Canon RF 200–800mm F6.3–9 IS USM vs Canon RF 45mm F1.2 STM
Better figure, where one is clearly better
| CanonRF 200–800mm F6.3–9 IS USM | CanonRF 45mm F1.2 STM | |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Released | December 2023 | November 2025 |
| Optics | ||
| Lens type | Zoom | Prime |
| Focal length | 200–800 mm | 45 mm |
| Maximum aperture | f/6.3–9 | f/1.2 |
| Minimum aperture | f/32–54 | f/16 |
| Optical construction | Seventeen elements in eleven groups | Nine elements in seven groups |
| Special elements | Three UD elements | One plastic-moulded aspherical element (Canon USA) |
| Coatings | Super Spectra coating; no fluorine coating | Super Spectra coating |
| Aperture detail | Maximum f/6.3 at 200 mm and f/9 at 800 mm; minimum f/32–54 in the current UK specification. Canon Camera Museum instead lists f/51 at 800 mm | f/1.2–16 |
| Diaphragm | Nine aperture blades | Nine aperture blades |
| Angle of view | 12°–3°05′ diagonal, 10°–2°35′ horizontal and 7°–1°40′ vertical | 43°35′ horizontal, 29°50′ vertical and 51°20′ diagonal on full frame |
| Mount and compatibility | ||
| Mounts | Canon RF | Canon RF |
| Image circle | Full frame | Full frame |
| Compatibility | Canon RF mount for full-frame and APS-C EOS R cameras | Canon EOS R cameras; full-frame image circle |
| Teleconverter support | RF 1.4× gives 280–1120 mm at f/9–13, maximum 0.37×; RF 2× gives 400–1600 mm at f/13–18, maximum 0.54×. Autofocus and stabilisation supported throughout the zoom range; autofocus coverage depends on camera and extender | Canon RF extenders not compatible |
| Focus and stabilisation | ||
| Autofocus | Yes | Yes |
| Minimum focus distance | 0.8 m | 0.45 m |
| Maximum magnification | 0.25× | 0.13× |
| Optical stabilisation | Yes | No |
| Autofocus detail | Nano USM autofocus for fast stills focusing and smooth video transitions | Gear-type STM autofocus with magnetic focus-position detection; full-time electronic manual focus |
| Focus distance detail | Minimum focus 0.8 m at 200 mm and 3.3 m at 800 mm | Minimum focusing distance 0.45 m; Canon does not separately specify AF/MF distances |
| Magnification detail | Maximum 0.25× at 200 mm and 0.2× at 800 mm | – |
| Stabilisation detail | Up to 5.5 stops optical stabilisation with EOS R at 800 mm, or 5.5 stops coordinated stabilisation with EOS R3 at 800 mm; CIPA yaw and pitch testing. Coordinated correction has greater effect towards the wide end | No optical image stabilisation (Canon USA) |
| Design | ||
| Dust and moisture resistant | Yes | No |
| Filter diameter | 95 mm | 67 mm |
| Maximum diameter | 102.3 mm | 78 mm |
| Length | 314.1 mm | 75 mm |
| Weight | 2,060 g | 346 g (better) |
| Controls | Combined focus/control ring, customisable lens function buttons, AF/MF and stabiliser switches, and smooth/tight zoom torque adjustment | Separate focus and clickable control rings; AF/MF switch; no iris ring or lens function button (Canon USA) |
| Filter detail | – | 67 mm front screw-in filter thread |
| Zoom design | Barrel extends when zooming towards 800 mm | – |
| Weather resistance | Dust and moisture resistant construction; white exterior helps limit heating in sunlight | No dust or weather resistant construction (Canon USA) |
| Dimensions detail | 102.3 mm maximum diameter × 314.1 mm length with barrel retracted | Approximately 78 mm maximum diameter × 75 mm length |
| Weight detail | Approximately 2060 g current production; products manufactured before July 2026 weigh 2050 g. Canon's Japanese notice attributes the change to revised component specifications | Approximately 346 g lens |
| Tripod mount | Attached rotating tripod collar; not removable or Arca-Swiss compatible (Amateur Photographer) | – |
| Lens hood | ET-101 hood included | Optional ES-73B hood and LP1116 case; E-67 II front cap and Lens Dust Cap RF listed by Canon |
| In the box | Lens, E-95 cap, ET-101 hood, RF dust cap, Lens Strap 40 and user manual | Front and rear lens caps (Amateur Photographer); hood not included |
| Release detail | December 2023 release confirmed retrospectively by Canon's February 2024 global announcement; Japan's launch notice states early December and the US announcement expected December. Canon Camera Museum instead labels November 2023 as marketed | Canon Japan's 14 November 2025 notice confirms first sale on 28 November 2025; Photography Blog instead reports availability from 20 November without a matching regional maker day, so no UK date is inferred |
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