Better resolution - Another body or another lens?

[mark_davies1]

<p>Many thanks Gents, it looks as the glass will give the better result. I will go that way and try out the vaious options: 300 f4LIS with a 1.4TC, 400 f5.6L, 100-400. Again, thanks for the input. Mark</p>

[model mayhem gallery]

<p>The 5D Mark II will make you loose zoom so although you will be able to crop more you will loose length by a factor of 1.6. <br>

So with your 40D you 200 MM lens becomes a 320 MM lens. A 300 MM lens on your camera is affectively a 480MM lens. Cropping a 5D mark II images is not going to give you the detail of a longer zoom lens.</p>

[mike_hitchen]

<p>@minute photos:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>The 5D Mark II will make you loose zoom so although you will be able to crop more you will loose length by a factor of 1.6. <br />So with your 40D you 200 MM lens becomes a 320 MM lens. A 300 MM lens on your camera is affectively a 480MM lens.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I really don't understand this argument for bird photography. It works for landsapes where field of view is usually the prime consideration, but for bird photography the key is often magnification and in this situation the size of the sensor does not become a focal length multiplier. In other words with the 35mm sensor you gain width, you don't lose length.<br>

Given that you are usually shooting birds from a fixed position, it means that you will usually have to crop more with an image from the 5DII - some see that as a disadvantage, I see it as having more compositional options in post processing.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>Cropping a 5D mark II images is not going to give you the detail of a longer zoom lens.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I agree.</p>

<p> </p>