The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 100-400mm and the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 for their suitability to various photography scenarios:
Size and Weight Comparison
The size of a lens is a crucial factor to consider when comparing two lenses. Canon RF 100-400mm is the longer of the two lenses at 165mm. The Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 with a length of 137mm, is 28mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Canon RF 100-400mm also has a larger diameter of 80mm compared to the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6's 79mm diameter.
The weight of a lens is equally significant as its external dimensions, particularly if you intend to handhold your camera and lens combination for extended periods. Canon RF 100-400mm weighs 635g, which means it is 385g (37%) lighter than the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 which has a weight of 1020g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF 100-400mm has a filter size of 67mm whereas the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a 72mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 67mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon RF 100-400mm:
And these are the 72mm filters that we recommend for the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF 100-400mm has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has the Canon EF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50 for the Canon RF Mount and Blackmagic URSA 12K LF, Z CAM E2-F6 II 6K and Z CAM E2-S6 II 6K for the Canon EF Mount.
Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 is also available in Nikon F (FX) mount.
Focal Range
Canon RF 100-400mm has a focal range of 100-400mm and
4.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
160 - 640mm.
On the other hand, the Tokina 80-400mm f4.5-5.6 has a focal range of 80-400mm and 5.0X zoom ratio . When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 128 - 640mm.
