Yes, I bought the Canon RF 100-500mm L lens. This Gray Catbird was my first shot.

After spending weeks with the Canon RF 800mm lens, I found it more disappointing than rewarding. 

The RF 800mm can’t pan. Yes, it has image stabilization and the Canon R5 has in-body stabilization, but that is very different from stabilization for panning.  If you want to pan, you must use a fast shutter (ex 1/2500).  Combine that with a fixed f/11 aperture, the R5 only has the Auto ISO left to compensate.  Can you get good photos with the lens? Absolutely. And it is a bargain for 800mm.

But I was disappointed by the limitations more than I liked the results.

So, I spent the weekend with the RF 100-500mm L lens.  THIS is the lens I should have had all along (except it was backordered with Canon).  And, yes, it is BUILT for panning.  The R5 works so well with the lens.  Eye Focusing locks so easily and so fast.  And, it is so sharp.  The above Warbler photo was taken with 500mm @ 1/500, F/7.1 and ISO 200.  Here are some additional photos.

I had only seconds to capture this Downy Woodpecker below.  I got it with the very fast focusing of the RF 100-500mm!

More to come…I am keeping this lens!