The best Canon cameras and lenses for wildlife photography

But which Canon cameras and lenses are the best for wildlife photography? To help answer that question, African wildlife specialist Marina Cano and bird photographer Markus Varesvuo, along with wildlife photographer and YouTuber Dani Connor, offer an insight into the cameras and lenses they use to capture their own memorable images of the natural world, while Canon Europe product specialists Mike Burnhill and John Maurice share technical highlights.

This guide includes RF lenses for use with Canon's full-frame and APS-C mirrorless EOS R System cameras, plus EF lenses, which can be used with EOS DSLRs and also EOS R System cameras via an EF-EOS R Mount Adapter with no loss of quality or functionality.

The Canon EOS R3 full-frame mirrorless camera introduces a new level of performance to professional wildlife photography. Featuring a Canon-developed stacked BSI CMOS, the EOS R3 offers a continuous shooting speed of up to 30fps with full AF/AE tracking. It also features a game-changing Eye Control AF system that enables you to move the focus point by moving your eye.

"If you're photographing a flock of birds, for example, you can isolate a single bird more quickly with Eye Control than you can by changing the AF point or moving the camera around to choose the right bird," explains Mike. "With the EOS R3, you have the ability to look anywhere in the frame to choose the right subject for the system to track, while continuing to maintain your composition."

With its high-speed autofocus, 20fps continuous shooting speed and robust build, the Canon EOS-1D X Mark III is a natural fit for professional wildlife photography.

"When you are shooting wildlife, in my case in Africa, action happens very quickly, and you don't have time to be gentle with the equipment," says Marina. "I often leave my cameras on the dusty ground or on the muddy car floor, and I frequently have to deal with dust clouds or rain coming inside the car as well – sometimes both during the same day.

"On a recent trip to Tanzania, I photographed a cheetah running from mound to mound under heavy rain. There was no time to be worried about getting wet, and I knew I could totally rely on my EOS-1D X Mark III."

As the flagship APS-C camera in the EOS R System, the Canon EOS R7 delivers a combination of blistering shooting speed, animal detection AF and exceptional image quality – wrapped up in a lightweight, weather-resistant body that's perfect for long days in the wilderness.

The EOS R7’s 32MP APS-C sensor gives lenses 1.6x the telephoto reach that they would have on a full-frame camera, making it easier to capture close-up shots of skittish birds and animals.

"The sensor is amazing,” says Dani, who used the EOS R7 to photograph Iberian lynx in Spain. "You can crop into your images and still retain excellent resolution. It's a very clever camera too, with lots of features that are really useful for any wildlife photographer – including the RAW burst mode which starts taking photos before you fully press the shutter release."

With their extreme super-telephoto reach and advanced optical designs, the Canon RF 800mm F5.6L IS USM and Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM deliver exceptional wildlife images in demanding situations.

As the successor to the legendary Canon EF 1200mm f/5.6L USM, the Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM has big boots to fill. It's ironic, then, that it does so in a form that's hugely reduced in size and weight – with a saving of around 13kg compared to the original lens.

The Canon RF 1200mm F8L IS USM focuses much closer, too – right down to 4.3 metres – which makes it possible to track wild animals and birds over a greater range of distances. "You also get 4-stops of IS,” explains Mike, "and you can add 1.4x or 2x extenders on top, so you can effectively get a relatively lightweight 1680mm f/11 or 2400mm f/8 lens. For timid animals and birds, or for work where keeping your distance is beneficial, it gives you that bit more range to get the shot."

With their bright f/2.8 maximum apertures and high-quality glass, the Canon EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM lens and its RF counterpart, the Canon RF 400mm F2.8L IS USM, deliver outstanding images in the most demanding situations.

"For bird photography in the Finnish winter, the EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM is a vital lens," says Markus. "Taking flight shots in low-light conditions is made possible thanks to its combination of fast focusing and fast maximum aperture."

When asked which lens they couldn't live without, both Marina and Markus selected the Canon EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM. "The quality is out of this world," says Marina.

Markus requires as much magnification as possible, so he can keep his distance because many of the bird species he photographs are easily spooked. "The EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM is the lens that I use most," he says. "And I use the Extender EF 1.4x III and Extender EF 2x III when necessary, with both the EF 600mm f/4L IS III USM and my EF 400mm f/2.8L IS III USM, without losing image quality. The extended reach makes it possible to photograph even the most timid species from a distance."

The flexibility provided by their focal length ranges, combined with their excellent optics and portable, weather-sealed designs, make the Canon RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM and Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM the go-to lenses for handheld wildlife photography.

Both the EF and RF lenses have effective three-mode Image Stabilizers, with the EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM enabling handheld shooting with shutter speeds up to 4-stops slower than lenses without IS, and the RF 100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM going one better, with 5-stops.

Shorter telephoto zoom lenses like the Canon RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS III USM are a great addition to a wildlife photographer's kitbag, allowing you to include more of the animal's environment in a shot. The constant f/2.8 aperture of these professional zooms means they're a great choice for low-light wildlife photography too.

The RF 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM has the added advantage of being more compact than its EF counterpart, as well as packing a 5-stop Image Stabilizer.

It can be challenging to get close enough to photograph wildlife with an ultra-wide-angle lens such as the Canon RF 15-35MM F2.8L IS USM, but doing so enables you to place animals in context within a wider scene. The ability to control a Wi-Fi enabled EOS camera at a distance using the Canon Camera Connect app on your smartphone or tablet means these lenses are also perfect for remote wildlife photography.

Marina uses the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM (now succeeded by the Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L III USM). "I love the way that you can use this magical lens to record a tiny giraffe or elephant on the horizon against an infinite sky," she says. "It enables you to create a sense of immensity that captures the hugeness of Africa."

For small-scale wildlife photography, nothing beats the convenience and image quality of a dedicated macro lens. The short telephoto focal length of the Canon EF 100mm f/2.8L Macro IS USM enables 1:1 life-size reproduction to be achieved from a distance that's less likely to scare off dragonflies and other insects.

The RF counterpart of this lens goes even further, offering a class-leading 1.4x magnification. "1.4x doesn't sound a lot compared to 1x magnification," says Mike. "But it gives you nearly a 50% increase in the size of the subject.