The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Canon RF 800mm F11 and the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM 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. Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is the longer of the two lenses at 350mm. The Canon RF 800mm F11 with a length of 281mm, is 69mm shorter. Besides being longer, the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM also has a larger diameter of 123mm compared to the Canon RF 800mm F11's 102mm 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 800mm F11 weighs 1260g, which means it is 1890g (60%) lighter than the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM which has a weight of 3150g.
Filter Threads
The Canon RF 800mm F11 has a filter size of 95mm whereas the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM has a 46mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 95mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Canon RF 800mm F11:
And these are the 46mm filters that we recommend for the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM:
Lens Mounts
The Canon RF 800mm F11 has the Canon RF lens mount whereas the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM 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.
Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is also available in Nikon F (FX) , Pentax KAF and Sigma SA mounts.
Focal Range
Canon RF 800mm F11 is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 800mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of
1280mm.
On the other hand, the Sigma 500mm F4.5 EX DG HSM is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 500mm. When it is mounted on an APS-C sensor camera with 1.6x crop, it provides a 35mm (FF) equivalent of 800mm.
