Finally, very first 800mm Full frame zoom lens available on my hand and very soon delivery to end user …

just a some of my thoughts before my first impression of the lens.

Part1 – F7.1 – F.63 Know what (20231214)

Part2 – Physical different (20231214)

Part3 – field test Full Size Jpeg sharing (20240113)

– add on R7+RF200800 (20240103)

– add on R7+1.4x+RF200800 (20231224)

– Sumatra Graceful Pitta

Part4 – real field test experience AF accuracy, handling (need more time to gather more information here) (20231221)

Part5 – 800mm !!! (update 20231222)

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Part5 – 800mm !!!

– birder always want longer reach most of the situation, and now full frame first 800mm and it is compatible with 1.4x and 2x TC .. for minimum impact the image quality I am using 1.4x on both R3 (1120mm) & R7 (1792mm)。click on the picture for full size jpeg

– 鸟人，通常都希望我们游长点的镜头。因为鸟都是远远。尤其是水鸟，通常都是几百米。。佳能200-800 让我们可以2公斤800mm 还让我们可以用上 1.4x and 2x tc . R3 (全副）我们可以已1120mm .. R7 (1.6) 拍摄焦段1792mm..。。。大家可以看看画质。

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Part4 – real field test experience AF accuracy, handling

– I am shooting Handheld for or Tripod

– AV mode with manual ISO, wide open Aperture default

– Center Zone AF, Animal Detection, Eye detection ON, occasion MF with Focus peaking. AD-On button set to “5points AF, Animal Detection, Eye detection ON” (for situation where main subject surrounding with obstacle)

 

update 20231221

Sample3 – Fast and small subject

– a very small, fast moving subject and prefer at bushes .. the lens and R3 get the bird detect and look for eye almost seamless .. (AF center zone, Animal detection, Eye detection)

– a very fast moving tiny bird with very soft call bird, it is so difficult to have a open picture .. but with the current new mirrorless animal detect and tracking. It is some how quite easy to have some picture even at complicated environment like this

– 非常小+快的小鸟。叫的很小声。也喜欢在丛里跳来跳去。现在无反的动物+动物眼的 AI ，被不大可能做成比较容易。只要一有机会，我都有办法拿下它。

– 非常快+小+喜欢活动与树丛间。佳能R3+RF200800 只要鸟出现，都很快找到小鸟+鸟眼。

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Sample2 – Continuous AF Tracking flying subject

a very simple test on a raptor flying on very windy harbor at Taiwan.Setting

– CANON R3

– ISO3200, F9, 1/2500, 800mm

– Animal Detect, Eye detectio, Tracking On

– point the view finder to the subject, half press the shutter button allow it lock the focus and from the view finder can see the focus tracking just continuous track the subject.. than follow by continuous press the shutter button

– we can see how good is the CANON system while the Background change do not affect the tracking at ll

 

 

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here sample 1

*** it is not easy to shoot small subjects under close range 800mm, either good practice, shoot shorter focal length. So far this length lock focus fast when from near focus point to further focus point.  ****so important to always try to shoot nearer focus subject before point toward the main subject for the long focal length (500-800mm especially this lens at 800mm)

– Fast moving subject, seldom sit still for more than 1 second

– moving within bushes

*** 拍摄小+快的目标再加上长焦段。是很不容易的事，我们必须有很好的练习（很快准确对向目标）还有在无反时代，其实大家都有一个通病。对焦点在前向后很容易可是要从后方回前都会有某程度的慢或完全不对焦。（其实最快的方法还是，每次对焦前都先对焦目标前的目标）尤其是500-800mm 是很不容易的。这只“变焦”800 也不例外。可是，习惯无反的”通病“就很容易不上这个不足。

– 动作快，几乎很少停多余1秒

– 在树丛里跳来跳去。

 

 

 

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Part3

Field Test Full Size Jpeg Sharing

Now here is some pictures sharing with exif (click the picture for Full Size Jpeg, It is either

i. NNR – No noise Reduction, straight save JPEG from Adobe Camera Raw

ii. NRTopaz – Noise Reduction with Topaz

iii. NRPs – Noise Reduction with ACR

(no sharpen, no extra edit … )

 

Sample 11 with CANON R6m2 with RF200800 – high ISO8000 (after Topaz Denoise

Blue-headed Pitta, 蓝头八色鸫, 藍頭八色鶇, Hydrornis baudii, ズアオヤイロチョウ, Burung Pacat Kepala Biru

– CANON R6m2, CANON RF200800

– ISO8000, F9, 742mm, ISO8000

 

Sample 10 with CANON R3 with RF200800 – high ISO10000

Sumatran Trogon, 苏门答腊咬鹃, 蘇門答臘藍尾咬鵑, Apalharpactes mackloti, スマトラキヌバネドリ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800

– ISO10000, F9, 707mm, 1/30s

 

Sample 9 with CANON R7with RF200800

Blue-winged pitta, 马来八色鸫, 馬來八色鶇, Pitta moluccensis,  ミナミヤイロチョウ, BURUNG-PACAT SAYAP BIRU

– CANON R7, CANON RF200800

– ISO6400, F8, 538mm, 1/50

update 20240103

– 2024 official day1 working, it is faithful start … we arrive the “feeding spot” but without put any “food” the bird just stand there waiting so are we shoot at feeding bird ?  … but it is real challenge having long focal length + high megapixel camera … CANON R7 + CANON RF200800. I am shooting ISO6400, F8, 538mm, 1/50

– 2024第一天带客人，还算很不错。到达一个喂食点，这八色鸫就在那等。我们也没喂啊，这算喂食吗！ 哈哈。

– 在马来西亚雨林，早上真的很不容易拍。高像素+长焦段。佳能R7, RF200800. CANON R7 + CANON RF200800. I am shooting ISO6400, F8, 538mm, 1/50

 

 

 

Sample 8 with CANON R3

Graceful Pitta, 黑冠八色鸫, 黑冠八色鳥, Erythropitta venusta, スマトラヤイロチョウ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800

– ISO4000, F9, 1/60

 

 

Sample 7 (add with 1.4x tc) with CANON R7 – 1792mm

Northern Shoveler, 琵嘴鸭, 琵嘴鴨, Spatula clypeata, Spatula clypeata, ITIK-SUDU UTARA

– CANON R7, CANON RF200800,  1.4x TC

– ISO500, 1/1000, F13, 1120mm (x1.6)

 

 

Sample 6 (add with 1.4x tc) with CANON R7 – 1792mm

Kentish Plover, 环颈鸻, 東方環頸鴴, Charadrius alexandrinus, シロチドリ

– CANON R7, CANON RF200800,  1.4x TC

– ISO640, 1/500, F13, 1120mm (x1.6)

 

Sample 5 (add with 1.4x tc)

Spoon-billed Sandpiper, 勺嘴鹬, 琵嘴鷸, Calidris pygmaea, ヘラシギ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800, 1.4x TC

– ISO1250, 1/1250, F13, 1120mm

 

Sample 4

Collared Bush-Robin, 台湾林鸲, 栗背林鴝, Tarsiger johnstoniae, アリサンヒタキ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800

– ISO3200, 1/320, F9

Sample 3

– Swinhoe’s Pheasant, 蓝腹鹇, 藍腹鷴, Lophura swinhoii, サンケイ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800

– ISO4000, 1/60s, F9

 

 

Sample 1

– White-whiskered Laughingthrush, 玉山噪鹛, 台灣噪眉, Trochalopteron morrisonianum, タイワンキンバネガビチョウ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800

– ISO1600, F9, 1/60, 800mm

 

 

Sample 2

– Taiwan Yuhina, 褐头凤鹛, 冠羽畫眉, Yuhina brunneiceps, カンムリチメドリ

– CANON R3, CANON RF200800

– ISO6400, F9, 1/800, 800mm

 

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Part1

F7.1 – F6.3

many keep talking the F too small for the lens, lets be fair to every brand… for current situation, we need something smaller size mean smaller aperture !!! than how small aperture you accept ? if you 90% stay inside rainforest, you know F4 is not big enough for many cases .. so anything smaller F5.6,6.3,7.1 make small different .. than why keep ask why it is F7.1 ? simple smaller size and lighter .

here is one example

ISO1000 , F6.3 , 1/100

can replace

ISO1250, F7.1, 1/100

ISO1000, F7.1, 1/80

so the ISO just 1/3 stop ! to shutter speed slower by 1/3 stops .. big different ? but this lens with 2kg come with 800mm option which is many birder “wish” .. one of my HK buddy always say “一寸長一寸強“  mean we always need longer for birding not just reduce disturb, but walk less (haha joking) the longer the focal length allow us to get bigger subject without going too close to the subject.

but many more ask why F9… so for most the manufacturer provide 600mm F6.3 to have the 800mm  we need use 1.4x teleconvertor. But than the bigger aperture will be at F9 too !!!! but than this lens before using the 1.4x tc already give us 800mm .. and it is 2kg .. all other xxx-600mm F6.3 … 2.1-2.2kg before adding tc !!!

so let’s go out birding with this lens ! stop ask why why F9 … and some ask why F7.1

 

 

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Part2

Physical different

I am hopping this lens arrive 10 days ago so I can bring to Sri Lanka birding trip but it arrive just before I am leaving to Taiwan – Indonesia.

Skip the open box, the lens weight 2050kg… I cannot reduce anything more like 100500, RF400mm F2.8 or RF600mm F4 as the tripod collard seem not easy to removed, the hood also cannot be change already very light (thin and the only part of the lens look fragile).

The lens look long overall, but still manageable before zoom (extend)

– before the 100500 and 200800 extend compare to RF400mm F2.8

 

– after extend, overall the 200800 is really long to normal handling but when handhold still feel good before go to the field .

 

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