Upgrade Options??

[Richard Greenwood]

Hi,

I'm a fairly new wildlife photographer currently working with limited gear (a 450D & Tokina 80-400 zoom), but later this year I may have the budget for a serious upgrade of kit. This could be in the region of about £5k (sterling). I would love to be able to produce shots which are of publishable standard or that were saleable.

I've been thinking about my options and have come up with the following, which I'd be grateful for opinions on:

1. 7D body, 300 f2.8, 1.4x & 2x teleconvertors (although the 300 f2.8 appears to be as rare as the proverbial rocking horse s*** in the UK at the moment)
2. As above but with the 300 f4
3. 7D body & 400 f5.6. (cheaper option)
4. 1D Mk 4 & 400 f5.6 plus 1.4x and/or 2x teleconvertors (would retain autofocus but not sure of IQ with 2x & this lens??)
5. Again, as above but with 300 f4

I'm very much open to other suggestions (but bearing in mind the limitations of my total budget).

Richard

[David Stephens]

Richard, that's quite a wide range of costs. Both bodies are excellent. I own the 7D and don't really feel a need for the MkIV, other than occasionally wishing that I could put a 2.0xTC on my 500/f4.

You seem to want to get out beyond the 400mm that you already have. I owned the 400/5.6 and thought it was great at 400mm, but you will need the MkIV to use it with TCs, then it starts getting real slow, since its native speed is f5.6. Given that, and no plan for a 500mm, I prefer the 300/2.8 with both TCs. That covers a lot of range at high IQ.

So, even though I don't know exactly what you're shooting, but knowing the 7D and having prior experience with the 400/f5.6, I vote for the 7D, 300/f2.8 combo with TCs. I've not owned that 300mm, but I have borrowed one for a short bit. If I didn't own the 500mm, that'd be the lens I'd look for. It's very handy and hand held by men and women.

One more option, since the MkIV is a possible option, how about a 7D with a used 500/f4? That's getting you up in the 7-grand range, but the MkIV gets you there pretty quick, if that's a real option for you. The 500/f4 has stunning IQ and is a great lens, just a bit heavy and awkward, but manageable.

[Richard Greenwood]

Thanks David, you've pretty much confirned my favourite option as the way to go. Having just seen some spectacular shots with a 7D, 300 & TCs on another website I will have to search high & low for the elusive 300!!

Thanks,

Richard

[Fredrik Backman]

1D Mk 4 & 400 f5.6 plus 1.4x and/or 2x teleconvertors (would retain autofocus but not sure of IQ with 2x & this lens??)

Please be aware that you retain autofocus with the 1.4x converter only, NOT the 2x converter.