A Pause Beneath the Trees
An Eastern gray squirrel pauses beside a tree with its bushy tail arched above its back. Canon EOS R3, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM at 500mm, 1/2000 sec, f/4, ISO 12800.
Our recently acquired Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM has its first dedicated entry in Gear in Focus. We begin with a photograph made on October 23, 2026, using the Canon EOS R3: a squirrel paused in the grass beside a tree, its tail lifted against a soft autumn background.
An autumn pause
The squirrel’s dark eye anchors the composition. Fine fur and the tree’s textured bark give the image detail, while out-of-focus leaves and grass create depth in front of and behind the subject. The subdued greens and browns keep the attention on the animal rather than competing with it.
Shooting details
Canon EOS R3 · EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM · 500mm · f/4 · 1/2000 second · ISO 12,800.
The capture date and these settings are recorded in the supplied JPEG. The photograph is an edited rendition; crop, noise reduction, sharpening, and other processing should be considered when evaluating the displayed result. The adapter model is not identified in the file metadata.
What this first photograph shows
This is a useful starting point for looking at subject detail, the relationship between foreground and background, and the composition possible at 500mm. The recorded f/4 aperture and ISO 12,800 also give us a concrete setting to discuss as we review the rest of the outing.
One finished photograph cannot establish autofocus reliability, stabilization performance, or a keeper rate. Those observations will come from a broader review of the session and our notes about using the setup.
More from this outing
Additional photographs and field impressions will be added after we review the October 23 files. We will identify the setup for each example and note meaningful changes in distance, light, cropping, and processing.
Related: Canon EF Glass on RF Bodies — the 400mm DO II and 500mm f/4L II.
https://www.chimpinfocus.com/blog/2026/10/23/canon-ef-glass-on-rf-bodies-the-400mm-do-ii-and-500mm-f4l-ii
Photograph and editing: Tony Sferrazza / Chimp in Focus.
Thanks for swinging by.
With the 1.4× Extender: A Quiet Perch at 700mm
Our October 24 outing added this Mourning Dove portrait with the Extender EF 1.4× III, bringing the 500mm lens to 700mm. The photograph was made on the Canon EOS R3 at 1/2000 second, f/5.6, and ISO 800.
The dove rests on a diagonal branch against soft blue sky and dark foliage. A slight crop and a local lift around the face help draw attention to the eye while retaining the shaded setting. This is an edited field photograph, rather than an unprocessed lens test.
A Quiet Place Above
A Mourning dove rests among twisting branches, with soft light touching its face and breast beneath the canopy. Canon EOS R3, Canon EF 500mm f/4L IS II USM with 1.4× Extender III at 700mm, 1/2000 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800.