need help with upgrade

[Mtk]

Hello everyone,

I am looking to upgrade my current set up. I have a canon rebel eos xti. My main lens is a canon 70-300 IS 4-5.6. I have had this camera for about 6 years and picked this lens up about 6 months ago. I was using the auto/ sports setting mostly until few weeks ago. I started to take a beginner photography class a few weeks ago and am now enjoying shooting in the av/tv settings. I am starting to notice that this set up is slow at focusing. I am not sure if I should first upgrade my body or my lens. I have been looking at either the 50D or the 7D. The 7D I will lose the option to use a auto mode. That might be good and keep pushing me to learn. The 50D is about 600 bucks cheeper and has the auto modes. As for my lens I have been looking at
1. Sigma 150-500mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM APO Autofocus Lens for Canon EOS
2. Canon Zoom Telephoto EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS (Image Stabilizer) USM Autofocus Len
3. Canon Telephoto EF 300mm f/4.0L IS Image Stabilizer USM Autofocus Lens

I would like to use a Canon 1.4x EF Extender II (Teleconverter)to get a little closer to my subjects. My main focus with photography is shooting red tail hawks and all birds, Whale, dolphins and basically all wild life. I also like to shoot nature landscape. I am not sure what I should upgrade first. Any advice will be appreciated.

[Overread]

you might also want to check out the new sigma 50-500mm OS of which the original (without OS) was always a bit sharper than the 150-500mm. Now the 50-500mm has the OS feature and there are some very favourable early views of the lens coming in. Not seen a direct 100-400mm to that lens comparison but its certaily in the same price bracket even upon release.

[riyazi]

Sorry don't have experience with the other 2 lenses but the 150-500mm OS is a great lens and works fantastically well with my 5DMKII - so I presume will work great with a 7D (if you get a good copy :D)

[minh2pac]

well I only have the sigma 150-500. It's great for the price. I don't have 7d or 50d, yet. But I heard 7d is great for birding. If u can afford it, I say get 7d with 100-400mm

[sweetlu60]

The first question I would ask you, is what do you intend to do with the photos you take. Specifically, will you be blowing up the images to poster size or will you primarily be viewing on the computer. The advantage of buying a new body will be the advantage of having a higher mp count, which would you give you the ability to crop and still having a large blow up look good, to a point.

Second, you have talked about what you want to shoot pictures of, but how hard are you on your equipment. I am a fan for the X0D series and am currently looking at upgrading from a 40D to a 7D, primarily for the video capability, but also the mp. If you are super careful and don't need a high speed unit, you could look at the T1i or the T2i to save some money. If you need something sturdier then look at the 50D or the 7D which both have the magnesium bodies and much more durable. I like to take a lot of action shots of the animals, so the higher FPS on the 50D and 7D are better for me. The lack of the basic zone on the 7D may be a slight drawback, but I shoot almost exclusively in Av. Remember though that new camera bodies are always coming out. My overall opinion is buy the best you can afford, but if you have to chose between a camera and a lens, I would choose the lens first, because it will not likely change any time in the near future and will overall hold it's value better.

As for lenses, I personally own the Canon 100-400L. I like it and get decent images from it. Unfortunately, my skill in manually focus is not quite what it needs to be, so I don't often use the extenders on it, because unless you go to a 1 series camera, this lens will work with both the 1.4 and the 2 extender, but with manual focus only. Definitely buy something with the IS, it is worth it. Also, this lens can be handheld effectively at 400mm.

I have not used the 300 f/4, but would guess it is a good lens to look at. It will work with the 1.4x in autofocus on the bodies that you are looking at. The 300 with the 1.4 is equivalent to a 672mm lens on the bodies that you are looking at, and the image quality will likely be better than the 100 to 400. I own a 600mm and almost always have the 1.4x on it when shooting. There is almost no way to handhold this lens, but it gives a great reach, so I for your birding, I would have to recommend trying to go with the 300. The greatest drawback between this one and the 100 to 400 would be the lack of zoom, unless you use your feet to zoom. :P

As for the Sigma lens and the Sigma Bigma, remember that both of these are fairly heavy lenses and you would probably not have fun hiking with it. Not sure how well you could handhold either of them.

Anyway, sorry for the long response, but I wanted you to try and think about all of the pros and cons between the options you have.

Steven