topic Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations in EOS DSLR & Mirrorless Cameras

Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

ashley84 — Tue, 26 Sep 2023 13:38:00 GMT

Hi, I am to photography. For a very long time I have wanted to learn the art of wildlife and scenic photography. What advice do you have on equipment? I am starting from scratch any tips on what equipment I need and tips of capturing beauty of this earth, I would really appreciate any advice or where would be a good place to start. -Thank you-

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography

rs-eos — Mon, 25 Sep 2023 20:59:48 GMT

There are some nice Canon Training Articles available. On the left side of that page, you can narrow the articles down to say Landscape and Nature Wildlife.

In terms of landscapes or wildlife, are you able to pick one? Or would you like to start with both? I ask since the equipment will most likely vary (lenses mostly).

In general though, at this point in time, I would recommend any of Canon's R-series cameras along with RF (or RF-S) lenses. There's a wide range of cameras available at different price points (from the EOS R100 all the way up to the current top being the EOS R3).

By the way, do you have a budget on what you'd be able to spend?

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

Tronhard — Thu, 05 Oct 2023 19:52:49 GMT

Hi Ashley and welcome to the forum:

I have been a wildlife and scenic photographer for over 40 years and it is a wonderful and rewarding past-time. In pursuing your images you get to see wonderful sights in nature and enjoy the great world we exist within.

I gather that you are new to photography so you have a bit of a learning curve to go through. Getting a successful image is dependent on your ability to understand the nature of light and exposure, how to measure it and set your camera controls up for the right effect using the three main controls: aperture, shutter speed and ISO (it's actually a word, so don't spell it).
To get you going with that, I suggest viewing the following video on the basics of photography by National Geographic photographer Chris Bray:

My colleagues will doubtless have other sources for learning the basics and I encourage you to explore them all.

If you have access to your local library's on-line catalogue, look for an item called Linked-In Learning. If it is available, you have free access to a great source of on-line tutorials using your library access. Just do a search for photography fundamentals and you will have a range of courses by professional tutors that cover topics from the very basics to advanced topics. Also if your local college has courses it may be worthwhile checking out their offerings.

The other aspect of photography is the creative, or artistic side, and that comes with studying the work of others - both photographers and painters. There are many great wildlife and scenic photographers out there, and among my favourites is Sabastio Salgado - his book of natural images - Genesis, taken in black and white, is a masterpiece. Still, a search on Google will render many names to follow up on.

Wildlife is a somewhat specialist subject and usually involves getting to know the animals you want to photograph in some depth. The more you know of them the safer you and they are, and the better you will understand and anticipate their behavior, so allowing you to get better images. I would encourage you to also watch videos on wildlife, to learn not only about the animals themselves, but to examine the techniques used by the photographers and videographers. The BBC David Attenborough series are fantastic for that.

Wildlife has many genres: from taking very close-up images of tiny insects and reptiles, to capturing birds or macro predators. Each of these tends to demand differences in gear, so it is helpful to learn early on what kinds of wildlife you want to photograph. For example, for close-up images of tiny creatures you may want specialist close-up lenses, but for shooting birds of large animals big reach telephoto lenses, often zooms are required. So this can get fairly expensive, but there are ways of starting off relatively cheaply. Very often what are called crop-sensor cameras are an advantage in this area - as you study cameras this will make more sense.
EF 100-400MkII, 286mm, f/8, 1/640sec, ISO-200 R6MkII, EF 100-400@ 400mm, f/8, 1/400sec, ISO-6400 Female Sumatran Tiger: 403mm, f/7.1, 1/80sec, ISO-100

Scenic photography is more likely to involve moderately wide to moderate telephoto lenses and Full-frame cameras. So the more specialist you become so the equipment list diverges.

EOS 7D, 105mm, f/8, 1/3200, ISO-200

So far you notice that I have not suggested a specific camera and lenses, and I am doing so because I hope you can be more specific about which genres you are most inclined towards - as I hope I have explained, each suggests a somewhat different gear list.
All that said, one of the most important things to do is to learn the basics, and that means study and practice. So, to help with that, please consider the following document and perhaps use it to answer some of the questions it poses. The most fundamental question is one of budget, for example!
Considerations for Buying Camera Gear

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography

ashley84 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 21:31:29 GMT

Thank you for sharing your knowledge and that great video. It was exactly what I needed to get things started.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

Tintype_18 — Mon, 02 Oct 2023 22:16:14 GMT

As Ricky states, what is your budget?

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

ashley84 — Wed, 24 Jan 2024 19:20:03 GMT

I am back with a budget... I would like to stay around $3,000 at the moment. I live in Idaho and am close to the Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. These places have always been my favorite places to visit, and I visit them frequently though out the year. I want to be able to share my love of this place through the art of photography to everyone. My main focus will be on the larger animals and would still like to take some of those beautiful scenic photos. I know my budget isn't big at the moment but would like to get started on this journey and as I go hope to upgrade. Is there any recommendations on cameras and lenses from your experience that might fit in this budget?

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

March411 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 01:29:32 GMT

I can say without hesitation that my opinion may differ from others since I decided not to go mirrorless at this point. I recently wanted to add another body to my stable and did the research so that I could maximize my investment.

I own both a 90D and 5D Mark VI (60D and M50) and both perform outstanding. The 90D I’ve owned for many years and it is almost always with me, never know when a great shot will present itself.

In my opinion you can’t go wrong with either of the bodies I mentioned but understand that they are the old guard, they are discontinued.

The secondary market has plenty of bodies in like new or perfect condition. Places like B&H Foto and KEH are trusted third parties.

Lenses, there is a ton of glass available both new and used in the EF mount and Sigma has some good prime lenses new. The EF mount has been a staple for a long time and finding a good lens shouldn’t be a problem for a while.

As for your budget and desire to shoot wildlife and the outdoors, I would pick up the Sigma 60-600mm. This lens is heavy, just over 7 lbs but it gives you great range. I have carried it all day at nature preserves with no issues. It isn’t the fastest lens but for outdoor shooting unless the weather was really overcast I have had no issues.

I looked and you can pick up the body and lens, excellent condition for under your budget which may allow you to purchase another lens.

For me the choice was fairly easy, I normally keep the gear I purchase and wanted to maximize my spend. Or maybe I am an old dog that is hard to teach new tricks.

Which ever direction you decide to go there is a vast amount of information on YouTube regarding specific cameras that will help you set up whatever gear you purchase and hone your picture taking skills, many on wildlife photography.

Simon d'Entremont has a You Tube channel and uses Canon equipment specifically for wildlife. He’s informative, gives camera specific tutorials and easy to watch…..most of the time.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

stevet1 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 01:43:54 GMT

ashley84,

First off, I envy you your location. I lived in Montana for a while, and I know what you're talking about.

I won t advise you what kind of camera to buy. I'll leave that to people who are smarter and more knowledgeable than I am.

But, In addition to buying a camera, you'll need to set aside money for some needed accessories.

Primarily, you're going to need a nice sturdy tripod. You'll also probably going to want a spare battery or two. You might want to get some filters, and a camera bag to carry your gear.

Your "extras" will probably ly run a couple hundred dollars all told before it's over.

Steve Thomas

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

stevet1 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 02:06:30 GMT

ashley84,

If at all possible, try to visit some place that sells cameras - a Best Buy, or a Walmart, or anything. Don't go there with the intention to buy.

Just visit a store and pick some up and physically hold them. Do they fit your hand?

Are they comfortable? Can you envision holding that camera up to your eye for possibly long periods of time while you wait for some animal to come from behind that bush?

Do the controls and dials seem logical to you?

Start with what feels good in your hands.

Steve Thomas

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

Tronhard — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 03:10:19 GMT

On the equipment side of things, you are going to get a selection of opinions, often based on what and how our contributors shoot. I agree with my colleague, Steve about trying the look and feel of any camera you are thinking of buying (as I outlined in my buying guide), but don't actually buy from a box store, get your camera from a reputable camera shop, or Canon itself - as per below.

I am going to attempt to follow a logical path based on your preferences and budget.

First, you have the advantage that you are not starting out with an investment in legacy gear, by which I mean DSLR cameras and lenses. While I understand the challenge for those who have invested in DSLRs (as I have myself), and the preference of some for that platform, in essence, the DSLR market represents the past, while the Mirrorless Interchangeable Lens Cameras (MILCs) market represents the future. I am sure some of my colleagues will debate this, but one just has to look at where the investment and development are and the story is clear. The last DSLR was offered by Canon back in 2020, which is quite a long time in the camera world. Since then Canon have release 10 R-series MILCs and 38 RF and RF-S lenses. Canon have made it clear which way the are headed by steadily reducing their DSLR body and lens offerings on the market as they bring on more R-series MILCs. Thus, I would suggest you will get better long-term value and performance from the burgeoning platform with development potential.

These have brought a host of advances including (but not limited to). The ability to see what an image will look like for both exposure and focus as you shoot - previously, exposure preview required holding down a specific button to do so. The sensors that record the images are significantly improved, but the greatest changes are in much, much better focusing options, including the ability to lock onto and track eyes and faces of people and animals. Also, the new MILCs offer benefits in stabilizing the camera if hand-holding it, especially significant if shooting hand-held in dim light, or with long telephoto lenses often used for wildlife.

For those reasons, I recommend in going with an R-series body and likely at least one R-series RF lens. Since your photography embraces both wildlife and scenic, I am going to suggest a full-frame sensor (one that has the same size as frame of 35mm film) instead of a ASP-C crop sensor camera which, as the name implies, has a smaller sensor. You can always crop an image after shooting but you can't capture a wider area afterwards - if you were purely shooting wildlife my answer might be different.

I have been looking at Canon's refurbished site for cameras that are serviced and sold, essentially as good as new - they may be sample cameras for demonstration, have box damage or been returned by a client. They are checked and, if necessary serviced by Canon's authorized staff.

On that list it the Canon EOS R6 - there is now a newer model, the R6MkII, but the R6 is no less capable that it was when released and will be significantly cheaper to stay within your budget. . I have two of that model (plus an R5 and R6MkII) and have been talking mostly wildlife shots with them for a while. The R6 offers benefits of robust and environmentally protected bodies, large capacity batteries, dual cards to provide a backup for your images as you shoot, In-Body Image Stabilization (IBIS) that stabilizes the camera body, and works with R-series stabilized lenses to really help shoot hand-held. A great 20MP sensor and a focusing system essentially the same as the higher end R5. It's a brilliant camera and will take you a long, long time to outgrow. There are cheaper models, like the R8 but they don't offer some of the features I have outlined and for wildlife I think the difference is worth the investment.

See this link:
Canon Refurbished EOS R6 Camera Body | Canon U.S.A., Inc.

Lenses are a bit trickier. For scenic one tends to go towards wide angle, but for wildlife the opposite is very much true. So, really you are looking at two different lenses, and preferably with a middle capacity to photograph general images like people, places and events. So a lot to keep within your remaining budget.
So my first suggestion would be a wide angle to moderate telephoto lens the Rf 24-105 STM, to cover scenic and social/travel photography
RF24-105mm F4-7.1 IS STM (canon.com)
For wildlife the RF 100-400 STM is a great lens at a reasonable price.
RF100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM (canon.com)

That combined cost of all three would come in at around $2,450, leaving you finds for things like lens hoods to offer protection and to reduce lens flare when shooting more toward the sun, an extra battery, at least two full-size SD cards from reputable dealers, and optionally (and my preference) protect filters to avoid environmental damage like dust and salt abrasion or chemical reaction with the front elements of your lenses. For landscape work particularly you could well want to get a tripod as Thomas advocated.
There are numerous images posted on this site's galleries that use the R6: Search - Canon Community and I would suggest checking out reviews on the camera and lenses

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

March411 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:03:51 GMT

With all due respect calling Canon DSLR equipment that is still sold actively through the Canon portal being called a legacy system may not be an accurate depiction of the line.

By definition a legacy system is any software/hardware that is no longer receiving updates, support or maintenance from their developer. The 5D Mark VI I mentioned received a firmware update mid-2023. Canon continues to offer a four year CarePak on DSLR systems and EF lenses sold through their portal. Are you stating that they will no longer honor these CarePaks? Unless there is something I do not know Canon continues to support the DSLR through the sales and their after sales support through the CarePak warranty.

While I would agree with you that improvements have been made in the R series with respect to in body stabilization, the sensors and AF the DSLR camera remains a viable option. For those looking pursue their interest in photography they are still a sustainable choice. Given the fact that they are reliable, produce excellent results and have a vast amount of lenses available new, used and through third parties speaks volumes. The current R series as you have already noted in another post is challenged with third party availability and the production and availability of the RF lenses is somewhat limited. Nothing through third parties.

While I can appreciate your enthusiasm for the R series and mirrorless solution, DSLR still has a strong presence in the professional industry.

Having spent time in the industry for over 45 years using Canon equipment as my primary small format camera and as a photo journalist, commercial (both small, medium and large format) and sports photographer I can state with a degree of confidence that the latest and greatest doesn’t always reflect the industries direction as it pertains to practical practice. It is driven more by enthusiasts that have the available financial resources to upgrade with disposable income. Not everyone has that luxury.

Legacy system

A legacy system is any outdated hardware or software that is still in use. Legacy systems include hardware, software applications, file formats and programming languages.

They no longer receive updates, support or maintenance from their developers or designers.
They are no longer available for purchase or depend on obsolete technology to run and maintain.
The system requires professionals with complex, largely outdated technology skill sets to maintain or repair.
Repairs take too long compared with new systems.
Maintenance costs become too excessive to continue.
They are prone to security vulnerabilities and cannot be updated to meet modern standards.

Canon Q2 2022 financial meeting, Canon execs stated that they believe the camera market has bottomed out. Canon now predicts camera market growth to begin again. This news is excellent after so many years of uncertainty. The execs also noted that they believe DSLRs will be a viable tool for photographers for many more years. While Canon might not release any new DSLRs, they will continue to make DSLRs, like the EOS 1DX III, as long as there is demand.

As of today Canon has discontinued the M series camera and approximately 30 EF lenses.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

rs-eos — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:09:52 GMT

Semantics aside, I would not invest in DSLR equipment at this point, especially so if starting out new.

Even if they are not strictly "legacy" now, they will be in a very short time (e.g. as such cameras get closer to the 10 year mark). Note that 10 years is not an absolute; it could be shorter.

The only exception is that if one already has DSLR equipment and employ workflows that are very specific to them. Backup bodies could be purchased (though will be more and more the case requiring the used market).

As with other industries, it will behoove photographers, especially those that will work say for another 5 or more years, to take a strong look at the future.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

ebiggs1 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 15:33:23 GMT

"... I would not invest in DSLR equipment at this point, especially so if starting out new.

Even if they are not strictly "legacy" now, they will be in a very short time (e.g. as such cameras get closer to the 10 year mark). Note that 10 years is not an absolute; it could be shorter.

The only exception is that if one already has DSLR equipment and employ workflows that are very specific to them."

Spot on and great simple advice 🤔

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

March411 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 16:11:34 GMT

rs-eos, my objective is truly not to create conflict but to be objective. What I posted is not semantics it is fact. While the little M series and around 30 EF lenses have been discontinued it is still supported and therefore not a legacy system. The Canon DSLR system continues to be 30% of Canons market share. Speculation of the DSLR becoming end of life within 10 years or less is exactly that.....speculation.

Canon executives have stated Canon that DSLRs aren't dead yet, they still account for a third of the entire camera market, with as many as 1.8 million digital DSLRs being sold last year. Additionally, as noted above the execs also noted that they believe DSLRs will be a viable tool for photographers for many more years. While Canon might not release any new DSLRs, they will continue to make DSLRs, like the EOS 1DX III, as long as there is demand.

Do we all know for certain their statements are accurate, nothing in life is 100%. That being said stating that they will become end of life at this point is not accurate based on the Canon executive teams statement regarding DSLR's. It is purely speculation.

The reason I posted this is that I believe in accuracy. Also, that knowledgeable individuals have a responsibility to assist people within their stated budget or desires/request. One standard does not fit all!

I joined the community this year, I have been reading for many years, every day, multiple times. I noticed that at times the person requesting assistance, well their request is inflated, not within the original request. Given the depth of available systems there is always a good solution to fit their budget and desires but may fall out of the newest technology. Third party solutions which have value and reduced expense are really part of the conversation but would greatly benefit the person requesting assistance. This post is a perfect example.

EF lenses (full frame) with the addition of an RF adapter will allow people to use those lenses if the move to mirror-less in the future. The bottom line is a a good DSLR body is more readily available and at a reduced expense but rarely recommended because it is "old tech".

And I used the R5, R6 and R8 and can say the the learning curve is a bit tougher than the DSLR systems. For someone looking to start out it should also be a consideration beyond the expense and staying within their budget.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

Tronhard — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 17:51:49 GMT

Well, as I feared my use of the word would cause some to rise to counter it, but my point is clear and valid.

The definition used by March 411 is but one definition of the term legacy. My definition of legacy is as follows: "A legacy system is any piece of technology (including both software and hardware) that lacks modern features that would be available if you were to update that piece of tech." This quote is from the site Legacy System: Definition, Types and More | OpenLegacy. It offers a breakdown of examples of legacy in the tech industry.

Since modern camera systems are far more than their optics: the mass of features such as focusing algorithms, tracking and stabilization are a combination of hardware and software engaged by electronics that are engaged through a camera's firmware is a testament that they are as much computers as optical devices. So, I think I can argue that by that definition my point is not unreasonable.

There is a marked difference between the users of camera systems. In a recent DPReviw article Taking Stock of Gear and When to Let Go or Lean In. the writer said "many professional photojournalists are still using DSLRs.". The key here is professional. I have worked in the field for over 40 years and for the vast majority of the time, I owned used the same cameras which, up until the DSLR market was established, were a combination of Nikon and Canon film bodies, although I rented, borrowed or was supplied with other gear as requested to fulfil a task. There is a good reason for this. Professional cameras represent a significant investment out of a working budget. They are expensive because, above all, they are built to last - not necessarily have the latest features. Professionals keep their gear far longer than most non-pro's for as long as it reliably do what is required of them. I kept my 5DMkIII and IV until last year, along with my two 7D series, and I still retain a 5DsR, but I rarely use it these days as I use MILC gear, but that's just my preference.

However at this time, professionals starting out will consider the viability of engaging in a platform for the future for that very reason: longevity of equipment, support life, and features that will make their life more efficient and effective. A camera is a tool, no more, no less and it's an investment in the future as well.

In support of my comments about the direction of the market, I recommend reading the following article, based on CIPA-released data: Digital Camera Market Size, Share, Trends - Industry Analysis (mordorintelligence.com) It clearly states the challenges to the camera market and trends from 2024-29. I would particularly point to the section Digital Camera Market Trends.

However, our OP is clearly NOT a professional, they are starting out on a photographic journey that may last a short time or a lifetime. The point is that they do not have the same value set of preference of reliability and commercial viability that a professional has, nor do they have an investment in DSLR equipment and they certainly don't have the budget to buy pro gear. So, with respect that argument about how pro's behave is not that applicable.

The consumer and enthusiast market drives the mass of camera sales because they upgrade far more frequently - at the extreme end is those suffering from Gear Acquisition Syndrome (GAS) convinced that the latest features will release their latent photographic talent - yet never satisfied. If Canon were intending to supply the consumer DSLR market with further gear they would have release cameras well before now instead of retiring models.

I don't disagree that Canon have consistently said that as long as there is a viable market for a product they will continue to support it - support does not necessarily mean making new cameras and lenses which would be a taking design, development and manufacturing resources from their expanding and highly lucrative MILC market. The DLSR platform, by which I include the on-going development and supply of DSLR bodies and their associated lenses, has not had any hardware development for some time and, in fact, the range has been shrinking, as I mentioned, it has been four years since Canon released ANY DSLR or lens, while the R platform has massively expended. The M series, particularly the M50II, was popular within some segments of the Asian market and for vloggers but Canon released several replacement bodies and equivalent lenses in the R platform and promptly shut down M platform sales. Most professionals do not use M-series bodies, they use the very top-end DSLRs my critic selected specifically, but those do not represent the status of the platform as Canon's main market as a whole.

As to the comment that the transition to the new platform will be particularly challenging. We all get used to a set of features and behaviours within what is essentially our comfort zone: that can pose a challenge as we step outside of our comfort zone to come to grips and learn those new features and behaviours. That tends to happen the longer we have held within that zone without challenging ourselves. That does not necessarily apply to all - younger people generally have much more flexible comfort zones and are far less likely to find new features challenging. Certainly, for someone starting out, it's all new anyway. If we avoided all new things we would not have used computers, driven cars, or uses a lot of domestic appliances. So, again, it draws a long bow to suggest that one's personal preferences or challenges apply to the others.

This should not have to turn into an argument about semantics, nor should it be about a discussion of the status of professional-grade cameras, it's about finding a long-term solution for a person starting out, a consumer with a limited budget, who wants to engage in two specific areas of recreational photography - wildlife and scenic.

I have addressed those points directly based on their needs and budget, not my preferences and certainly with no bias. My comments are based on the realities of the situation and the expressed needs of the client. Perhaps we could concentrate on that rather than just defending our own preferences and biases.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

March411 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 18:04:07 GMT

Trevor, I agree with much of what you said and it's a shame that you frame what I consider to be an intellectual conversation as an argument. And making the statement that "My comments are based on the realities of the situation and the expressed needs of the client. Perhaps we could concentrate on that rather than just defending our own preferences and biases". This comment only furthers my point about not taking a broader approach to assisting the client within their conveyed means, I view it as a passive aggressive criticism.

As it pertains to Legacy, Canon has released the statement that while Canon might not release any new DSLRs, they will continue to make DSLRs, like the EOS 1DX III, as long as there is demand. By their statement the product line and support will remain in production as long as their is demand, hence the definition Legacy does not apply. Again not an argument but a perspective based on the fact of Canon communication.

I have no bias, the Canon mirror-less systems are cutting edge and offer many improvements as I noted earlier in the conversation.

Options are key and providing those options to clients is essential, remaining within the budget should also be a fundamental consideration. We should be taking into account the peripherals needed beyond the body and lenses and when making recommendations assist them down a complete path. Not one that will require additional expense after their purchase, items required but outside their conveyed budget.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

Tronhard — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 18:37:34 GMT

I am providing, in a collegial manner, counters to your points. I have listed each of the main points you made and provided counterpoints in a reasoned manner with references. If you find those counter points to be 'passive aggressive' that is regrettable, but it is your choice. I have not made a personal attack on you, which I abhor but have been subject to myself, I would never do that. This is about point and counter point and the validity of those points and is a reasoned debate.

Like you, I find that threads expand to go in directions that are outside the purview of the needs of the client and simply muddy the waters and I feel that this was going in that direction with the more intellectual discussion of the value of older platforms, hence my comment about focus. To put it another way, is that direction really helping the OP find a simple, affordable and long term solution to their question. With respect, I would contend not - it's arguably complicating the issue.

Like you, I certainly do not support up-selling to push people past their budget. That is one of the first points in the document I shared with the OP at the start of this thread: Considerations for Buying Camera Gear

The suggestions I have made to the client are to the point, specifically explained to link features with benefits and value. If the client had an investment in older gear I would, as always, get them to consider the question of keeping with that platform as a viable proposition, based on how they use the gear. That is not the case here. They have apparently no investment and thus no tie to the DSLR platform. Then the benefits of the MILC platform become clear from a technical, operational and investment perspective

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

March411 — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 19:21:06 GMT

Trevor, I have read the information you've posted in this community for a very long time. You have a vast amount of knowledge and that is respected!

I do believe that the conversation is germane, the OP posted their inquiry with a budget. Having completed some very detailed research myself for an additional body there is very little chance of the OP purchasing a MILC system with peripherals for $3000, new or used/refurbished. The R body alone (R5-R8) will be between $1500 - $2500. Adding a lens with the desired reach (if EF an adapter), cards, filters, tripod, bag or backpack and a few extra batteries will put him well over budget.

Conversely something like the 90D, full warranty and the peripherals noted above, their budget is obtainable. No it's not the latest and greatest but a viable option, a proven system, a large sensor (32MP), adaptable to many different types of lens and at the clients desired budget.

We can agree to disagree and no disrespect was intended, I was simply offering a different path.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

rs-eos — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 21:55:45 GMT

I have to completely disagree with this assertion. For a $3,000 budget, there are so many potential solutions in the R-series line. Why do you think that it's a "very little chance of the OP purchasing a MILC system" with such a budget?

This back and forth is kinda reminding me of the posts regarding pushing an M-series camera in the here and now. That ship has sailed.

It sounds like you're completely happy with your gear (DSLRs). Great! So am I. But the best advice we can give to folks new to interchangable lens cameras is to point them to what will be far better for them for the longer term.

Re: Wildlife and Scenic Photography Equipment Recommendations

Tronhard — Thu, 25 Jan 2024 21:56:45 GMT

You assumedly did not read one of my early posts with links to a R6 body and lenses that come in well within budget and allow money for extra battery, lens hood, etc. I also note that I never suggested the R5, that was Ebiggs1 early comment. To save you the effort, I shall re-post it here: (although I encourage you to read that whole post).

See this link:
Canon Refurbished EOS R6 Camera Body | Canon U.S.A., Inc.

That combined cost of all three would come in at around $2,450, leaving you funds for things like lens hoods to offer impact protection, and to reduce lens flare when shooting more toward the sun, an extra battery, at least two full-size SD cards from reputable dealers, and optionally (and my preference) protect filters to avoid environmental damage like dust and salt abrasion or chemical reaction with the front elements of your lenses. For landscape work particularly you could well want to get a tripod as Thomas advocated.

I agree with my colleague Ricky that this is beginning to sound more and more like a rear-guard effort in favour of DSLRs. Your arguments have not been balanced and you have pushed every possible argument for them, each of which I have refuted in term, without bias but with facts and not just my own personal opinion.
By all means enjoy your own use of the DSLR system and advocate it where it is appropriate, I still do, but that does not blind me to recommending it for folks for whom it clearly has no value as a future photography platform.