Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM vs Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM vs Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM

When comparing Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM and Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM, which one is better?

1. Compare weight

The lens that weighs the least of the two is Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM which weighs 165 g, compared to the loser Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM which weighs 1530 g.

Winner: Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM

Regarding weight: When it comes to the lens's weight, it's actually more important than many people think that the lens weighs as little as possible — it's simply a pain to lug around a lens that's too heavy when you're photographing or filming for several hours, and a few hundred grams can make a real difference.

2. Compare minimum focusing distance

When it comes to minimum focusing distance, that is how close to the subject the lens can focus, Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM is the winner with a minimum focusing distance of 13 cm. This can be compared with the minimum focusing distance of 90 cm for Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM.

Winner: Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM

Regarding minimum focusing distance: The lens's minimum focusing distance determines how close you can photograph your subject, such as a face or an animal. If the minimum focusing distance is 50 cm then you cannot get closer to your subject than 50 cm. Macro lenses often have a very low minimum focusing distance so that you can take close-up shots (macro photography).

Specifications

Full specifications table of Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM and Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM:

	Canon RF 16mm F2.8 STM	Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
	Price ➔	Price ➔
Brand	Canon	Canon
Year	2021	2020
Weight	165 g	1530 g
Mount	Canon RF	Canon RF
Focal Length	16 mm	100 - 500 mm
Largest Aperture	2.8	4.5 - 7.1
Anamorphic Lens	No	No
Minimum Focusing Distance	13 cm	90 cm
Type	Prime	Zoom
Filter Thread	43	77
Stabilization	No	Yes
Covers a Full Frame Sensor?	Yes	Yes
Stabilization Type	Missing	Canon Image Stabilizer (IS)