topic Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife in EF & RF Lenses

EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

Jinxie — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 12:59:01 GMT

Looking to buy a new lens for my EOS M6 Mark 2 camera that I have had for 2 years now. I am really getting into wildlife photography. I was wondering if anyone had any recommendations on which one would be the best to buy? I photography a lot of foxes, waterfowl, and birds at the moment.

I mainly uses these photos as references for my wildlife artwork.

Appreciate any insight!

Thank you!

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Tronhard — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 19:18:23 GMT

Hi and welcome to the forum:
Well, I am a wildlife photographer but I don't have the M6II. For long telephoto work, which is what we are looking at here, one needs to have the stability of either a tripod or a camera that can be held to the eye when working hand-held for stability. So, I hope you have the optional external EVF.

That said, much depends on your budget. I can recommend all sorts of lenses, but if you can't afford them then it's irrelevant. So, in dollar terms, what IS your budget please?
Also, what do you intend to produce - images for social media, for digital display, for small-medium prints, or very large detailed prints?
Telephoto lenses, especially zoom lenses, tend to get heavy, so do you have any issues carrying fairly heavy camera gear - say up to 2.5kg (5lb)?

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Jinxie — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 20:44:29 GMT

I currently use a Vortex Optics Razor HD Wide Angle 27-60x85mm Spotting Scope and their Radian Carbon fiber tripod + leveling head to attach to my camera for long range photos. In addition to using my standard Canon 15-45mm lens. I use this mainly when I am going to be set up long term in an area taking photographs of wildlife in a specific area. For when I go hiking, I use a Canon 55-200mm lens to take pictures of wildlife. But I would like to be able to get better long distance lens for this purpose. 5lbs is not an issue to carry.

I am trying to stay around $3k for a new lens for the purpose of what I will be using it for.

As for reproduction, at this time I do not reproduce my photographs. I only use them as reference for my artwork. I recreate them in array of mediums (oil/acrylic/watercolor painting, pencil, charcoal, etc).

I hope this helps and I answered all the questions you asked.

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

wq9nsc — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 20:54:43 GMT

I use my M6 Mark II for airline travel when I am not doing demanding sports photography due to its compact size. For hiking, a Sigma 150-600 with Canon's EF to M adapter works very well. It has a good stabilization system and fairly fast focus.

Sigma makes this lens in two flavors, the "contemporary" and the sports model. I went with the contemporary because I have a good collection of high quality canon telephoto primes and for this application I wanted light weight when I didn't want to lug my EF 800 or 600 primes along.

The contemporary version is under $1,000 and weighs in at 4 pounds, the sports version is around $600 more and weighs around 6 pounds. The sports model has better weather sealing and probably slightly better optical performance but I was amazed at the quality of the optics of the contemporary model.

Neither provides the stellar build and optical quality of a Canon "great white" prime but at less than 10% of the cost of a Canon prime the performance is amazingly good.

Rodger

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Tronhard — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 20:57:09 GMT

Thanks for your prompt and detailed response.
Given that, what I would suggest is one of the following:
EF 100-400L MkII IS USM which is a fabulous optic.
For longer reach, I would suggest the Sigma or Tamron 150-600 lenses (Sigma makes a Contemporary model that is the cheaper one).

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Jinxie — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:08:48 GMT

Thank you so much for the information. I will look into both of those!

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Tronhard — Wed, 23 Aug 2023 21:11:39 GMT

You are welcome. For any EF or EF-S lenses, you will need to use a Canon EF to EF-M adapter and they work fine with the lenses I have suggested. I have shot both of these with the M5 with no issues.

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Waddizzle — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:24:59 GMT

Given your stated budget, if you want to do more wildlife photography with a handheld camera, then I would recommend first upgrading the camera body. The M series bodies are great camera, don’t get me wrong. They just do not have the battery reserve for shooting with the larger EF mount lenses.

Can one of the 150-600mm lenses work with an M series with an EVF? Sure, it can. I have tried to use my M3 with one. Because it lacked a viewfinder I was using a tripod, which is how I use the big lens with DSLRs, anyway. Battery life goes down quickly. Once [battery power drops below 50%], your maximum frame rate will also drop. This last behavior is not unique to M series bodies.

I think the R7 and an EF-RF mount adapted 150-600mm lens will be a great combination. Canon also has the RF 600mm f/11 and RF 800mm f/11 around the same price point as the 150-600mm lenses. Canon also offers another telephoto zoom with RF mount.

Again, if you really want to get into wildlife photography, then upgrade the camera to a more suitable body. The M Series are great travel camera. But they are less capable as wildlife cameras when paired with EF mount, super telephoto lenses.

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Tintype_18 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 11:17:55 GMT

First, I have the Sigma 150-600mm Contemporary series, used on a Canon T7. Like it for wildlife, landscape etc. I would like to see the finished artwork you mention.

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

ebiggs1 — Thu, 24 Aug 2023 15:30:08 GMT

"Neither provides the stellar build and optical quality of a Canon "great white" prime ..."

One of the very few topics I disagree with Rodger on. The Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sports Lens is every bit as well made as the Canon big white lenses. As well as the Sigma 120-300mm f/2.8 DG OS HSM Sports Lens. IQ isn't in question since Canon did not see fit to make a super zoom in the 150-600mm category. A mistake as I see it on Canon's part but that's history now. I also own both Sigma's and a Canon big white lens. All used for years now.

The Sigma C is plastic and, yes, very much below the quality of the Canon super primes. However for the average armature photographer they are fine.

That said if I were buying today and did not have my big Siggy S, I would but the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 for Canon EF. It is better built with some weather sealing and perhaps a tad bit better IQ. Just a tad bit better.

I either have or have had all the versions (I think around six different models) of the super zooms from Sigma and Tamron. To clarify, I would go for the Sigma C over the Tamron non-G2 model every time. But the Tamron G2 is the better lens right now. Just a tad bit better, IMHO as always.

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Jinxie — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 06:18:25 GMT

Re: EOS M6 MARK 2 - Lens for Wildlife

Jinxie — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 06:26:06 GMT

Took this picture for a photography class then used it to create an oil painting for another class. Took a bit to find the picture. The finch picture is on my computer which I will have to find tomorrow in Lightroom.

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

ebiggs1 — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 14:33:49 GMT

"Took this picture for a photography class then used it to create an oil painting for another class."

I did some work like that for several of the local community colleges' art classes a few years back. You don't need a super high quality zoom lens for that work. You might be well satisfied with a lesser lele lens and save a few bucks. Check out the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS II USM Lens at half the cost of a super zoom Sigma or Tamron. It should pare well on your M62.

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

Jinxie — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 17:24:34 GMT

My focus is really foxes. Unfortunately, I cannot get close enough with my current lens setup. The spotting scope works okay but I would like to be able to move around and not have to move the whole setup. The deers don’t seem to be that bothered by me. They seem to have gotten use to me and will come within 6 feet of me even with their young. But the fox will not let me closer than about 20 feet without telling me off or taking off for the backside of the neighbor farm house/tree line. I would like to get my own pictures instead of using ones from unsplash or asking other photographers if I may use their images to create artwork from. I eventually do want to move to using the images to create the photos onto metal etchings. But that is a little down the line. I think eventual I will be moving to a different camera base. My husband bought this camera for me for my photography classes I was taking in college because it was very light weight, had overall good reviews, and he thought it was a good overall camera for the purpose I would be using it for. I do not think that he thought that I would ever want to take photography more serious that a hobby and taking photos on our trips.

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

Tronhard — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 18:48:10 GMT

Definitely, given the information on the distance to your subjects, I would agree with Ernie about considering the EF 70-300 IS USM MkII. It should be much lighter, less bulky and significantly cheaper than either of the lenses I and others had considered - as we had expected that you would be shooting at much greater distances.

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

Jinxie — Fri, 25 Aug 2023 20:03:36 GMT

I definitely want to be shooting at much greater distance but still be able to get close looking pictures. I also do plan on buying the Canon EF 70-300mm. I was looking at that one too. Especially for my what I like to do around the trail hikes.

I appreciate everyone’s information and it definitely as given me a lot to look into before buying my next lens for my camera!

I think I might rent the the Canon 70-300mm and the Sigma 150-600mm and see which one is going to work better for what I am trying to do for right now. As, I grow into what I want later, I can always move up in lens as my art/photography takes off.

😊

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

ebiggs1 — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 13:51:58 GMT

I would definitely try one of the big 150600mm super zooms before you buy one. The M6 Mk II is, although it will work, not the best fit for a big lens like the 150-600mm zooms. The smaller ef 70-300mm will be a lot more friendly in your hand. When you go to replace your M6 keep in mind what lenses you want to use. The lens is far and I mean far an way the biggest part of the photo making job. The camera is merely a glorified storage box.

Either one of the big 150-600mm super zooms will work on a new R series mirrorless camera. Unfortunately far away and small subjects require big and heavy lenses. Canon has a series of long focal length R series lenses that are easy to handle but IMHO, they are too slow for most tele wildlife work.

Re: EOS M6 Mark II - Lens recommendations for Wildlife

Tronhard — Sat, 26 Aug 2023 17:05:58 GMT

I think renting before you buy is a great idea. Note, however, that it takes a while to get used to the characteristics of a lens, especially of a type you do not normally operate.