The type of photography that you are planning to use is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated the Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS and the Canon RF 100-400mm 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 Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS with a length of 162mm, is 3mm shorter. On the other hand, the Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS has a larger diameter of 85mm compared to the Canon RF 100-400mm's 80mm 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, 47% (580g) lighter than the Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS's weight of 1215g.
Filter Threads
The Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS has a filter size of 77mm whereas the Canon RF 100-400mm has a 67mm diameter. Larger filters are generally more expensive than the smaller ones given all the other features are equal.
Below are links to the 77mm filters that we recommend you to consider for the Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS:
And these are the 67mm filters that we recommend for the Canon RF 100-400mm:
Lens Mounts
The Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS has the Sony E lens mount whereas the Canon RF 100-400mm has the Canon RF lens mount. Some of the latest released cameras that are compatible with these mounts are Sony ZV-E10 II, Sony A6700 and Sony FX30 for the Sony E Mount and Canon R6 V, Canon R6 III and Canon C50 for the Canon RF Mount.
Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS is also available in the Canon RF , Nikon Z, Leica L and Fujifilm G mounts.
Focal Range
Laowa 100mm F2.8 TS is a prime lens with fixed focal lenght of 100mm which has an effective (full-frame 35mm equivalent) focal range of
150mm when used on a 35mm FF format camera.
On the other hand, the 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.
