
Canon EF Autofocus OIS
Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM
- Focal length
- 800 mm
- Aperture
- f/5.6
- Weight
- 4500 g
- Filter diameter
- 52 mm
- Min. focus distance
- 600 cm
- Length
- 461 mm
At a Glance
With 800 mm of focal length at f/5.6, this Canon EF telephoto prime for full frame is built for maximum reach. It has an optical stabilizer and takes drop-in filters. At 4.5 kg it is heavy, and it focuses down to 6 m. It suits bird and wildlife photography as well as sports, where distant subjects need to fill the frame.
Good for
- Wildlife
- Birds
- Sports
Worth knowing
- At 4.5 kg it is heavy: a monopod or tripod helps for longer sessions.
Derived from the manufacturer data, not from our own tests. How we check
Technical Specifications
- Min. focal length
- 800 mm
- Max. focal length
- 800 mm
- Max. aperture (min. zoom)
- f/5.6
- Max. aperture (max. zoom)
- f/5.6
- Min. aperture
- f/32
- Elements
- 18
- Groups
- 14
- Weight
- 4,500 g (9.92 lb)
- Filter diameter
- 52 mm
- Min. focus distance
- 600 cm (236.22 in)
- Max. magnification
- 1:7.1 (0.14×)
- Length
- 461 mm (18.15 in)
- Diameter
- 163 mm (6.42 in)
- Released
- May 2008
Manufacturer data: support.usa.canon.com, canon-europe.com
Last checked: October 13, 2026 (against the manufacturer data) · How we check
Which cameras does the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM fit?
The Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM is a full-frame lens for Canon EF cameras. On full-frame bodies it uses the whole sensor; on APS-C Canon EF cameras its field of view equals 1280 mm in full-frame terms.
Canon EF cameras
- Full frame:
- Canon EOS-1D X Mark III,Canon EOS 6D Mark II,Canon EOS-1D X Mark II,Canon EOS 5D Mark IV,Canon EOS 5Ds,Canon EOS 5Ds R,Canon EOS 5D Mark III,Canon EOS 6D,Canon EOS-1D C,Canon EOS-1D X,Canon EOS 5D Mark II
- APS-C:
- Canon EOS 850D (Rebel T8i),Canon EOS 90D,Canon EOS 250D (Rebel SL3),Canon EOS 4000D (3000D, Rebel T100),Canon EOS 2000D (1500D, Rebel T7),Canon EOS 800D (Rebel T7i),Canon EOS 77D,Canon EOS 200D (Rebel SL2),Canon EOS 80D,Canon EOS 1300D (Rebel T6),Canon EOS 750D (Rebel T6i),Canon EOS 760D (Rebel T6s),Canon EOS 7D Mark II,Canon EOS 1200D (Rebel T5),Canon EOS 70D,Canon EOS 700D (Rebel T5i),Canon EOS 100D (Rebel SL1),Canon EOS 650D (Rebel T4i),Canon EOS 60Da,Canon EOS 600D (Rebel T3i),Canon EOS 1100D (Rebel T3),Canon EOS 550D (Rebel T2i),Canon EOS 60D,Canon EOS 7D,Canon EOS 500D (Rebel T1i),Canon EOS 50D,Canon EOS 450D (Rebel XSi),Canon EOS 1000D (Rebel XS)
With the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R the lens can also be used on Canon RF cameras.
With the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS M the lens can also be used on Canon EF-M cameras.
Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM compared
Key specs side by side with the most similar Canon EF lenses.
| Lens | Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM | Sigma 800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM | Canon EF 600mm F4L IS III USM | Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L IS II USM |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Focal length | 800 mm | 800 mm | 600 mm | 600 mm |
| Max. aperture | f/5.6 | f/5.6 | f/4 | f/4 |
| Weight | 4,500 g | 4,900 g | 3,050 g | 3,920 g |
| Filter diameter | 52 mm | 46 mm | 52 mm | 52 mm |
| Min. focus distance | 600 cm | 700 cm | 420 cm | 450 cm |
| Length | 461 mm | 521 mm | 448 mm | 448 mm |
| Autofocus | yes | yes | yes | yes |
| Image stabilization | yes | no | yes | yes |
Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM: FAQ
Does the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM have autofocus?
Yes, the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM has autofocus.
Does the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM have image stabilization?
Yes, the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM has optical image stabilization.
How much does the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM weigh?
The Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM weighs 4,500 g. It is 461 mm long with a diameter of 163 mm.
What filter size does the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM use?
The Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM takes 52 mm screw-in filters.
How close can the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM focus?
The minimum focus distance of the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM is 600 cm, measured from the sensor plane.
Is the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM a full-frame lens?
Yes, the Canon EF 800mm f/5.6L IS USM covers full frame. On APS-C cameras its field of view equals 1280 mm in full-frame terms.
Similar lenses
Sigma 800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM
800mm · f/5.6
Canon EF 600mm F4L IS III USM
600mm · f/4
Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L IS II USM
600mm · f/4
Canon EF 600mm f/4.0L IS USM
600mm · f/4
Sigma 300-800mm F5.6 EX DG HSM
300-800mm · f/5.6
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | Contemporary
150-600mm · f/5-6.3
Sigma 150-600mm F5-6.3 DG OS HSM | S
150-600mm · f/5-6.3
Tamron SP 150-600mm F5-6.3 Di VC USD
150-600mm · f/5-6.3
Related guides
What does the f mean in camera lenses? f/2.8 explained
The f in f/2.8 is the f-number: focal length divided by aperture diameter. Learn why lower means more light and how the f-stop scale works.
How to clean a camera lens safely, step by step
How to clean a camera lens: blow off dust, then wipe gently with a microfiber cloth or lens paper. Steps and warnings from Canon, Nikon…
Types of Camera Lenses Explained: Uses and Differences
Types of camera lenses explained: wide-angle, standard, telephoto, prime, zoom, macro and more, with focal length ranges and typical uses.