New Body/New Lens..full frame/crop sensor???

Hello, I have been a hobby photographer for a few years now. I shoot landscapes and wildlife. I currently use a 5d2. I do alot of night photography in the warmer months (milky way, northern lights). I have been wanting to upgrade to a 5d3 for the better high iso. Well, lately I've kind of drifted back into doing more wildlife. So I started shopping around for an affordable lens with longer range than my Canon 100-400 Version 1 (pump). I was really close to ordering the sigma 150-600 Contemporary, but then I started reading more about the Canon 100-400 Version 2. Now I really want this lens. I would love to have added reach, but I think this Canon lens has to be sharper than the 600. Especially since I do all of my wildlife work hand held. I think if I get the 5d3, I'm still going to want the 100-400 Version 2. Now that has me thinking I'll also have to get a 1.4 teleconverter since I'll be using this on a full frame and my initial thoughts were to look for some added reach! So, then that has me wondering if I'm getting this lens, should I just stick with my 5d2 and instead of the 5d3 maybe get a 7d2 to use with this lens?!?! It seems like most of the time I keep a wide angle lens on my 5d2, and my old 100-400 on an even older t2i. I know this is all a big ramble but this has been a continuous struggle in my brain for the last 3 weeks. Of course money is an issue, but I think I could find a way to manage 1 new camera and lens. My heart is telling me to get the 5d3, 100-400V2 and teleconverter, but am I going to regret this and think geez I could have had a 600mm lens on a crop sensor? Thank you for any help.

Heya,

If your goal is to use a full frame, 100-400mm of any flavor, and a TC together, then I'd suggest you don't, and just go ahead and get the Sigma 150-600 C.

Also, if your camera cannot AF through physical F8, you're not going to have AF (so your 5D2 will not do this). The 5D3 will AF at F8 with appropriate firmware updates (depending on what date it was made). The 7D2 will AF at F8. The 1D series can handle that long before these newer cameras too, if you care.

Keep your 5D2 for your wider angle work, low light work, and long exposure & high ISO work. It's still quite relevant. The 5D3 is not even 1 stop better at high ISO, so you'd be paying handsomely for... not much difference.

Even then, why do you feel the need for a zoom?

At this budget, I'd be exploring a Canon 300 F2.8L or Sigma 120-300 F2.8 OS instead. On any camera.

You can always add a crop in the form of a 7D, 7D2, 1D3, 1DIV. You can use crude AF for wildlife that isn't moving super fast, it's the FPS that matters (in my opinion) to capture enough frames during a moment to get the pose, composition, expression, etc. I wouldn't worry too much about aggressive AF and other properties nearly as much as simply having a good mount, long fast lens, and a camera with high FPS.

Very best,

The reason to stay full frame is for large prints. If you don't print or print small (8x10), get the extra reach from the center of a good lens and not by adding more elements.

Apparently the 150-600 lenses only shoot birds. The 100-400II is sharper.

I would stick with the 5DIII plan and just pair it with the 100-400 MKII + 1.4 TC. I, primarily, shoot wildlife/birds with the 7D and that lens combo or the Sigma 120-300 f/2.8 OS are my current contenders for upgrades. A lot of folks have been getting really good results with the Sigmas (and I have a couple of 'em myself) but for my purposes I'm more concerned with the final IQ and the Canon comes out just far enough ahead of the various 150-600 options that I'd rather deal with possibly having to crop a little more with the Canon (and keep away from the odd, fractional apertures) than wonk about with the 150-600s; alternatively, the 120-300 f/2.8 simply because it can be used well with TCs, and is the same size/weight (close enough) as the 150-600 options with better optics.

I also have the 100-400L which I really love. It pairs well with 5D3, not the two 5D2 I previously owned.
Sigma 120-300f2.8 is such a great and versatile lens I highly recommend it. Even with 2x TC, the image quality is good. If you want further reach...you should consider 150-600 Sport which I bought recently.

The 7D2 + 100-400L II is a killer wildlife combination, and would complement your existing 5D2 for landscape work. I have a similar setup, except I do have a 5D3 instead of the 5D2. While I do not use it often, I also have a 1.4x TC. Both the 7D2 and 5D3 will still auto focus using this TC on the 100-400L, albeit with only the center AF point available. The 100-400L rarely comes off the 7D2, while I use the 5D3 for everything else.

Having two bodies if you are shooting both landscapes and wildlife is a huge convenience, as it can greatly reduce lens swaps. Previous to adding a 5D3 to my kit several years ago, I would shoot with a single crop body. When we visited places like Yellowstone, I was constantly swapping between a telephoto and normal zoom as we traveled around, trying to leave the telephoto mounted most of the time to be ready for any wildlife we would encounter. After all, mountains and waterfalls will wait for you to swap lenses, but bears, wolves, elk and moose will not.

I use a 5DIII and a 7DII, I tend to use 7DII over the 5DIII for wildlife, it beats the 5DIII on speed and auto focus and I've printed already 1 metre X 1 metre shots, looks just as good as full frame. Unless you can fill the frame with the 5DIII without cropping I see no advantage. I use the Tamron 150-600 and it works well on both

I also use a combination of my 7D2 with my 100-400L II(Birds and wildlife) and my 5D3 with everything else, usually my 24-70 f/2.8 II. This works great for me!

The 7d2 and the 100-400 II is a great combination. Maybe of interest to you is somewhere around the forums is a review/ guide from an external website about the 7D2 being great for Night (milky way and such) photography due to a load of technical reasons that were way over my head. Someone may have the link. and can post it. Also if you can wait a while it may be worth waiting till after Photokina in September to see what big Canon anouncements come and maybe the price of a 5d3 would drop.


Ooops didnt notice the post was from January. Wonder what he/she got .

Hi, I just noticed your response. I went with the 7d2 and 100-400ii. I love the combo for wildlife. I still grab my 5d2 for landscapes and hope to add a 5d3 eventually. But I couldn't be happier with this combo (plus teleconverter) for wildlife!