This is the glass i have.. 70D or 7D II ?

If you want a short telephoto lens (actually not so short on a crop), there is absolutely no reason to be afraid of getting the lens without image stabilization. They are $650 brand new and there is nothing in the photo world like it in terms of price, size, quality (image and build). Missing out on is isn't a big deal when you can shoot wide open at f4 and get amazing results.

Mathiau wrote in post #17576596
I am moving from Costa Rica to Calgary Alberta and so my days of macro photography are going to be far less interesting than they were in CR.

Isn't it supposed to be the other way around?

Been to CR over a dozen times and am actually in the process of looking for property down there.

It usually is, every person we tell that we came from CR to AB they all look in shock..

I always said, where to people in tropical places go for vacation, since everyone comes to their country.

Reality is after 16 years in I.T with the same company I got tired of the politics and B**S*** with higher ups favoring "yes people" and quit, so now here i am!

On that note, i went with the 7D Mark II.....it is the nicest camera i have had, the speed it has is great.

I have not had much time to do any real awesome work with it and really need to work with it and save for an L lense, but i must say i do love it!

Here are some pics i took with the included "kit" lense with my dog. nothing fancy just testing out the new cam! jpeg images so some compressio done from the RAW files

some more

keep on goingg, i will say the clarity alone blew me away, coming from a 40D in the past...i am impressed even with these shots and i think they were all done in AV even not even on M yet.

my dog, playing and giving attitude.

the best friend... and the wife...

2 more.. that's it i swear for now...

congrats on the selection and glad to hear your happy with your selection....can relate to the dog, have one that follows me everywhere I go. I have always said....if my wife and dog got stuck in the trunk of our car for an hr and you open it...which one will be wagging their tail and glad to see ya. Pets can be so forgiving........ and spouses too!!

So very very true!

I guess for me as much as the 70D had of fit my needs, to have something "better" got me in many senses, i did like the lack of "auto" controls on the 7D II vs 70D, so you really do need to learn to use the camera.

I decided to hold off on lenses for now, just waiting for the job market to pick up and go from there, how ever once again my interest in "club" photography is picking up.

Going to one local dog park has been okay, but not what i thought and most other dog parks are far for now with out a car so the idea of doing some animal photography is so so right now.

Mathiau wrote in post #17576596
I am moving from Costa Rica to Calgary Alberta...

The 70D and a really warm jacket.