Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM vs Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE
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 | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1530 g | 414 g |
| Weather sealed | true | false |
| Optical stabilization | true | false |
| Min focal | 100 mm | 40 mm |
| Max focal | 500 mm | 40 mm |
Between the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM and Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE, the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM comes out ahead in weather sealed / optical stabilization, while the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE wins on weight. Overall, the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM scores 74.1 and the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE scores 68.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
The RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM edges ahead on the Mars Score (74.1 vs 68.5), but the 5.6-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.
Pick the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM if you care most about weather sealed / optical stabilization. The biggest gaps in its favor are weather sealed, optical stabilization, min focal, among others. The single most decisive one: Has Weather sealed.
Pick the Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE 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 — 1116.00 g less. 414 vs 1530.
There are no meaningful ties on the headline specs — every popular-comparison metric has a winner.
Bottom line: the RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.
Which should you buy: Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM or Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE?
Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM leads the current Mars Score by 5.6 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 weather sealed, has stabilization, focal min mm.
Choose Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE if…
Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE 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
- ▲Has Weather sealed.
- ▲Has Optical stabilization.
- ▲Min focal: 100 (vs 40).
- ▲Max focal: 500 (vs 40).
Why Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE wins
- ▲Weight — 1116.00 g less. 414 vs 1530.
Spec comparison
Optics
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Min focal | 100 mmlead | 40 mm |
| Max focal | 500 mmlead | 40 mm |
| Max aperture | f/4.5 | f/1.2 |
| Min aperture | f/51 | f/16 |
Build
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | 1530 g | 414 glead |
| Weather sealedⓘ | truelead | false |
| Optical stabilizationⓘ | truelead | false |
Mount
| Spec | Canon - RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM | Voigtländer - Nokton 40mm f/1.2 SE |
|---|---|---|
| Lens mount | Canon RFlead | Sony E |