Who would have thought Canon would make a budget-friendly 800mm lens for birders and wildlife photographers? Since the news came out, I have been quite excited about the new Canon RF200-800mm lens for bird photography.
According to Canon Malaysia, this monster of a telephoto lens should be available in Malaysia from December 2023, and the price? Drumroll….. it’s set at RM9,499.00, which is a bargain!
Canon RF200-800mm Lens for Bird Photography
Since getting the Canon R7, I have been happily using the RF100-500mm, which has been quite good for me, and now I hear the news about the new Canon RF200-800mm lens being launched in November; it made me rethink life.
An 800mm telephoto with f9 under RM10,000? Now, this is something that instantly got me thinking. Additionally, Canon has mentioned that it’s compatible with the 1.4x and 2x extenders that can give you a maximum of 1600mm with f18.
Purists will definitely be against this, but how many people out there can fork out RM78,599 for an RF800mm f/5.6L IS USM? Or RM58,999.00 for an RF600mm F4 L IS USM? Canon was really smart, targeting mid-range consumers and coming out with this on a global level.
According to the Canon Malaysia website, this is what was put;
RF200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM delivers exceptional image quality throughout its super telephoto focal range while maintaining a lightweight and compact body. Additionally, with up to 5.5 stops of image stabilisation, you’ll have more creative freedom in your content creation.
• Lightweight Super Telephoto Reach with Zoom
• Image Stabilisation of up to 5.5 stops
• Compatible with Extender RF1.4x & RF2x — Reach Up to 1600mm
What is the Price for the Canon RF200-800mm f/6.3-9 IS USM?
The price is an unbelievable RM9,499.00, set by Canon Malaysia on their website. This means they better have enough stock, as this lens will surely be out of stock soon. Just like the RF200-500, when it was launched, it was immediately out of stock.
Lenses like these are highly sought after by many wildlife and bird photographers, and more beginner photographers will use these lenses compared to professional photographers who go for fixed f2.8/f4 lenses. You do the math; it simply says this will quickly be out of stock.
Again, with Canon announcing the recommended retail price, I am sure you can find this lens for around RM8,999.00 from third-party sellers. So, start looking around, as you do not want to be on a waitlist after Chinese New Year 2024.
Conclusion
Until I get my hands on this beautiful telephoto lens, I will be back to do another review using the Canon RF200-800mm lens for bird photography. I guess this will probably be in December 2023 or January 2024.
Meanwhile, I hope you enjoyed this article about Canon’s mid-range RF 800mm telephoto lens for wildlife and bird photography. I know I will enjoy using it, mainly for my simple bird photography.
