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My Quick Verdict
After a week photographing puffins on Grímsey, the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM is, in my opinion, the finest telephoto zoom Canon has ever made. The price is the only real barrier.
- Best For Working Pros: Wildlife and sports photographers who shoot in low light and rely on the constant f/2.8 aperture, often with the 1.4x or 2x extender on.
- Skip If You’re A Hobbyist: The Canon RF 100-500mm gives you 200mm more reach for less than a third of the price.
- One-Line Verdict: Prime-grade image quality, near-instant autofocus, and the most capable telephoto zoom Canon has ever made.
I borrowed the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM for one week and took it straight to a puffin colony on Grímsey. I had never even held it until the day before the workshop began, so there was no easing into it. I shot the whole week on my Canon EOS R5 Mark II, with the 1.4x and the 2x RF extenders along for the extra reach, photographing puffins perched on the cliff edges and coming in to land with their bills full of sand eels. A week later, I think it is the finest telephoto zoom Canon has ever made, and the price is the only real barrier.
In the middle of June, I always host my annual Puffins in the Midnight Sun bird photography workshop on Grímsey in Iceland. During this photography workshop, I bring together a group of photographers who are eager to learn more about bird photography and are excited to improve their skills. This year, I decided to also test myself by bringing a lens I was absolutely not familiar with: the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM.
The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM is an impressive piece of gear according to what I’ve read and heard about it so I really wanted to try it out myself. To form my own opinion about it, I wanted to use it in the best situation I could think of: photographing puffins. I purposely left my favourite lens for the job, the Canon RF 100-500mm at home, so I wouldn’t have an easy way out if things didn’t work out as planned.
As always, in my lens and camera reviews I don’t obsess about the technical specifications but I rather focus on capturing images I want to capture. I focus on how it performs in-the-field and whether or not it allowed me to do things I would otherwise not be able to do. Do not expect me to be comparing images at 400% crop to check sharpness as I do not believe that’s important at all.
So how did the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM, this magical unicorn of a lens, stack up in a real world scenario for a hybrid photographer like myself? Let’s find out!
Full disclosure: This is not a sponsored review. I borrowed the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 for a week from Ofar/Canon Iceland and used it during my Puffins in the Midnight Sun photo workshop. I am not being paid to write this review nor did anyone get any input or preview. All opinions are my own.
It was definitely a steep learning curve for me to go on a workshop with the Canon RF 100-300mm which I had never even held until the day before the workshop began.
For this trip, I had just upgraded my main camera body to the Canon EOS R5 Mark II.
Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM At A Glance
At 2585.5 grams and almost 35 centimetres of barrel, this is a big lens, and at $10,599 it is an expensive one. What you get for that is a constant f/2.8 across the whole zoom range and an internal zoom that does not grow when you fit an extender.
| Mount | Canon RF, full frame |
| Focal Range | 100-300mm |
| Maximum Aperture | Constant f/2.8 across the whole zoom range |
| Autofocus | Dual Nano USM |
| Weight | 2585.5 g without a camera body |
| Barrel Length | Almost 35 cm, plus roughly another 10 cm with the included hood |
| Front Element | Almost 12 cm across |
| Minimum Focus Distance | 1.8 metres |
| Zoom Type | Internal, so the barrel does not extend |
| With The RF 1.4x Extender | 140-420mm at f/4 |
| With The RF 2x Extender | 200-600mm at f/5.6 |
| Tripod Collar | Removable, doubles as a carrying handle |
| Price | $10,599 USD list, £11,500 UK RRP as of July 2026 |
How I Tested The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM
For someone who usually shoots with the Canon RF 100-500mm telephoto lens, changing over to the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM was a big adjustment in many ways. I had never used such a big & heavy lens with such a wide aperture before.
For the purpose of this review, I tested the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM together with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II (the latest addition to my kit) and in combination with the 1.4x and 2x RF extenders. I divided the review in a few key aspects that are very important in my line of work.
Build Quality And Handling
Let’s start with the most eye-catching thing about the Canon RF 100-300mm: its build quality. As soon as you hold it you notice three things: it’s heavy, it’s big and it’s well-built. With a whopping 2585.5 grams (without a camera body), this is possibly the heaviest lens I have ever used. While it’s something you notice right away, you kind of stop noticing it after a while. I definitely got used to the weight. That is until I started waving it around photographing birds-in-flight. I love shooting handheld when photographing flying puffins and it was certainly a workout with this lens.
The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM is also considerably larger than any other lens I have used. The front element is almost 12 centimeters in diameter and the lens barrel itself is almost 35 centimeters long – without the included lens hood. The included lens hood adds another 10 centimeters to that.
However, while it is a massive piece of kit to carry around, the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM is also one of the best built lenses I have ever used. It feels incredibly sturdy and premium. One of my favourite parts is the tripod collar, which doubles as a carrying handle. The way this handle has been finished, with a nice curved rubber grip on it, is clearly well thought out.
The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 feels well-built and has a lot of customization switches on the lens barrel to control focusing distance and image stabilisation.
Probably my favourite feature is the tripod collar which doubles as a very comfortable handle.
The Canon RF 100-300mm is considerably bigger than any other lens I own or have used. In this image you can see the comparison with my Canon RF 100-500mm in combination with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II.
With its f/2.8 aperture over the entire zoom range, the lens is massive and its front element is incredibly large.
Image Stabilisation
The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM has excellent image stabilisation and you know how I know that? Because I didn’t notice it at all. Even though I was unintentionally shaking whilst holding this heavy lens, I never noticed I was shaking because the lens stabilised really, really well. Of course, depending on what camera body you use, your mileage may vary. All I can say is that it worked great with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II.
Image Sharpness
Just like with my Canon RF 100-500mm, the image sharpness of this lens is of course very important to me. It’s safe to say that the Canon RF 100-300mm has absolutely no issues in that regard and the image sharpness is excellent, which you would expect from such an expensive lens. I tested this lens at all kinds of apertures, ranging from f/2.8 to f/16 and I never felt like any of the images fell short. As mentioned before, I won’t delve into pixel-peeping comparisons but the images below definitely speak volumes.
Autofocus Performance
The Dual Nano USM autofocus motors on the Canon RF 100-300mm work blazingly fast. At no point did I feel this lens was holding me back. Especially when combined with the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, it was almost as if I just had to point at the right bird and press the shutter. On top of that, it’s also very quiet when focusing. Even in the most intimate shooting circumstances, where I crawled really close to one puffin and I couldn’t make a sound, I didn’t even hear the lens focusing. It was THAT quiet!
Using The RF 1.4x And 2x Extenders
For reasons mentioned in the previous paragraph, I did use extenders in combination with the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM a lot during this trip. The 1.4x extender, which I also borrowed for the photo workshop, is very sharp while the 2x extender produces slightly softer images. Did that matter in the end result? No, it did not. Truth be told, I didn’t even notice it until I accidentally zoomed in to 200%. I ended up using the 2x extender a lot as it gave me a nice 600mm of range to work with while still keeping a wide aperture at f/5.6.
This image was captured using the 2x RF extender at 200mm.
This image, uncropped, was taken with the 2x extender at the longest end (600mm).
Canon RF 100-300mm Vs Canon RF 100-500mm
I found the range of the Canon RF 100-300mm to be limiting compared to my Canon RF 100-500mm. Therefore I kept reaching for the extenders I carried as well, which then also limit you on the shorter end. Perhaps I have gotten so used to having that nice 100 to 500mm range that I am struggling to step down to something with a more limited range.
The minimum focus distance of the Canon RF 100-300mm is 1.8 metres, which is considerably longer than on my Canon RF 100-500mm. Because of that, I often had to reach for an extender. Sure, I could have cropped in a lot but then I lose too much of the resolution I desire to keep.
One thing I really liked about using extenders with the Canon RF 100-300mm, in comparison to my Canon RF 100-500mm, is that the Canon RF 100-300mm doesn’t have any issues with the lens barrel sticking out with an extender attached as the zoom is internal. On the Canon RF 100-500mm the tripod collar is not as well thought out and it’s a feature I hope they will improve on for the Mark II version of the RF 100-500mm.
The short version: the Canon RF 100-300mm gives you a constant f/2.8, an internal zoom and a better tripod collar.
What Didn’t I Like About The Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM?
While there is a lot to love about the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM, there are definitely a few shortcomings or downsides that I find worth considering. It’s good to note that these are downsides which relate to my workflow and my niche so they may not necessarily apply to you.
The first, and probably biggest, downside is the price of the Canon RF 100-300mm. Coming at over 10,000 USD, this lens is extremely expensive. Does that mean it is too expensive for what you get and for whom this is marketed for? No, I don’t think so. But it is still a big chunk of money from your budget for what ultimately may be incremental improvements over other telephoto lenses you may be considering.
The Canon RF 100-300mm is a big & heavy lens which can become an issue if you have to carry it together with a lot of other photography equipment. I also found it to be quite challenging to use handheld, especially with birds-in-flight. You can, of course, use something like a gimbal head on a tripod but I find those very limiting in my workflow. I enjoy being mobile and flexible while shooting and a tripod feels limiting in that regard. Given the size of the Canon RF 100-300mm you may also need a much bigger backpack to carry it if you plan on bringing a lot of other photography gear.
Having to use extenders all the time felt limiting and made me long for my Canon RF 100-500mm.
The size difference between my Canon RF 100-500mm and the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM is tremendous and definitely felt limiting in terms of packing other gear.
Sample Images
Every image below was shot on Grímsey with the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM on a Canon EOS R5 Mark II. The captions say which ones were taken with an extender on.
A puffin with a bill full of sand eels, framed through the pink flowers on the cliff edge. Shot bare, without an extender.
Coming in to land with a full bill. This one was taken with the 2x extender.
A puffin crossing the sun in heavy fog. No extender on this one.
Backlit at the end of the day, with the light coming straight through the wings. No extender.
Not a puffin, but a good test of close detail: a goose chick sitting in the grass. Shot without an extender.
A puffin landing with fish in its bill, captured with the 2x extender.
Another bill full of sand eels, also shot with the 2x extender.
Final Verdict
After a week of puffins on Grímsey, I would put the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM ahead of any other telephoto zoom Canon has made. It gave me prime-grade image quality at every aperture I tried, autofocus that was near-instant on the Canon EOS R5 Mark II, and stabilisation so good that I never noticed it working. At $10,599 USD list, or £11,500 in the UK as of July 2026, the price is the only real barrier.
Buy it if you are a working wildlife or sports photographer who shoots in low light and relies on the constant f/2.8, often with the 1.4x or 2x extender on. Skip it if you are a hobbyist, because the Canon RF 100-500mm gives you 200mm more reach for less than a third of the price. And if it is pure reach you are after rather than aperture, the Canon 200-800 gets you to 800mm for about a fifth of the money, which is a very different lens doing a very different job.
What held me back was the 1.8 metre minimum focus distance, which kept sending me back to an extender, the size and weight when shooting birds in flight handheld, and the 100 to 300mm range after getting so used to 100 to 500mm. Those are downsides which relate to my workflow and my niche, so they may not necessarily apply to you.
Why Photographing Puffins In Iceland Is Just Better
The Atlantic Puffin is the reason this lens earned a place in my kit for a week on Grímsey. Iceland is one of the best places in the world to photograph Atlantic puffins. Every summer, thousands of these charismatic seabirds return to the country’s coastal cliffs to nest, creating incredible opportunities for wildlife photography. Locations like Grímsey, the Westman Islands, and Látrabjarg offer photographers the chance to capture puffins both perched along the grassy cliff edges and flying back from the ocean with beaks full of sand eels. Because puffins often fly surprisingly close to the cliffs, it becomes possible to photograph detailed portraits as well as dynamic images of puffins in flight. With the long hours of soft light during the Icelandic summer and the birds’ predictable flight paths, photographing puffins in Iceland is an unforgettable experience for wildlife photographers.
Among these locations, Grímsey stands out as one of the most rewarding places to photograph puffins in Iceland. The island’s puffin colonies are incredibly accessible, allowing photographers to work safely along the grassy cliff edges while birds constantly fly past at close range. Puffins frequently return from the ocean carrying sand eels, often approaching the cliffs at eye level before landing near their burrows. Combined with the soft light of the midnight sun and the relatively small number of visitors compared to other puffin colonies, Grímsey offers an exceptional environment for capturing both intimate portraits and dramatic flight shots of these iconic seabirds. For photographers looking to capture puffins in flight, close portraits, and natural behaviour, Grímsey is easily one of the best places for puffin photography in Iceland.
Because puffins move quickly and often fly directly toward the cliffs, photographing them successfully requires fast autofocus, excellent tracking performance, and a focal length that provides both reach and flexibility. This is where the Canon RF 100-300mm f/2.8 L IS USM really stood out during my time on Grímsey, offering the speed and versatility needed to capture puffins both in flight and perched along the cliffs.
An Atlantic Puffin, photographed in Grímsey (Iceland), proudly posing with his bill full of sand eels.
Shoot With Me
Put This Lens On Real Subjects
A long lens only proves itself in the field. On my Iceland, Greenland and Antarctica workshops we can shoot puffins on the cliffs, arctic fox at distance, penguins and seals from Zodiacs, and even orcas if we’re lucky. As small as possible groups, ethical fieldcraft, and the kind of patience that turns a decent lens into a portfolio.
Quick Tips For Photographing Puffins
- Use a fast shutter speed (1/2000s or faster) to freeze puffins in flight as they return to the cliffs.
- Enable continuous autofocus with subject tracking to keep up with their fast and unpredictable flight paths.
- Watch for puffins returning with sand eels in their beaks, which often creates the most interesting images.
- Position yourself near the cliff edges where puffins approach at eye level, especially in locations like Grímsey.
Bonus tip: I often rely on custom modes so I can instantly switch between settings for perched birds and fast-moving puffins in flight. If you want to learn how to set this up on your own camera, you can read my article about using custom modes for landscape & wildlife photography, where I explain how they can help you react faster and focus more on the moment without the distraction of settings.
Interested in joining the next edition of Puffins in the Midnight Sun? You can find the dates and sign up on the Puffins in the Midnight Sun workshop page.
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