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Thread started 11 Jan 2015 (Sunday) 07:00
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Lenses to take for a Wildlife and Nature trip

 
1stKnight
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Post edited over 8 years ago by 1stKnight.
     
Jan 11, 2015 07:00 |  #1

Hi All,

I'm deciding on what to take with me to Kruger for a 3 week Safari in March and think I'll buy one new lens to add to my kit.

In April last year I went to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and I took my 6D and 7D bodies and:

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L is usm
Canon EF 100L macro f2.8
Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L usm
Canon EF 50mm 1.4

They all served me well for landscape and safari.

However, I am thinking of selling the 70-200 f/4L and replacing it with a Canon EF 200mm f/2.8L IS II USM.

Alternatively, I can add a Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L is usm to keep on the 6D almost permanently for the trip as a versatile solution while swapping lenses on the 7D depending upon the situation.

Any thoughts? I'm really looking for experiences with these two lenses and if the 2.8L is a wise buy over the F/4 L for 70-200.

Cheers.


Canon EOS R5 with: RF 24-105 L, RF 70-200 2.8 L , RF 24-240, RF 35, RF 16, RF 100-500 L, RF 100 2.8 Macro L, EL 100, Fujifilm X100V, GoPro Hero 9, DJI Mavic Air 2, Insta360

  
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amfoto1
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Post edited over 8 years ago by amfoto1.
     
Jan 11, 2015 13:28 |  #2

The 100-400 is a must have, IMO... necessary for wildlife you're bound to encounter.

It looks like you also have 24-105... weren't you planning to take that, too? I was going to suggest a wide angle, until I noticed you show that on your gear list. If it were me, I'd definitely want wider than 50mm at times, especially for landscape shots. I carry a 24-70/2.8 instead of 24-105, but I also typically carry a 20/2.8 for extra wide shots. If you no longer have the 24-105, if I didn't already have my 24-70/2.8, for travel I'd consider the 24-70/4 IS.... smaller and lighter than the f2.8 lens... plus it has IS.

Personally I would not bother with either the swap of 70-200 for the 200/2.8, or to add the 28-300.

For one thing, a 1.4X typically works really well with 135/2, which you already have, giving an effective 189/2.8. I'd do that instead of getting the 200/2.8. As a bonus, Canon (or any other) 1.4X also will fit your 100-400. But when adding a TC image quality may be compromised (only you can say if it's acceptable) and you'll lose AF on either or your cameras (there's a trick taping up the contacts so the camera doesn't know the TC is there and will still try to AF... though in all but the best light it might be slow and tend to hunt).

OTOH, the 135/2 (although a wonderful portrait lens and very usable for sports/action too) with or without the TC it duplicates focal lengths you've already got covered... twice, in fact, with 70-200 and 100-400.

Also the 70-200/4 IS is a great travel lens... versatile, reasonable size/weight, fast focus, sharp shots (it and the latest 70-200/2.8 IS Mark II are the only two models of 70-200 with fluorite elements), plus stabilization. OTOH, there is quite a bit of overlap with the 100-400mm. Overlap isn't a bad thing most of the time, but not ideal when travelling and trying to schlep your gear through airports, etc.

BTW I see 70-300 IS USM on your gear list, instead of the 70-200/4.

50mm is a great portrait lens on crop camera, nice "standard" lens on full frame.. but it's up to you whether you need it or not. If carrying a zoom covering that focal length, you may not need it, unless you want it's shallow depth of field potential.

Same with the macro lens. The 24-105 is pretty close focusing on its own, and can be made to focus even closer with macro extension tubes. OTOH, if you are looking to do a lot of high quality macro shots, you may want the 100L.

I got a Tamron SP 60/2.0 macro lens a year or two ago, especially for travel and any other time I want to keep things compact. It replaces 100 macro, 50/1.4 and 85/1.8 lenses in my camera bag, when I want to lighten my load: one lens instead of three (all of which are as large or larger/heavier). It's crop-only, though, so would only work on your 7D. It also is a micro motor lens... not fast focusing. Fine for macros and portraits, but not for sports or any sort of action. Alternatively, Canon EF-S 60/2.8 has faster AF, but not the f2.0 aperture.

Planning to take your tripod? I'd at least take my monopod (either can usually be packed in checked baggage pretty safely, unlike most other camera gear, which I always keep with me and carry on when travelling).

I'd take my flash, too... with a flash extender for long-lens wildlife shots. Fill flash can make or break shots at less than ideal times of day, such as high Noon when shadows are heavy.


Alan Myers (external link) "Walk softly and carry a big lens."
5DII, 7DII, 7D, M5 & others. 10-22mm, Meike 12/2.8,Tokina 12-24/4, 20/2.8, EF-M 22/2, TS 24/3.5L, 24-70/2.8L, 28/1.8, 28-135 IS (x2), TS 45/2.8, 50/1.4, Sigma 56/1.4, Tamron 60/2.0, 70-200/4L IS, 70-200/2.8 IS, 85/1.8, Tamron 90/2.5, 100/2.8 USM, 100-400L II, 135/2L, 180/3.5L, 300/4L IS, 300/2.8L IS, 500/4L IS, EF 1.4X II, EF 2X II. Flashes, strobes & various access. - FLICKR (external link)

  
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1stKnight
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Post edited over 8 years ago by 1stKnight.
     
Jan 11, 2015 14:41 |  #3

Cheers amfoto1 for the reply.

The 70-200 L f/4 IS hasn't been added to my signature but is the only lens I have that hasn't.

Spent the afternoon thinking about it and saw that the 100-400 L has been upgraded! I pretty much agree with all you have said and think now I'll forego the 70-200 2.8 and 28-300 and instead upgrade my 100-400.

I forgot about the 24-105 -that sits on the 6D most of the time so would be on the camera en-route to SA anyway.

I do have a 1.4X, Monopod and flash that I'll be taking too.

When I was in Zim I was swopping between the 70-200L and the 24-105L on my 6D and the 100-400L lived on the 7D.

I'll probably end up doing a similar thing in Kruger - it works. I'll have access to my own Land Rover so can spread my gear around ready to grab as needed; my wife and daughter prefer to use binoculars and let me take the photos so they help as my spotters.


Canon EOS R5 with: RF 24-105 L, RF 70-200 2.8 L , RF 24-240, RF 35, RF 16, RF 100-500 L, RF 100 2.8 Macro L, EL 100, Fujifilm X100V, GoPro Hero 9, DJI Mavic Air 2, Insta360

  
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ebiggs
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Jan 11, 2015 14:50 |  #4

1stKnight wrote in post #17376813 (external link)
Hi All,
In April last year I went to Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, and I took my 6D and 7D bodies and:

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4L IS USM
Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L is usm
Canon EF 100L macro f2.8
Canon EF 135mm f/2.0L usm
Canon EF 50mm 1.4

Alternatively, I can add a Canon EF 28-300mm f/3.5-5.6L is usm to keep on the 6D almost permanently for the trip as a versatile solution while swapping lenses on the 7D depending upon the situation.

Any thoughts? I'm really looking for experiences with these two lenses and if the 2.8L is a wise buy over the F/4 L for 70-200.
Cheers.

Yes I do, IMHO, I would buy the 70-200mm f2.8 L IS II and sell the f4 version and the 135mm f2. You will not need them with the new 70-200mm. You may not need the 100mm macro either with it.
Your 6D and the 24-105mm f4 plus the 70-200mm f2.8 and the 100-400mm would make a very good outfit but it does have a lot of over lap.
Your 7D with the 100-400mm is going to give you some nice tele reach, too.
Anyway, IMHO, that is what I would do in your situation. The 70-200mm f2.8 is an extremely good lens. Best there is, IMHO. You are going to love it.


G1x, EOS 1Dx, EOS 1D Mk IV, ef 8-15mm f4L,
ef 16-35mm f2.8L II, ef 24-70mm f2.8L II, ef 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II,
Sigma 150-600mm f5-6.3 DG OS HSM Sport
*** PS 6, ACR 9.3, Lightroom 6.5 ***

  
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Lumens
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Post edited over 8 years ago by Lumens. (2 edits in all)
     
Jan 13, 2015 07:33 |  #5

1stKnight, I notice our choice of lenses is fairly similar. 90% of my shooting is outdoors and the same lenses are in my sling pack:

24-105mm for landscape shots and general walk around
100 f2.8 Macro - obviously for Macro
100-400L for the telephoto wildlife and BIF shots
70-200 f4 IS for general outdoor walk around

I use the 6D 90% of the time as usually it is Sunrise, Sunset, or Overcast and the low-light capability of the 6D simply shines over the 7D. However in good light, the added 1.6 range of the 7D is a definite advantage so I would definitely take both cameras.

"the 24-105L on my 6D and the 100-400L lived on the 7D" -> An investment in a two camera sling strap may be a thought as well. I find this combination of two cameras and lenses works very well also. Swapping lenses does slow things down a bit especially when a bird flies by and I want a pic.


FUJI XT-2 & FUJI XT-3 ->
12mm Roki, 16 f1.4, 35 f1.4, 56 f1.2, 80 Macro
10-24, 18-55, 55-200, 100-400

  
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Lenses to take for a Wildlife and Nature trip
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