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Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Rudy Pohl
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I have an R5 and do a lot of wildlife videos with my F100-500 L. Shorebird season is beginning and I need more reach and am looking for an affordable solution.

Which would you recommend I get, the RF 1.4x extender or the RF 800/f11? Or other solution>

What are the pros and cons of each?

Thanks
Rudy

Aug 12, 2023 at 12:30 PM

downhillonwater
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I'd buy the 1.4x. With the 100-500 there is no degradation in image quality. And very manageable to hand hold.

Aug 12, 2023 at 12:33 PM

jaredmizanin
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I have the R5, 100-500, RF 1.4x, and 800/11. Although I don't have much experience with the 1.4x because I just recently got it (and only could play around a bit in the backyard) I will give you my unexperienced recommendation anyway. I would say spring for the RF 1.4x. The shots I did take in my backyard all look very good! Autofocus seems excellent as well. Plus, with it on you have 420-700mm instead of just 800mm, and the minimum focusing distance is MUCH better in case the birds come in close. The performance is good enough to sell my RF 800/11, which I will be doing once I get some time to do it!

Aug 12, 2023 at 02:34 PM

EB-1
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p.1 #4 · p.1 #4 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I don't find the 100-500 with RF 1.4x has all that great IQ for 45MP stills, but maybe 4K video is acceptable due to the lower resolution and moving images. I usually back off a little, below the 472mm point and f/11 has a little better contrast. A 500/4 IS II and the 1.4x III work great, but probably not what you want. IQ at 45MP is far better of course.

EBH

Aug 12, 2023 at 02:56 PM

StephenS_CP
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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

In the "or other solution" category...

Consider an R7. Yes, a new R7 is significantly more expensive than a new RF 800/11 though used ones seem to be available with a significantly smaller cost differential.

You will get about 25-30% more reach due pixel size/density. NOTE: I equate "reach" with the ability to resolve detail.
Please don't conflate "reach" with the reduced FOV of a crop sensor. However the reduced FOV will make your subject larger in the viewfinder so I find it much easier to keep the subject in the frame.

I also find that available light is my biggest challenge shooting shorebirds. Since we live at the same latitude, I would expect that this is a significant challenge for you as well. The R7 provides the increased reach without the f-stop penalty of the extender or the f11 800mm lens.

I have and use both the R5 and R7. My long lens, though, is the EF 100-400 so I still need the 1.4x extender in order to get to your 500mm starting point.

Aug 12, 2023 at 03:48 PM

cpe1991
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p.1 #6 · p.1 #6 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I have both the RF1.4x and the RF2x to go with my 100-500 on the R5 and also have an RF800/11 and R7. I rarely use the 1.4x on the 100-500mm but go straight to the 2x when I need more reach. OK, f/14 is a bit of a pain but the 100-500mm at 1000mm gives as good resolution as the 800 at f/11 and I generally need the zoom with its close focussing and so the 800/11 isn't used much. The 100-500 is very good on the the R7.

Aug 12, 2023 at 04:18 PM

flash
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p.1 #7 · p.1 #7 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I recently took my R5 and R7 with 100-500 and 1.4x to Africa. It was fine. But next time I’ll leave the R7 at home and take another R5 with the 800 f11. To me, for the type of trip I was on getting closer than 420mm with the 1.4 on the camera was useful on occasion. I think the 100-500 and 800mm is a great combination with 2 R5 bodies. I mostly wanted the reach but found the R7 limiting for resolution and usability. Plus the AF isn’t as sticky as the R5.

I need to stop down a stop to get better IQ from the 100-500/1,4x combo. So that meant the 800 would be slightly wider/faster. So in future R5 with 100-500 and R5 with 800 plus occasionally the 1.4x if really needed in good light.

Got to say the 200-500f4 is looking good…….

Gordon

Aug 12, 2023 at 05:22 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #8 · p.1 #8 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Rudy Pohl wrote:
What are the pros and cons of each?

Thanks
Rudy

One is a zoom and one is a fixed focal-length. Do you want to be restricted with one focal-length?

Aug 12, 2023 at 05:34 PM

Abbott Schindl
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p.1 #9 · p.1 #9 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I’d go for the 1.4X as you’ve already got the 100-500. I’ve been using my 100-500 with both the 1.4X and 1.5X extenders and am quite happy with both, given that you’re aware that the lens gets very long with an extender because it’s got to be zoomed out to at least 300mm to mount the Extender. Like many others, I don’t like having to carry the resulting length around, and also don’t like that the zoom range is reduced. Also, the lens becomes f/14 with the 2X mounted. OTOH, the 800’s pretty long when extended to its working length.

Aside from the physical shortcomings, I’m happy with the image quality the combinations give me with my R5’s. For most birds I try to use 1000s or faster shutter speed and ISO 6400 or slower. I’ve gotten quite a few excellent songbird photos, as well as raptors, waterfowl, shorebirds and other things.

Two things I prefer about this vs the 800 f/11 are its closer minimum focus distance, and that I have the option of shooting the bare lens if I need a faster aperture. I’ve used the mfd quite often with birds at my window feeder, sometimes as close as the lens’ mfd, so I can fill the frame with, for example, a junco’s head and upper body. At the longer end, last night I captured a Great-horned Owlet at dusk using the 1.4X—the bird filled ~1/4 of the frame and had excellent detail at ISO 6400.

Of course in a pinch you could reduce the 800’s MFD by adding an extension tube, but then you reduce the max aperture and lose the ability to focus farther out.

Aug 12, 2023 at 05:40 PM

Rudy Pohl
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p.1 #10 · p.1 #10 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Hi All,

Thanks very much to everyone for taking the time to provide these super helpful and informative responses based on your experiences. Just the kind of info I needed to read.

I'll be going with the RF 1.4x extender.

Thanks again and have a great day,
Rudy

Aug 12, 2023 at 06:10 PM

George Welch
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p.1 #11 · p.1 #11 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Rudy,

I know you’re doing it for more reach but remember you will be severely restricted on the wide end with the RF 1.4, where it only works between 300-500mm

Cheers

George

Aug 12, 2023 at 07:13 PM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #12 · p.1 #12 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

George Welch wrote:
I know you’re doing it for more reach but remember you will be severely restricted on the wide end with the RF 1.4, where it only works between 300-500mm

George

I would not say that you will be SEVERELY restricted, when it will give you a 420-700mm range. That is a range of 280mm in the area of reach, that the OP is looking for.

Aug 12, 2023 at 09:02 PM

jaredmizanin
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p.1 #13 · p.1 #13 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

And if you think 420-700mm is severely restricted on the wide end, think how restricted you'd be with the 800mm f/11!

Aug 12, 2023 at 09:14 PM

George Welch
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p.1 #14 · p.1 #14 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Personally, I have no interest in the 800

Aug 13, 2023 at 04:44 AM

Alan Kefauver
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p.1 #15 · p.1 #15 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

downhillonwater wrote:
I'd buy the 1.4x. With the 100-500 there is no degradation in image quality. And very manageable to hand hold.

This

Aug 13, 2023 at 08:34 AM

dj63401
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p.1 #16 · p.1 #16 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Hi Rudy!
I'm a little late to this thread.
As you know, I have the R5 and the R7, along with the 100-500, 1.4, and the 800mm f11. I got the 800 1st as I had a great 100-400 IS II along with the EF1.4 and 2X extenders. Like you, I lean towards enjoying video right now. I thought after I got the 100-500 and 1.4 I would sell the 800mm. But in the right conditions, it does a super job, especially in video.(Not a slouch on stills either) So I have kept it.
I know you love the 120 fps 4k mode.
If you can wait, before you buy the RF1.4, try shooting video in 4K crop mode.60 fps max, but excellent results. That will give you an excellent example of what you will get with the 1.4(crop mode is 1.61, I think in video) and your 100-500.
Then revisit your choices and decision.
With 1 Canon body, if I was buying today, between the 1.4 and the 800mm, I would get the RF1.4. But it sure is nice having both.
PS: I have thought about getting the 2X, but have not pulled the trigger, and most likely will not.
Good luck on your decision.
Dave

Aug 13, 2023 at 09:42 AM

EB-1
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p.1 #17 · p.1 #17 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

The RF 1.4x is a really nice TC and will also serve you well with future lenses such as big teles.
The front cap is unique so you might want to get a spare if you are like me and tend to lose/misplace them.

EBH

Aug 13, 2023 at 10:25 AM

Scott Stoness
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p.1 #18 · p.1 #18 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

I have ef200-400 and ef600v2. I usually have 1.4x on 600. I bought the 200-400 as a complement to my 600, but it quickly became my most used lens because of the zoom and high iq and the extra 150mm of reach with 1.4x. My point - 600 prime is a difficult lens to use because it has such a low field of view. Usually when I use it, I am debating 600 or 800 (1.4x) and things are either too far or too close and its hard to find the subject.

So the biggest plus minus is prime vs zoom. For me the big magnification 600/1.4x (800) I only use for Yellowstone (wolves) and Churchlll (polar bears) and off the boat at Prince Rupert (grizzly) - wide open spaces with distance challenges. Its hard to find the subject if they are moving significantly.

The other plus minus is f-stop. F11 vs f9 or so is a significant difference for me because most of my shooting is early or late.

Personally I woudl be inclined to the 1.4x. For field of view and versatility.

Aug 14, 2023 at 10:07 AM

nmerc_photos
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p.1 #19 · p.1 #19 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Having owned and used both extensively, if you don't own anything else that you could use the 1.4x on (IE the 400 f2.8, 600 f4, 800 f5.6, 1200 f8) I would just buy the 800 f11.

Using the 100-500 with the extender is a PITA. it makes it significantly more difficult to store while traveling. it limits your focal length (100-500 now becomes 420-700), and the savings in light isn't really all that improved.

I prefer the 800 F11 to the 100-500 in any situation that doesn't require weather sealing

Aug 14, 2023 at 10:08 AM

Imagemaster
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p.1 #20 · p.1 #20 · Help me decide please: - RF 1.4x extender or RF 800/f11 IS STM?

Compared to the 100-500, the 800 f11 is a lame dog. Weight, size, and cost are its only advantages.

If your subject is closer than about 20 feet, forget about using the 800.

https://youtu.be/PHtb-8HCP3o

https://youtu.be/z7oiQG6e98k

Aug 14, 2023 at 01:14 PM


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