Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II
Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1530 g | 1045 g |
| Min focal | 100 mm | 70 mm |
| Max focal | 500 mm | 200 mm |
Between the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM and FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II, the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM comes out ahead in min focal / max focal, while the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II wins on weight. Overall, the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM scores 74.1 and the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II scores 72.7 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (74.1 vs 72.7). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM if you care most about min focal / max focal. The biggest gaps in its favor are min focal, max focal. The single most decisive one: Min focal: 100 (vs 70).
Pick the FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II if you carry the device everywhere and weight or thickness has been the deciding factor before. Its strongest claims are weight. The single most decisive one: Weight — 485.00 g less. 1045 vs 1530.
Both ship with comparable weather sealed, optical stabilization, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM or Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II?
Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM leads the current Mars Score by 1.4 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare min focal, max focal, weight against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM if…
Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM has the measurable edge on focal min mm, focal max mm.
Choose Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II if…
Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II has the measurable edge on weight g.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM wins
- ▲Min focal: 100 (vs 70).
- ▲Max focal: 500 (vs 200).
Why Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II wins
- ▲Weight — 485.00 g less. 1045 vs 1530.
Spec comparison
Optics
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II |
|---|---|---|
| Min focal | 100 mmlead | 70 mm |
| Max focal | 500 mmlead | 200 mm |
| Max aperture | f/4.5 | f/2.8 |
| Min aperture | f/51 | f/22 |
Build
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1530 g | 1045 glead |
| Weather sealedⓘ | true | true |
| Optical stabilizationⓘ | true | true |
Mount
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Sony - FE 70-200mm f/2.8 GM OSS II |
|---|---|---|
| Lens mount | Canon RFlead | Sony E |