm f/2.8 designs while retaining exceptional sharpness and AF speed, at a price that restricts ownership to working professionals.

Starting from
£13119 new
Available at 2 retailers
Check price at Clifton Cameras
✓ Available at 2 retailers 🔒 No signup needed 📦 UK stock only
RetailerPrice
Clifton Cameras
Clifton Cameras
£13119
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Core
Released
2021
Lens Type
Prime
Focal Length
400mm
Aperture
f/2.8
Compatible Mount
Canon RF
Dimensions
163mm x 367mm
Weight
2890g
Weather Sealed
Yes
Optics & Focus
AF Motor
USM — ring-type ultrasonic motor
Optical IS
5.5-stop IS
Aperture Blades
9
Magnification
0.17x
Min. Focus Distance
2.5m

Select up to 2 cameras to compare against the RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM. It's always pinned as the baseline.

Select 1–3 cameras to compare

4 cameras compatible with the Canon RF mount.

EOS R6
Canon
EOS R6
£1299
EOS R6 Mark III
Canon
EOS R6 Mark III
£2799
EOS R5 Mark II
Canon
EOS R5 Mark II
£4299
EOS R3
Canon
EOS R3
£5999
GearScore™ — Suitability by Genre

Base score — computed from verified specs for an enthusiast shooting photo and video. Camera Match adjusts it for your skill level and priorities.

Portrait
7.4
Street
3.5
Travel
4.7
Wedding & Events
6.9
Filmmaking
5.3
Documentary
6.1
Sports & Action
8.7
Landscape
5.9
Wildlife
7.9
Casual
4.2
Food
6.2
Architecture
6.2
Underwater
5.9
✅ Great For
⚡
Sports & Action 8.7 Strong on autofocus, focal length and optical quality. f/2.8 at 400mm freezes fast action even in poor light — a professional sports standard.
🦅
Wildlife 7.9 Strong on focal length, autofocus and optical stabilisation. Extreme reach with exceptional sharpness for professional wildlife work.
🧑
Portrait 7.4 Strong on optical quality, autofocus and bokeh.
⚠️ Not Ideal For
🌆
Street 3.5 Held back by portability and focal length.
📷
Casual 4.2 Held back by value for money and portability.
✈️
Travel 4.7 Held back by portability and focal length. At 2.9kg and a professional price, this is a specialist lens, not a general-purpose one.
📝 How suitability scores are calculated GearScore™ genre scores are calculated from this camera's verified specifications — autofocus, sensor, weight, weather sealing and more — weighted by what matters for each type of photography. Where a spec sheet misses something (e.g. a manual-focus rangefinder for street), we apply a documented editorial adjustment. Scores are not based on customer reviews. See our full methodology →
Price History — RF 400mm f/2.8L IS USM