Could you comment my future upgrade path?

[antonioleandro]

I am an avid amateur shooter, focusing mainly on architecture and landscape. I am planning an once in a lifetime trip to Antarctica in february 2016 or 2017. I currently own a Canon EOS 6D and a 7D mark II, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 HSMII, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and Canon Extender EF 2x III.

As this trip to Antarctica will be a unique opportunity to make great pictures, I was wondering if I should upgrade any of my kit pieces. I will probably be able to upgrade one piece if the trip happens in 2016 or two if I go to Antarctica in 2017. Which of these options would you choose:

2016 options:
a) Do nothing - this kit is enough.
b) Upgrade 17-40mm to 16-35mm f/4L IS this year
c) Upgrade 24-70mm f/2.8L to 24-70mm f/2.8L II

2017 options

d) buy Canon 5DS R.
e) Upgrade 70-200 f/2.8L IS II to 100-400mm f/4-5.6L IS II
f) Upgrade Sigma 12-24mm to Canon 11-24mm f/4L
g) Do nothing.

I can choose only one alternative each year. So, I would appreciate if you could point me which options you would choose for each year and why would you choose these options.

Back in my APS-C days (XTi and T2i), my most used lens was Canon EF-S 10-22mm f/3.5-4.5mm USM, but when I moved to full frame, I started to favor the 24-105mm f/4L IS and although I love the field of view of the 12-24mm, sometimes it is just too much. I and deeply interested in using the 70-200mm with the 2x extender, but sometimes it is too heavy to carry on a hike. I was wondering what would improve the IQ I can achieve to a greater extent: upgrading the 24-70mm or using the 16-35mm as an intermediate between 12-24mm and 24-70mm.

Thanks,
Antonio

 

[takesome1]

None of the above.

I would be talking to others that went on the trip previously, or the service you are getting the trip from.
See what opportunities they had and what pictures you might expect.

Then I would rent the appropriate super tele for the trip if you will have a chance at wildlife. Pair it with your 7D Mark II. I am thinking the 400mm DO II might be a good candidate for the trip. But I would find out how close wildlife will be.
Personally with your kit I would unload the 17-40L, 24-70L and the 24-105L and replace it with the 24-70 II for landscapes and a walk around lens. I would go with the 6D for that.

Once in a life time trip, rent the good stuff.

 

[antonioleandro]

None of the above.

I would be talking to others that went on the trip previously, or the service you are getting the trip from.
See what opportunities they had and what pictures you might expect.

Then I would rent the appropriate super tele for the trip if you will have a chance at wildlife. Pair it with your 7D Mark II. I am thinking the 400mm DO II might be a good candidate for the trip. But I would find out how close wildlife will be.
Personally with your kit I would unload the 17-40L, 24-70L and the 24-105L and replace it with the 24-70 II for landscapes and a walk around lens. I would go with the 6D for that.

Once in a life time trip, rent the good stuff.

Thank you for your input, Takesome.

I have talked with some people who have been in cruises to Antarctica. They recommend to travel with two cameras, one for the wide angle shots and the other for the tele shots. They also recommend using zoom lenses, because changing lenses in an hostile environment as Antarctica might damage your equipment and also because sometimes you need to change your focal lenght so fast (for example, when riding a zodiac from the ship to the shore) that only zoom lenses will do it, so I am planning to keep a wide angle zoom lens on the 6D (or 5DS R if I go this way) and a telephoto zoom lens on the 7D II.

Renting, unfortunately, is not an option. There is only one rental house in Rio and it´s inventory is very limited (they only offer Canon 8-15, 16-35 2.8, 24-70 2.8 II, 24-105, 70-200 2.8 II, 2x, 14L, 24L, 35L, 50L, 85L, 100 macro L, TS-E 17, TS-E 24, TS-E 45) and their prices are very high (renting the 70-200 2.8L II for two weeks would cost 1/3 of the lens´ price) .

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

I am an avid amateur shooter, focusing mainly on architecture and landscape. I am planning an once in a lifetime trip to Antarctica in february 2016 or 2017. I currently own a Canon EOS 6D and a 7D mark II, Sigma 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 HSMII, Canon EF 17-40mm f/4L, Canon EF 24-105mm f/4L IS, Canon EF 24-70mm f/2.8L, Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II and Canon Extender EF 2x III.

As this trip to Antarctica will be a unique opportunity to make great pictures, I was wondering if I should upgrade any of my kit pieces. I will probably be able to upgrade one piece if the trip happens in 2016 or two if I go to Antarctica in 2017. Which of these options would you choose:

Thanks,
Antonio

In a hostile environment, you will want weather proof equipment.

1 series cameras. Weather sealed lenses ! A backup camera because they do fail under difficult conditions. I'd not take a studio camera like a 5DS or R. They may survive, but there are good choices that are more rugged.

You have two good lenses that are weather sealed, you are missing a 1.4X extender.

I'd try to find a good 1 series camera, even if its used. Its far less likely to fail in a cold wet climate.. A 6D is just not a rough weather camera, the 7D MK II should survive.

So, things to consider: Sell the 6D and get a used 1D MK IV or 1D X, or a 1DS MK III plus 1.4X TC, and, perhaps a 16-35mm f/4L instead of the 17-40mm L.

Get protective filters and covers for your gear and a water proof bag. Make sure you have a suitable circular polarizing filter that will work.

 

[takesome1]

For your budget Mt Spokane has a good suggestion, an older 1 series body. Still take the 6D as emergency backup.
Personally If I had one I would take a 5Ds R and take a little extra care protecting it. I would be willing to take the financial risk, many people would not.

Still, even without Antartica I would unload those three wide lenses and get the 24-70 II. Maybe you use your 17-40 and need something that wide, I had a 16-35mm II for five years and hardly used it. I find 24mm is wide enough for most landscapes. If you just have to have wide, unload the two 24-xxx lenses.

 

[antonioleandro]

In a hostile environment, you will want weather proof equipment.

1 series cameras. Weather sealed lenses ! A backup camera because they do fail under difficult conditions. I'd not take a studio camera like a 5DS or R. They may survive, but there are good choices that are more rugged.

You have two good lenses that are weather sealed, you are missing a 1.4X extender.

I'd try to find a good 1 series camera, even if its used. Its far less likely to fail in a cold wet climate.. A 6D is just not a rough weather camera, the 7D MK II should survive.

So, things to consider: Sell the 6D and get a used 1D MK IV or 1D X, or a 1DS MK III plus 1.4X TC, and, perhaps a 16-35mm f/4L instead of the 17-40mm L.

Get protective filters and covers for your gear and a water proof bag. Make sure you have a suitable circular polarizing filter that will work.

Mt Spokane,

Thank you for your opinions.

I am, indeed, missing a 1.4x extender. It is already on the upgrade list for this year. Do you think the 1.4x III offers any improvement over 1.4x II when paired with the 70-200mm IS II (or even the 100-400 II in case I buy this lens one day)?

A 1D X is out of my budget, unless its price falls down even more this year. A 1Ds mark III costs US$ 2K - 2,5K in Brazil and that might be an option. Although I have already bought some used lenses, I am not very fond of buying used cameras, but I will consider this option.

All my lenses have protective B+W UV filters, and I have a Hoya circular polarizer which fits my largest lens and step-up rings for the other lenses.

I am worried about weatherproofing my equipment. I am thinking about buying rain covers for the cameras and lenses to used if it snows. I am in doubt between Manfrotto E-702 PL Elements Cover and Acqua Tech All Weather Shield Primary. Do you know any of these covers?

I may not have phrased my original doubt very well in my first post: Which of these lenses offers more improvement over its predecessor: 16-35 f/4L IS over 17-40 f/4L, 24-70 II vs 24-70 I, 100-400 II vs 70-200 IS II with 2x III?

 

[antonioleandro]

Still, even without Antartica I would unload those three wide lenses and get the 24-70 II. Maybe you use your 17-40 and need something that wide, I had a 16-35mm II for five years and hardly used it. I find 24mm is wide enough for most landscapes. If you just have to have wide, unload the two 24-xxx lenses.

Takesome,

I think that the 24-70mm and the 24-105mm will be traded for the 24-70mm II this year.

 

[Random Orbits]

Still, even without Antartica I would unload those three wide lenses and get the 24-70 II. Maybe you use your 17-40 and need something that wide, I had a 16-35mm II for five years and hardly used it. I find 24mm is wide enough for most landscapes. If you just have to have wide, unload the two 24-xxx lenses.

Takesome,

I think that the 24-70mm and the 24-105mm will be traded for the 24-70mm II this year.

Does this mean you can do both the 16-35 f/4 and the 24-70 f/2.8 II this year then? Then you can unload the 24-70, 24-105 and the 17-40.

 

[antonioleandro]

Still, even without Antartica I would unload those three wide lenses and get the 24-70 II. Maybe you use your 17-40 and need something that wide, I had a 16-35mm II for five years and hardly used it. I find 24mm is wide enough for most landscapes. If you just have to have wide, unload the two 24-xxx lenses.

Takesome,

I think that the 24-70mm and the 24-105mm will be traded for the 24-70mm II this year.

Does this mean you can do both the 16-35 f/4 and the 24-70 f/2.8 II this year then? Then you can unload the 24-70, 24-105 and the 17-40.

Randon Orbits,

I can trade the 24-70 and the 24-105 for the 24-70 II or the 17-40 for the 16-35 f/4L IS.

I live in Brazil and the lens I choose will be bought in the USA. Due to the Brazilian customs restrictions, I can only bring one of these lenses each time I go to USA (we have quota of US$ 500,00 free of charge and whatever is over US$ 500,00 pays 50% import tax up to US$ 3000,00 and you can´t bring goods over US$ 3000,00 on the simplified customs procedures for travellers). So, it´s either 16-35mm f/4L IS (US$ 1199,00) or 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS II (US$ 1999,00). Both lenses would cost me US$ 3198,00, which is US$ 198,00 over my quota.

 

[Random Orbits]

Randon Orbits,

I can trade the 24-70 and the 24-105 for the 24-70 II or the 17-40 for the 16-35 f/4L IS.

I live in Brazil and the lens I choose will be bought in the USA. Due to the Brazilian customs restrictions, I can only bring one of these lenses each time I go to USA (we have quota of US$ 500,00 free of charge and whatever is over US$ 500,00 pays 50% import tax up to US$ 3000,00 and you can´t bring goods over US$ 3000,00 on the simplified customs procedures for travellers). So, it´s either 16-35mm f/4L IS (US$ 1199,00) or 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS II (US$ 1999,00). Both lenses would cost me US$ 3198,00, which is US$ 198,00 over my quota.

Take a look at canonpricewatch.com. They're expecting prices to drop. The 24-70 II is expected to street for 1699 and the 16-35 f/4 IS for 1019. I don't know when you plan on going to the US, but it might be something to look into...

 

[antonioleandro]

Randon Orbits,

Thank you! I have never used canonpricewatch before, but the prices listed there are very good. I am going to USA in may, I hope the combined prices are lower than US$ 3000, so I might be able to buy both.