neill_farmer2

There will be a 90D released soon. That said I moved from an APS-C 7D to a FF 6D and have no regrets. Gave the 7D away as it was not being used.

The present mirrorless cameras offer advantages and disadvantages over their DSLR equivalents. The RP uses the 6DII sensor. The electronic view finder has a short delay and so is not as well suited to photoing faster action such as birds in flight. It is perfectly good for still and slower stuff. Another advantage is that the AF system is off the sensor and so AF is particularly accurate and does not require micro adjusting of any AF lens. IS lens remain switched on as long as the camera is switched on, IS does not shut down after taking the shot as on DSLRs. Those that have purchased R and RP cameras seem very happy with them except for a few people who keep both eyes open when shooting find the viewfinder delay causing unpleasant side effects.

Don't buy any lens that has some problem with haze or fungus. It won't get better, only worse. A small mark on the front element will not affect IQ but a similar mark or chip on the rear element may cause problems at high f stops on wide angle lenses.

The 100-400L was the standard safari lens back in the day when it was the lowest cost way to get good quality 600mm using an APS-C camera. It still is useful today. There are alternatives, and as mentioned the Sigma C or Tamron 150-600 are also low cost ways to get good results on safari. The 500 and 600 primes give IQ better than the zooms and AF is better too but at the expense of versatility and lens changes, not to mention the high cost. If I were doing a safari again I think I would take my 150-600 C and leave the 100-400L at home. Be aware that the 150-600 zooms are not as easily handled as the 100-400L, and I find they need higher shutter speeds to overcome camera shake (I only use IS when forced to). What ever, you will find that 600mm or there a-bouts is needed, especially in East Africa. 100-400 is useable for Southern Africa where the game parks are more vegetated.

<p>Canon markets their DSLRs in a similar fashion to the way they did for film cameras. In going to the 6D from a EOS3 several steps downwards are being taken. The 6D is an entry level Full frame camera, the EOS 3 one step down from the top tier.<br> The good news is that the 6D has a sensor that delivers images close to those of higher specification cameras and it's low light capabilities, when introduced, were excellent. Even today the IQ and ISO capabilities still remain very good.<br> Canon chose to offer a basic auto focus system in the camera, but once again what is there is very good. The centre focussing point is very accurate and capable of focussing on objects in very low light. In this respect the auto focus is again very good. Unfortunately the off centre points are average and I don't use them on my camera. Also the engine that tracks fast moving objects is also average, but still good for larger birds in flight and moderately fast objects.<br> The camera's strengths are its image quality, low light imagery and the surefooted centre focussing point.<br> It is a relatively simple camera and that, for some, is also a strength.<br> I would not buy one now, there is a mark II version due in a few months, that should build on the 6D's strengths with more recent AF and even better IQ.</p>

<p>I would advise against it. Firstly no DSLR is an investment, they all eventually depreciate to near zero.<br> Secondly it is an old camera with two known deficiencies, a mirror that falls out and no auto sensor cleaning.<br> Much more recent crop cameras, in good light will produce very similar image quality. When the light fades so does the 5D, more recent cameras, crop included, will still produce good images at higher ISOs before sunrise and after sunset or indoors.<br> If full frame is your desire then I suggest a 6D, (shortly to be replaced by a 6DII so prices of second hand units will drop shortly), or a 5DII. Of the two the 6D is the more recent and better camera.<br> Full Frame costs do not stop at the camera, the EF-S lenses will not fit so access to Canon's excellent and lower priced lenses is also lost.</p>

<p>For South African Private reserves either a 100-400L (better) or a 70-300L(more useful for normal photography) will be good. A 70-300 IS would be the bare minimum.<br> For a body all are good, but latter ones will offer better low light capability. Some game reserves offer twilight and night drives. You will need a 7D or later if you wish to get shots on these.<br> Good luck, trip of a lifetime.</p>

<p>I purchased my 6D for low light photography. It is usable up to around ISO 10,000, although I have made images that look good on my 27" monitor off ISO 20,000 raws. I would not bother with the 5D, amazing camera for its time, still good in the hands of those adept at sensor cleaning, but not much chop for low light.</p>

<p>These two cameras have different strengths, but, for general use both are equally suitable. In good light, and ISOs up to 800 - 1600 it is hard to tell the difference in image quality. As ISO gets higher the images produced by the 6D will get better. The 6D is still giving usable images at ISO 10,000+, leaving the 70D in this contest way behind.<br> The 6D also has an excellent center focus point, if you can see it it will focus on it. In such poor light the 70D is unable to achieve focus.<br> These are all advantages that come with a modern FF camera.<br> The 70D has a better focus engine, it will track moving objects better than the 6D. I find the 6D good for junior football, but not for birds in flight.<br> The 70D is a crop camera. It removes part of the image so that the apparent focal length is 1.6 x the lens specification. This makes it great for telephoto work where a relatively inexpensive 100-400L acts like a 160-560mm lens. A similar 600mm lens costs a lot more. Since the image is smaller the EF-s lenses cost less too. This together with its focus engine make the 70D better for sports and wild life. These are the big advantages of the crop body.<br> In a nutshell the 6D is about image excellence and low light, the 70D about fast moving action and wild life.<br> Pick the one that best suits the main use it will be put to.</p>

<p>I often use smaller apertures than f8 on my 7D and don't notice any loss of sharpness. Do a bit of experimenting for yourself and see if this is problem for you.</p>

<p>The problem seems to be caused by a bump or pressure on the front of the lens. Try to avoid this. </p>

<p>Mackenzie, have a look at the Canon 55-250 IS. There are two versions, one with normal AF and one with an STM Focus Motor for video. Scuttlebutt has it that the STM version is sharper. Another lens worth looking at is the 70-300IS. It is sharper than your 75-300mm. The Tamron 70-300 is also said to be pretty good. These are all lenses that cost less than $500, some under $300. <br> The 70-200L F4 is a step ahead of these regards sharpness and build, it will match the latest offerings and will last a lifetime.<br> I have used e global mail order from Hong Kong, they seemed good with fast delivery. Alternatively B&H New York ship overseas and I would see if the larger Australian camera stores do also. All these lenses are relatively common, you could look for one second hand.</p>

<p>Mackenzie, the difference between the 75-300, which is not that good, and the 55-250 IS is sharpness. It offers the best value there is for a budget tele zoom lens. The 70-200L F4 is a step ahead again with sharpness and build but with a restricted zoom range and higher cost. The best are the 70-300L and either of the 100-400Ls, the MkII in a class of it's own.<br> I think I would establish what zoom range I needed, and think of the future here, lenses should last a long time. Then come up with how much I could pay. See what that matches amongst the 55-250 IS, 70-200 F4 and the longer whites.<br> Good luck, you get an interesting collection of long distance planes down there. 747s finished?</p>

<p>The best value birding lens is either the Tamron or Sigma C 150-600mm. One step back is the original Canon 100-400L. I would not accept a lens that is a lesser standard than these three. It would be better to wait and save up if these cannot be purchased now. The birds will still be there. Nothing worse than a soft telephoto for birds. As it is these lenses will probably need to be shot at a stop above their widest. Remember that with lenses of these focal lengths the 1/FL rule doesn't apply, try 1/2xFL or 1/1000th minimum. Good luck, but I must warn that bird photography is very damaging to the wallet.</p>

<p>The 6D is a great camera and part of its greatness is it's simplicity. To get focus tracking press the 'AF' button and turn the top wheel until 'AI servo' appears. The camera scrolls through 'one shot', 'AI focus' and 'AI servo'. It is not recommended to use 'AI focus". With a half press of the shutter the camera will focus, keeping the shutter half pressed swing the camera to pick up other objects at different distances. the lens should refocus on these as the camera is swung around. If this does not happen something is wrong. Pressing and holding the 'AF On' button should have the same effect as a shutter half press.<br> Before sending the camera away I would reset the camera to the default settings, there is a menu item for this, 'clear camera settings'.</p>