ready for a new camera

[okiebirdnerd]

Hi,

I’ve been using the T3i with an EF 100-400 lens for about four years now. I’ve gotten a lot of good service out of it without any problems. I mainly photograph birds but never been happy with my BIF shots in comparison to friends that own the 7D & EF 100-400 lens. What I’ve mainly noticed on my shots is the whole bird is never 100% in focus. And when standing next to friends with the 7D, they are able to get the whole bird in focus. I have tried multiple setting over the years and the only thing I can come up with is the 7D has 19 focusing points and is able to have all the BIF in focus.( or is there another setting the 7D has I’m unaware of? ) I would love to be able to use a 7D but I have lost my grip and can’t even carry my puny T3I around as long I use to. I have noticed that after a few hours I’m starting to quiver and it is noticeable in my photos. Canon announced the new EOS 750 & EOS 760. Both sound like they might be my answer since they have 19 focusing points like the 7D instead of the 9 like my T3I. Camera weight is the main factor in deciding on a new camera along with using my EF 100-400 lens.

I would really appreciate any camera suggestions and your feelings about the new 750D or 760D. When might these cameras become available for purchase? I’m sure I’ll want to wait until I can hear the good the bad and the ugly before buying. Thanks in advance for your time.

[ScottyP]

What part of the bird is out of focus? Is it wings or other moving parts? That would be shutter speed. Are you sure your friends with the 7d are shooting the same shutter speed?

I don't shoot BIF, but at that distance I don't see how the depth of field could be thin enough that if you nailed focus, you would get part of the bird in focus but part out of focus.

Check for yourself. Look at a DOF calculator. If you enter your shooting distance (50 feet? 75 feet?) and your aperture and the focal length. If the DOF is a lot wider than your bird it does not seem like the DOF Is getting you only part of the bird. With the 100-400 the max aperture is not that wide so the DOF should be several feet even if you are shooting wide open.

It could be just a series of nearly missed shots but then it seems you would have a lot more complete misses too. Do you?

All that aside something with better AF would help with moving birds. Honestly I think I might consider one of the upcoming T6s or T6i rather than an old 7d. Same 19 point AF. 6 years worth of other advances, less the metal body and weatherproofing. Check out a Canon Rumors or just google for it if you are not familiar.

[okiebirdnerd]

Thank you for your reply.Yes I checked my friends Exif info and asked while standing next to him. After having this camera almost four years I've got stagnant more less. I am looking forward to hearing what owners of the T6s have to say about it. Thanks again. I appreciate your time.

[RobertTheFat]

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@okiebirdnerd wrote:

Hi,

I’ve been using the T3i with an EF 100-400 lens for about four years now. I’ve gotten a lot of good service out of it without any problems. I mainly photograph birds but never been happy with my BIF shots in comparison to friends that own the 7D & EF 100-400 lens. What I’ve mainly noticed on my shots is the whole bird is never 100% in focus. And when standing next to friends with the 7D, they are able to get the whole bird in focus. I have tried multiple setting over the years and the only thing I can come up with is the 7D has 19 focusing points and is able to have all the BIF in focus.( or is there another setting the 7D has I’m unaware of? ) I would love to be able to use a 7D but I have lost my grip and can’t even carry my puny T3I around as long I use to. I have noticed that after a few hours I’m starting to quiver and it is noticeable in my photos. Canon announced the new EOS 750 & EOS 760. Both sound like they might be my answer since they have 19 focusing points like the 7D instead of the 9 like my T3I. Camera weight is the main factor in deciding on a new camera along with using my EF 100-400 lens.

I would really appreciate any camera suggestions and your feelings about the new 750D or 760D. When might these cameras become available for purchase? I’m sure I’ll want to wait until I can hear the good the bad and the ugly before buying. Thanks in advance for your time.

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If quivering is truly the problem, the traditional solutions are a monopod and image-stabilized lenses. The former should reduce the quivering; the latter is designed to reduce its effect.

And if the superior autofocus system of hte 7D will help, there may not be a better time to buy one; the 7D2 will inevitably make traditional 7D's harder to sell, The 7D is a very good camera; my two 7D'd have served me well. That's not to disparage the two newer cameras; but early adopters risk the startup pains that new models often have. The 7D is a known quantity.

[okiebirdnerd]

I am not able to use a heavier camera as the 7d as I mentioned earlier. And yes I have many mono and tripods. I miss too may shots and its too frustrating.  I think this is my 14th camera from over the years so I have accumulated quite a bit of equipment .. Of course I've sold my cameras as I've upgraded. I started out in the 80's with Sony then Olympus, Nikon then Panasonic and now Canon.  Thanks for your reply. I appreciate your input.

[TCampbell]

Have you switched your T3i into "AI Servo" focus mode?

If you are using "One Shot" mode (that's the default), then the camera will focus only until it locks focus on sometihing... and stop.  Of course the bird will continue to move so that focused distance will be invalid just a moment after the camera locked focus.  

If you use AI Servo, the camera will focus continuously as the subject distance changes -- it never stops as long as you are half-pressing the shutter button.

[okiebirdnerd]

Yes I've tried every setting anyone has suggested. I guess my only constant is I always shoot in AV and continuous. My BIF shots are the only problem I haven't been able to conquer by adjusting my settings. It's all pretty much trial and error with anything I'm learning.

I'm just ready for a new camera. I have never kept one this long. I just don't want to go backwards so the T6S is a camera I'll look forward to owning some time in the near future. I hope having more focusing points will make the difference. 

I guess I'll know more about Canons new cameras once enough people show an interest and start purchasing them. I think there are a lot of people out there like me that just can't handle the weight of a larger camera when they have money invested in a heavy lens.

I can't believe how many of my friends own nice cameras and opt to use the camera on their phone. Boy that will be the day when you never need a camera for high quality photography. NOT!

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I was kinda hoping someone knew of a light weight camera I hadn't heard about yet

[ebiggs1]

Another solution would be the new Rebel T6i and the EF 400mm f5.6 L prime lens.  Granted it doesn't have IS but it is a whole lot lighter.  Add to that, you are probably at the 400mm side of your current 100-400mm way more than you are at the 100mm side?

The 400mm prime is Canon's lightest tele lens and one of the sharpest.  It, the T6i and AI-Servo would be as good as it gets.  

[okiebirdnerd]

Yes it is rare that I'm too close to a bird to get a shot I shoot for fun not frustration so I prefer a lens with IS. Like I said earlier, I have worked with my hands too much over the years and I'm paying for it now.  When I  wear a splint I am really slow at raising my camera. It sucks getting old

I think the T6S is the camera I've been waiting on for two years now. Now I just have to be patient and wait until the price goes down.

[ebiggs1 · Accepted solution]

I am going to offer another suggestion.  Buy the Rebel T6s and rent the EF 400mm f5.6 L for a week. LensRentals <--- click here.     That will tell you if you will truly miss the IS feature.  I am sure the lighter weight is going to help you, in your situation, more than IS does.