I purchased a RF100-300 and then sold my 400mm F/2.8 IS II. I have enjoyed the 100-300 and have I have hated it. I was using mostly the Canon R3 on the 400mm and the 100-300, but the frustration of the 100-300 with the R3 was the reach (I mainly shoot soccer).
This past weekend I used my R7 on the 100-300 and it was much better results - I was able to get the reach back and the zoom of the 100-300 with the reach of the R7 crop really made the lens shine. While the R3 is much better camera and for soccer is a machine gun for action shots when needed, the R7 really made me actually like the 100-300. I still wish I would have never sold my 400mm and I am looking to buy a RF400MM and trade/sell my 100-300, but in the meantime, i think if the light is good i'll stick with the R7 and just bring the R3 out when i need the better iso performance.
I attached a few photos with each to show the differences. Not the greatest photos, but I wanted to show the difference in reach.
Photo 1 - using the R7 with the 100-300, I was shooting almost the full field away from the player (about 80yards) and at full zoom, but still got good sharpness and didn't feel too much of a reach. If this was the R3, the photo would have needed to zoom in way to much in my opinion and it would have been not as clear.
Photo 2 - using R3 with the 100-300, I was shooting about half the field away at full zoom. If this was the 400mm or even the R7 I think I'm much closer to a tighter shot and this is zoomed in in post and if i zoomed in further it was not as clear.
Photo 3 - using R3 with 100-300, I was shooting close and likely don't get this photo if I'm straight 400mm prime. I was about just 116mm zoom on this one.
Photo 4 - using R3 with the 400mm f2.8 is ii ... 60yards away but clear, close and straight out of the camera, no zoom.
again, i know the photos are great, but just wanted to show different reaches and different cameras. i saw a few people asking about the 100-300 vs 400 and figured i'd chime in. While I don't hate the 100-300 and appreciate the zoom features and it gets me some photos closer than i would have missed, with the straight R3 to the 100-300 i feel i miss half the field for sure and even in the middle of the field it is a reach and zoom. great for final 1/3, but with the R7 it really opened up a much better potential for the 100-300.
But i truly miss my 400 and with i would have sold it.
Looking forward to any feedback or CC.
Thanks
Sep 15, 2025 at 01:41 PM
Previous versions of soccerphotos's message #16891063 « Canon 100-300 vs 400mm F2.8 with R3 and R7 »
