See page 3 for 1 year thoughts with Canon EOS R7

[jeffnles1]

I find the 100-500mm zoom ring is relatively smooth, on par with other telephoto zooms across Nikon, Sony, Sigma and Tamron; you can adjust the smoothness of the turn; it's just too fat in the bag; on the other hand, the RF 70-200mm is a beautiful lens.

One thing I do find annoying is Canon's strict policy on "no-3rd party lens", even for different focal length; oh well, it's how Canon likes to control the market.

Oliver

Thanks.
Like I said to FB101 above, I'm coming from a D500 and a Nikon 200-500. I'll have to give it an another look. When I was shooting with my friend's earlier this year it seemed like the 100-500 was not only lighter but not as fat. It could just be my bad memory too.. I'll have to check that out.

I agree ont he 3rd party thing. I do have a Tamron and a couple Sigma lenses. Really the only one I use much any more is the Sigma 100-400 which is a sweet little lens.

 

[Tom Reynolds]

Thanks. Coming from a Nikon 200-500 anything is going to be a short throw. I will have to consider a 14-35 if I go the Canon route. I currently have a 24-70 F2.8 that I use on the D500 and sometimes wider would be welcome. I have a Tokina 11-20 that I use sometimes but it's not my favorite lens.
I agree I want to spend some quality time with the camera body and the tele 100-500 before I jump into the Canon pool with both feet.

Good points you made. thanks
Jeff

Jeff-
You need to get an OM-1/100-400 in your hands and experience it. What BlackRockArt and FB101 mirror our experience with the 100-500 while the 100-400 is a joy.
-Tom

 

[jeffnles1]

Jeff-
You need to get an OM-1/100-400 in your hands and experience it. What BlackRockArt and FB101 mirror our experience with the 100-500 while the 100-400 is a joy.
-Tom

Yes I will have to check an OM-1 out too.
Jeff

 

[David Berry]

I want to spend some quality time with the camera body and the tele 100-500 before I jump into the Canon pool…
Jeff

Jeff, in that case, perhaps you should consider pairing Canon's RF 100–500 lens with a full-frame R5 body (preferably Mk 2 which is expected soon).
… David

 

[Tom Reynolds]

Jeff-
It's only 800 miles to St Augustine, an easy drive for a young dude like you. Come on down and shoot some water birds nesting with my OM-1/100-400. In early April Great Egret chicks are starting to get to a good size, Wood stork chicks starting to hatch, Snowys, Little Blues and Tricolor are laying eggs. Cattle Egrets starting to show up, numerous Spoonbill chicks possible. It would be cheaper than renting a rig. Leave that old D500 home. You won't need it. Talk your buddy with the R7/100-500 into going with you. I'll buy the beer.
-Tom

 

[jeffnles1]

Jeff-
It's only 800 miles to St Augustine, an easy drive for a young dude like you. Come on down and shoot some water birds nesting with my OM-1/100-400. In early April Great Egret chicks are starting to get to a good size, Wood stork chicks starting to hatch, Snowys, Little Blues and Tricolor are laying eggs. Cattle Egrets starting to show up, numerous Spoonbill chicks possible. It would be cheaper than renting a rig. Leave that old D500 home. You won't need it. Talk your buddy with the R7/100-500 into going with you. I'll buy the beer.
-Tom

Thanks. You mentioned my favorite beer too (there is cold beer, warm beer and free beer. Free beer is my favorite).
Seriously Tom, I do appreciate the offer. If some family circumstances were a little different right now, I would take you up on the generous offer (and drink some of the delicious free beer while I'm at it).

Jeff Sluder

 

[jeffnles1]

Jeff, in that case, perhaps you should consider pairing Canon's RF 100–500 lens with a full-frame R5 body (preferably Mk 2 which is expected soon).
… David

I like the way you think.
Jeff

 

[Tom Reynolds]

The R5/100-500 was my default upgrade path from the D500/500pf because it was about the same weight, and it was a zoom.

 

[abc123brian]

I previously shot Canon DSLRs but haven’t shot their mirrorless models. I have friends who do but haven’t used them personally. With DSLR, I absolutely hated their crop sensors. They were noisy and lacked dynamic range. I really liked their full frame cameras, especially the original 5D. Having not tried their mirrorless cameras, it’s possible it has improved, but based on past experience I’d be looking at the full frame models. The R5 is a great camera. I mention it so you can make sure it is satisfactory before investing in it.

 

[MarkG]

I shot many Canon DSLRs. I own Canon RP as well. From all accounts R7 could be an excellent mid-range camera for wildlife. I'd like to offer a suggestion, though, to consider Sony ecosystem. It can be quite economical if used market and availability of good 3rd party lenses are considered. The A7R4 (what I have) is ~$2K used in excellent condition and to me, offers great amount of control points customization. 61Mp in FF, 26Mp in crop mode, not far off 32Mp of R7. I love the fact that AF-ON and AFE buttons on A7 can be configured to different AF areas. I have AF-ON set to whatever current AF area is, usually Zone. AFE is configured to small area. It's very easy to shift your thumb to switch between the two, BIF vs perched bird scenario. Other custom buttons and wheels can be very flexibly configured a well. I used A7R4 setup video by Mark Smith on youtube as a starting point. I have two lenses for birds: Sony 200-600 and Tamron 150-500. The latter feels a lot lighter and has excellent image quality and AF for ~$1K used. I've used Sigma 100-400 (Sony-specific version) as well with good results. As a 2nd body I keep a6400. All in all it seems to me that Sony ecosystem *can* be quite economical and rather good. Best of luck with your decisions!

 

[Juliette]

Hi @jeffnles1 - I submitted a question here which turned into a lengthy discussion and really helped me clarify my switch to the Fuji XH2s and I am extremely happy with the results. As info, prior to submitting my question here, I bought and tried the R7 and the 100-400 for two weeks and did not like the quality of the shots. I had come from a Nikon D750 and wanted faster/lighter. I am NOT into video but in the end, the Canon, while very speedy, gave me results that just didn't fit my style and I just didn't feel that the quality was there compared to the R5 or R6.

I highly suggest renting (sorry if someone already mentioned it, just trying to quickly add my two cents here so didn't read fully).

Thanks.

 

[Dave63401]

Jeff, I'm a little late, but here are my thoughts. I own an R5 since a few months after release and the R7 since right after release. Both excellent cameras. Of course the R5 has better files than the R7. I like my R7 a lot. I also am getting bit by the video bug. Again, both do a good job at video, with the R5 better, as it should be. My recommendation to you is if you decide to get the R7, buy it with the nice little kit lens 18-150. Adds $400 but is actually a very nice little lens. I own the EF 24-105 MKII, and it is nice and the RF version is a tiny bit better. But that 18-150 is no slouch and $600-700 less. Also wider and longer on a crop frame body. Of course get the 100-500. Hold off on the macro until you have tried the 100-500 for your close up work. Many serious guys I follow don't pick up their macro lens much because of the results they get with the 100-500. I looked thru your Flickr and you have nice work. My flickr is below and my Youtube, if you are interested is at https://www.youtube.com/@dave63401/videos Most video is shot in 4K crop mode, on both bodies, but some is just reg 4K or 120fps slow motion. Any question, ask.

 

[Tom Reynolds]

Jeff-

Since you are into macro,

I ordered the new OM Systems 90mm f/3.5 2:1 super macro lens for my OM-1. It is definitely not cheap ($1500) but I suspect an unbelievable macro lens.

I my case, I want walk-around macro, not lab macro because my experience underwater was swim-around macro with a D-300/105 and +10 wet diopter.

(My work from 2011: http://tomandginnie.com/Wakatobi_in_Super_macro.html )

I guess I am going back to my past and need to shoot super macro using autofocus and high F/stops and this lens excels in those categories. I even hope to stack hand-held or maybe with a monopod.

I hope to have the lens and provide some shots before the Nikon announcement to help with your decision.

Regards,
-Tom

 

[jeffnles1]

Thanks everyone for your feedback, suggestions and well thought out comments. After considering a lot o options and probably grossly overthinking the process, I decide.
I just got home from the candy store. It is a little over an hour away but I wanted to try and support a brick and mortar store. The 24-105 F4 IS L lens was out of stock so I had to order that one on-line and it should be here tomorrow.

You can only see EXIF info for this image if you are logged in.

 

[abc123brian]

Thanks everyone for your feedback, suggestions and well thought out comments. After considering a lot o options and probably grossly overthinking the process, I decide.
I just got home from the candy store. It is a little over an hour away but I wanted to try and support a brick and mortar store. The 24-105 F4 IS L lens was out of stock so I had to order that one on-line and it should be here tomorrow.
View attachment 55690

Congratulations on the new gear! It will take you a while to get used to canon and Nikon making everything rotate the opposite ways but you should get adjusted fairly quick. I‘m sure others would like to hear your feedback after you have a chance to try it all out.

 

[bleirer]

Thanks everyone for your feedback, suggestions and well thought out comments. After considering a lot o options and probably grossly overthinking the process, I decide.
I just got home from the candy store. It is a little over an hour away but I wanted to try and support a brick and mortar store. The 24-105 F4 IS L lens was out of stock so I had to order that one on-line and it should be here tomorrow.
View attachment 55690

Maybe there is hope now for us talking to other Canon shooters here. There may be 5 of us now.

 

[Roy]

OK, I've been debating this internally for a few months now. I'm retired and not a wealthy man so this is a pretty big decision and one that will hopefully last many years. I'm looking to make the move to mirrorless and have been looking strongly at the Canon R7 as a new body with a few Canon lenses (100-500, 100mm Macro, 24-105 F4). This range covers 90+ percent of my photography. I am coming from Nikon D500.

Here is a link to my Flickr page. This will show the range of subjects I normally shoot. I'm not 100% wildlife and shoot a variety of wildlife subjects.
Jeff's Flickr Page

Guess my question(s) are around suitability for intended use. You guys and gals who have used this camera and/or Canon mirrorless in general, pros and cons. I've seen the YouTube reviews and read online reviews but I'd rather hear what real photographers who specialize in nature photography with real world in the field use have to say.

Thanks group.

Jeff

I'd be looking more at the lenses you intend to use.
A camera body outdates quickly but lenses can last a lifetime ...

 

[jeffnles1]

Congratulations on the new gear! It will take you a while to get used to canon and Nikon making everything rotate the opposite ways but you should get adjusted fairly quick. I‘m sure others would like to hear your feedback after you have a chance to try it all out.

Thank you. I will for sure be posting my reactions over time. Honestly, the only photos I've taken with it yet have been my son's dog out in the yard on "P" mode setting. I will say the 100-500 with the R7 is incredibly sharp, at least on a sitting lazy hound.
I'm not much of a review prose writer but I will provide my honest assessment after I've had some time with it.

 

[jeffnles1]

Maybe there is hope now for us talking to other Canon shooters here. There may be 5 of us now.

Maybe. Guess I left one club and joined another. Honestly, though, I had enough of brands and brand management during my career. I'm somewhat agnostic about brands and branding. Whatever is available at the time I need it and what gives me the best balance of cost, suitability to the task and how does it feel. Right now, the Canon won out. Had I been doing this a couple years from now who knows what marvels the industry will produce.

 

[jeffnles1]

I'd be looking more at the lenses you intend to use.
A camera body outdates quickly but lenses can last a lifetime ...

I forget where I heard it but someone once said you date the camera body but you marry the lenses. Like I said to Brian above, I have only shot a couple images of my son's dog out in the back yard. I haven't even taken the camera off of "P" mode. What I can say is the 100-500 really seems sharp and I like how it resolved the colors. She (my son's dog) has an odd color yellow / tan hair (she is a mix between a Basset Hound and a yellow lab. Yes she looks funny with short basset legs and a big lab. body). It made a pretty natural impression of her fur color. Time will tell.

 

[Tom Reynolds]

I forget where I heard it but someone once said you date the camera body but you marry the lenses. Like I said to Brian above, I have only shot a couple images of my son's dog out in the back yard. I haven't even taken the camera off of "P" mode. What I can say is the 100-500 really seems sharp and I like how it resolved the colors. She (my son's dog) has an odd color yellow / tan hair (she is a mix between a Basset Hound and a yellow lab. Yes she looks funny with short basset legs and a big lab. body). It made a pretty natural impression of her fur color. Time will tell.

For the subject ID to work you need proper exposure. The first step, assuming that you shoot in M auto ISO is to find where you can adjust exp comp quickly and easily. Once you know how to do that the R7 will come alive in your hands and you'll forget all about the D-500.

Tom

 

[jeffnles1]

For the subject ID to work you need proper exposure. The first step, assuming that you shoot in M auto ISO is to find where you can adjust exp comp quickly and easily. Once you know how to do that the R7 will come alive in your hands and you'll forget all about the D-500.

Tom

Thanks

 

[jeffnles1]

The friendly Amazon driver just delivered the last piece of the puzzle today. Well, last for now. My "almost" local brick and mortar store did not have this one in stock so I had to order it on line. I will have to get a speed light sometime but I need my wife to forget about the camera and lenses first. haha...

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[Robjwilli]

Congratulations on your new kit, look forward to hearing your impressions after more in depth use.

 

[jeffnles1]

Congratulations on your new kit, look forward to hearing your impressions after more in depth use.

Thanks.
Hopefully I can get out with it this week. Weather has been horrible with storms and high wind the past few days. If all goes well I'll be able to take photos of more than squirrels in my back yard. My initial impression is it's a nice kit. I just have a lot to learn to be able to squeeze out everything I can from it.

Honestly, one of the big reasons I decided to go Canon instead of wait for Nikon to come out with a similar camera was just the challenge of learning something new. At 62 years old I want to do everything I can to keep my mind stimulated and as sharp as possible. (well my wife said I'm as sharp as the leading edge of a bowling ball but what does she know?)

Jeff