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Help Needed for SE Asia Trip, Rent 5D Mark III or purchase 600EX‑RT Speedlite
I would be extremely appreciative for some advice. Let me start by explaining what I have, what my goals are, and how I do photography.
I'm a total amateur. A birder at heart and a teacher by day, I've gotten more and more into photography, but birding is my primary goal. I like to take pictures when I see opportunity rather than seeking out opportunities specifically for photography. In other words, I'll sacrifice 15 minutes crawling on the ground towards a subject but I don't tend to wait around all morning in prime spots for photos, especially when birding internationally. I'd miss too many birds!
I'll share a picture of some Crab Plovers taken last summer in Madagascar to give you an idea of my maximum possible talent when things go right and I get a little lucky... :c3:
So, one of the things I've noticed from my past trips to Brazil and Africa is that I struggle most in tropical forests that are dark. This has me thinking about this summer, when I'll be going to a lot of dark places in Borneo, Thailand, and Sulawesi.
Here's the gear I have now:
- 7D Mark II
- 100-400 Mark II
- 1.4 TC Mark III
- 430EX II Speedlite
- A very poor monopod with a head that leaves a lot to be desired. (I bought the monopod before Africa last summer but ended up leaving it in the suitcase nearly the entire two month trip because I found it extremely distracting for birding. I like to keep my hands free and keep the camera around a shoulder or in a Think Tank holster on a belt.)
Here's the dilemma I have. I was thinking of doing one of two options:
renting a 5D Mark III
or
purchasing a 600EX‑RT Speedlite and possibly a transmitter
As I see it, here are some pros and cons.
5D Mark III Pros
- Increased high ISO performance for dark places, allowing for greater flexibility without flash
- I'd have a backup camera body should something go wrong.
5D Mark III Cons
- I'd have to carry two camera bodies in the field or decide in the morning which to take.
- I'd have to switch lenses more often in the field if conditions warrant.
- Because of the items above, it's likely that I'd tend to often ignore one camera or the other because I know that at the end of the day, I want to go birding and take some pictures of what I see.
600EX‑RT Speedlite Pros
- Much better reach (distance) and recycling time than my existing speedlite.
- It would allow for off camera flash.
- I'd own the equipment at the end of the trip.
- Fast setup in the field when birding because it allows me to use one camera and lens and then simply add the flash when needed.
600EX‑RT Speedlite Cons
- More expensive if a trigger is purchased too.
- No backup camera body.
Thoughts?
I'm kind of leaning towards the Speedlite option, as it feels to me like it's the area that would most dramatically improve my photography. Realistically, the 5D would improve my shooting in dark places by what, 2-3 stops in ISO performance? That doesn't seem like as big of an improvement as what the speedlite would allow. Plus, I've never really gotten into off camera flash, but it seems like an interesting option. (Am I correct that a second person like my wife could hold and point the flash as I shoot? I obviously know little about it, but I'm not opposed to learning. I've been frustrated at times with red eye in birds and mammals with on camera flash.)
Also, I hear good things about yongnuo speedlites and triggers. I know they're a lot cheaper, and money is definitely tight with trips like this. Would anyone recommend this as a better option to essentially get the same functionality as the canon speedlite?
This is my first post here, so please accept my sincere apologies if I did anything wrong in terms of format or approach.
Any and all advice deeply appreciated. Thanks!
