Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS II USM vs Canon EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM
Prices & availability
Specification comparison
Highlighted rows differ between the two models.
| Specification | Canon EF 500mm f/4 L IS II USM | Canon EF 800mm f/5.6 L IS USM |
|---|---|---|
| Mount | ||
| Mount | canon-ef | canon-ef |
| Optics | ||
| Focal (difference) | 500 mm | 800 mm |
| Aperture (difference) | f/4.0 | f/5.6 |
| Prime | Yes | Yes |
| Stabilization | Yes | Yes |
Verdict
Pick Model A if you need a brighter f/4 aperture for low-light performance or faster autofocus, or if the 500mm reach suffices for your subjects. Model B stays the better choice if the extra 300mm of focal length is critical and you can work with the slightly dimmer f/5.6 aperture, especially given its lower price.