Anyone shooting bird with mirrorless Canon?

[AprilInA2]

I’d like to know your thoughts on Canon. I’m trying to downsize my camera collection. I love my D850 and 500mm PF, but in low light, it’s not up to snuff. I tried Sony, but I hate the menu system. I still own several L lenses for macro work and a 5D MKlll. I have an upcoming trip to Colombia and I’m stressing about what to bring. Thanks
April

 

[Doug Herr]

I’d like to know your thoughts on Canon. I’m trying to downsize my camera collection. I love my D850 and 500mm PF, but in low light, it’s not up to snuff. I tried Sony, but I hate the menu system. I still own several L lenses for macro work and a 5D MKlll. I have an upcoming trip to Colombia and I’m stressing about what to bring. Thanks
April

Which Sony did you use?

 

[AprilInA2]

A1

 

[ricardo00]

I’d like to know your thoughts on Canon. I’m trying to downsize my camera collection. I love my D850 and 500mm PF, but in low light, it’s not up to snuff. I tried Sony, but I hate the menu system. I still own several L lenses for macro work and a 5D MKlll. I have an upcoming trip to Colombia and I’m stressing about what to bring. Thanks
April

I don't (I use Nikon) but know several people who do use Canon and get great photos. However, they favor for birds the 800mm f/11, so if you are concerned about low light, this wouldn't be for you. Also the other popular lens for Canon users I know is the 100-500mm f/4.5 to f/7.1. Very low weight and versatile but again, would think you are better off with the 500mm PF for low light. So not sure that Canon has any great advantages in low light to the 500mm PF/D850 combo you are using?
PS. I have switched from my 500mm PF to the 400mm f/4.5, has a slight advantage in low light:
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https://flic.kr/p/2o3iFAt

]

 

[Warren D]

I have a friend who shoots with a Z6ii and 500pf. He does very well with both perched and flying birds. His keeper rate may be a bit lower than mine with the Z9 but there are times he gets the shot and I don't....boils down to technique and how you have the camera set up.

 

[Butlerkid]

I shot the D850 at ISO 8000 and sometimes higher and liked the results. Are you shooting ISO's well beyond that?

 

[Stephen Berger]

The D850 is at least as good (and really, almost certainly a bit better) as the 5D MKIll in low light so I think it's more about lenses so if you're intending to shoot things like BIF and you don't want to lug around exotic primes and aren't loving the performance of the 500pf I'm not sure you have many options. If you're primarily shooting other stuff there are for sure options but more info would be helpful.

 

[AprilInA2]

I was using the Canon stuff more so for macrophotography. I thought about getting a mirrorless Nikon, but I understand the autofocus is lagging (for birds). Macro and bird photography are my two main loves.

 

[John Navitsky]

I’d like to know your thoughts on Canon. I’m trying to downsize my camera collection. I love my D850 and 500mm PF, but in low light, it’s not up to snuff. I tried Sony, but I hate the menu system. I still own several L lenses for macro work and a 5D MKlll. I have an upcoming trip to Colombia and I’m stressing about what to bring. Thanks
April

if you have an upcoming trip and are worried about shooting, it’s probably not a good time to switch systems.
you could rent a d6.
on the canon side, it sounds like the r6ii would be a good choice.
remember you can rent.

 

[Tom Reynolds]

I think the problem with Canon is the lenses, as mentioned earlier. The typical Canon lens for birds is the 100-500 F/f.1. I found that the Canon r7, an APS-C 1.6 crop, provided enough reach for birds but was definitely NOT a low light setup. The r7 does better being a FF camera but F/7.1 and only 500mm reach will not make you happy as you will need to shoot in crop mode.

In my view you need a Z-9

Regards,
Tom

PS: I shoot an OM Systems OM-1 which is also NOT a low light setup.

 

[David Berry]

April …
My suggestion is to check reviews and tutorials on the following YouTube channels:

• Jan Wegner (Australia)
• Pangolin Wildlife Photography (Botswana)

… David

 

[Lance B]

I’d like to know your thoughts on Canon. I’m trying to downsize my camera collection. I love my D850 and 500mm PF, but in low light, it’s not up to snuff. I tried Sony, but I hate the menu system. I still own several L lenses for macro work and a 5D MKlll. I have an upcoming trip to Colombia and I’m stressing about what to bring. Thanks
April

When you say the D850 + 500 PF is not up to snuff in low light, do you mean AF-wise or the results from using high ISO? Either way, I am a little perplexed as the D850 + 500 PF works very well in both the low light AF department and also high ISO.

D850 + 500 PF, 1/500s f/5.6 at 500.0mm iso6400

I was using the Canon stuff more so for macrophotography. I thought about getting a mirrorless Nikon, but I understand the autofocus is lagging (for birds). Macro and bird photography are my two main loves.

The Nikon Z9 is definitely not lagging in the AF department for birding etc, it is up there with the likes of the Sony A1 and Canon R5/R6 etc. My Z9 + 500 pf is fantastic in low light and also great at high ISO.

Z9 + 500 pf, 1/125s f/5.6 at 500.0mm iso7200

Z9 + 500 PF + 1.4x TCIII, 1/400s f/8.0 at 700.0mm iso6400

 

[Doug Herr]

I’d like to know your thoughts on Canon. I’m trying to downsize my camera collection. I love my D850 and 500mm PF, but in low light, it’s not up to snuff. I tried Sony [A1], but I hate the menu system. I still own several L lenses for macro work and a 5D MKlll. I have an upcoming trip to Colombia and I’m stressing about what to bring. Thanks
April

I'm not fond of the menu system either but I found that Mark Smith's a1 setup allowed me to mostly ignore the menus and to customize the a1 to suit my needs and habits.