I'm not crazy about changing cameras constantly. For one thing,it means hours wading through manuals to get the most out of the new camera's features. On the other hand there's no doubt the technology and utility does get better and better.

Two real workhorses I've used for several years are the Nikon D300 and the Canon 7D. I especially like the 7D with the Canon 400/5.6L for wildlife and bird photography. The combo is reasonably light and portable, provides good photos and is reasonably priced.

I'm interested in hearing Saeed's (any anyone else's of course) initial impressions of the 7D2. I do like what I read about faster autofocus and 10 frames/second, both of which should help with bird-in-flight photos.

Thanks in advance!

Dave,

I have the 7D2, but sadly have not any time to use it.

Your mention of the Nikon D300 brings back fond memories - I wish Nikon brought out something similar with modern tech improvements.

My experience with the 7100 was not very good I am afraid.

Funny enough, I prefer to use the Canon 70-200 F2.8 lense with a 2X converter.

THis gives me the ability of zoom, and also I can take the converter off when I do not need the extra reach.

Thanks Saeed. I'll watch for your thoughts on the 7D2 once you have time to try it.

I bought the D7100 when it first came out and ended up taking it back. Can't recall any real problem with it, just didn't find it was getting me many photos I couldn't get with the D300.

Currently my wife is the main user of the D300. I like to have it around since I still have a case full of Nikkor AI prime lenses which I like to use now and then.

Canon provides lots of ways to get to 400mm. I find the other two 400 primes are too heavy and too expensive. We often do a fair bit of walking for bird photos, carrying a popup blind, folding chairs, maybe some soft drinks. The big 400s are like carrying a double rifle.

Your method is probably the most versatile approach, and one I may end up adopting. It adds IS as well which the 400/5.6 doesn't have.

May add a 1.4 TC to the 400 if the 7D2 will autofocus accurately at f/8.With the crop body that would give a focal length of... 400 x 1.6 x 1.4 = 896mm.

Thanks again and best regards!

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Anderson:
Thanks Saeed. I'll watch for your thoughts on the 7D2 once you have time to try it.

I bought the D7100 when it first came out and ended up taking it back. Can't recall any real problem with it, just didn't find it was getting me many photos I couldn't get with the D300.

Currently my wife is the main user of the D300. I like to have it around since I still have a case full of Nikkor AI prime lenses which I like to use now and then.

Canon provides lots of ways to get to 400mm. I find the other two 400 primes are too heavy and too expensive. We often do a fair bit of walking for bird photos, carrying a popup blind, folding chairs, maybe some soft drinks. The big 400s are like carrying a double rifle.

Your method is probably the most versatile approach, and one I may end up adopting. It adds IS as well which the 400/5.6 doesn't have.

May add a 1.4 TC to the 400 if the 7D2 will autofocus accurately at f/8.With the crop body that would give a focal length of... 400 x 1.6 x 1.4 = 896mm.

Thanks again and best regards!

A noteworthy difference (there are others) between the 7D and 7DII is the focus system on the latter. Master the focus system of the 7DII, because it is superior to that of the 7D, and more complicated.

This is a large pdf file. Just go to this forum and thread, then download the file:


Read more at: http://photography-on-the.net/...thread.php?t=1409885

Ray, thanks for the tip and for the link. If I do end up trading for the Mk II the information will be most useful.

Been checking some of the birding forum and the Mk II seems to be getting a lot of praise for BIF (bird in flight) photography.

quote:

Originally posted by Dave Anderson:
Ray, thanks for the tip and for the link. If I do end up trading for the Mk II the information will be most useful.

Been checking some of the birding forum and the Mk II seems to be getting a lot of praise for BIF (bird in flight) photography.

Yes. I have a 7D, and it's quite good too. But the focusing system on the 7DII is a big step up, although it takes more time to master. Having so many focus-point choices increase the learning curve. I upgraded from the Canon 40D to the 7D a few years ago, and had to relearn how to use the focusing system of the latter. But it didn't take very long with practice.

Something else I did was not to buy EF-S lenses (Canon lenses for cropped-sensor cameras). Instead I bought EF lenses, some L and some not. For example the EF 100mm f/2.8 Macro USM is not a L lens, but it's quite good. The L version of the same lens costs a lot more. I did buy a 200mm f/2.8L II USM (does not have IS), but it's an outstanding lens. The same can be said to the 400mm L without IS. The IS versions are more expensive, but a lot of people like the extra f-stops these lenses provide.

One that's quite popular with bird and sports photographers is the EF 300mm f/2.8L IS II USM, but it costs over $6,000, although you can use teleconverters with it. A 300mm L f/4 costs about one third of the f/2.8. Hey, but it's only money and we aren't going to take it with us to the grave

I just use the 200mm and 400mm lenses I mentioned above, and can only dream of the 300 f/2.8 L IS.
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That said, Saeed probably has some of "them" lenses, including the 200-400 L with built-in teleconverter.