Backup body for vacation

[stephan00]

I'm going to South Africa on a 3-weeks vacation in November, about 50% wildlife and 50% landscape and other tourist stuff. As a backup and for extended reach I would like to pair my 5DIII with an aps-C/H body (my old 550D is most likely not up for it).

Since for me the 5DIII is more than adequate in all other respects, I don't want to invest too much money in this additional body, as I will sell it again and don't want to loose too much money in that progress, and I might purchase a 300 2.8 to go with it (for the 5DIII I've got the 70-200 2.8 II), and that lens costs quite a bit

At a local dealer there is a used 1DIII available for 1200 €, as well as a used 7D for 900 € (incl. grip), both not in perfect condition, but I'm confident that they are working well enough for my purposes.

The question now is which of the two is overall the better choice, considering fps, mp, iso, build, reach, af, etc.? Maybe somebody here has firsthand-knowledge of both of them and can help me decide

Or would it be better to get a 1DIV (or 7DII, if it arrives in time) and sell it afterwards? This would give the best body, for sure, but I'm afraid that having purchased it, I won't be able to part with it again, even if I don't need it, and I can't really afford this

 

[Loswr]

The 'reach advantage' of the APS-C sensor is only relevant if you'll be printing very large images (over 16x24"). Else, the 5DIII image cropped to the FoV of the APS-C sensor will deliver equivalent IQ at low ISO and better IQ at ISO 1600 and higher, and if you don't have to crop, the IQ will be better across the board.

I had planned on keeping my 7D for the 'reach' after getting a 1D X, but given the above, it's only purpose is as a backup in case the 1D X should fail.

Honestly, if it's really just a backup in case of failure, the 550D would do, and if you want to use two bodies at once, rent a second 5DIII for the trip.

RE the 300/2.8L, definitely take a 1.4x and 2x TC as well, and or consider renting a 500/4 II or 600/4 II for the trip. A common two-body strategy is the supertele on one body and the 70-200 on the other (sometimes the wildlife comes quite close to the Land Rover).

 

[stephan00]

Honestly, it's a 50:50 case of backup and second body. I read the other thread about the African safari, and I'm afraid that if I use the 550D as second body, I won't have a lot of wildlife keepers, unless it's with stuffed animals in a museum

 

[Loswr]

I agree - if you're going plan on using both, the 550D isn't the best option. But I'd strongly consider a second 5DIII instead of a different body - that makes for seamless switching and less likelihood of missing a shot due to settings. A 1D IV paired with a 5DIII could be an option, but the 5DIII's AF is better than the 1D IV. Someone I trust has both a 1D X and 1DIV and compared the two, coming to the conclusion that from an IQ standpoint, the 1D X was better even when focal length limited (testing was with a 500/4 II). The higher pixel density of the 5DIII would give it even a slight advantage at ISO 6400 and lower.

 

[stephan00]

That's true, not having to think twice about where the controls are and this stuff will help a lot, good point, thanks a lot . And that might turn out to be more important than the extra fps of the 7D, 7DII, 1D..

 

[Don Haines]

That's true, not having to think twice about where the controls are and this stuff will help a lot, good point, thanks a lot . And that might turn out to be more important than the extra fps of the 7D, 7DII, 1D..

I have a 60D at home that I do most of my shooting on, and a 7D at work. They are fairly similar and I get confused at times. Then when I pick up my friend's 5D2 I have a devil of a time adjusting. If you are carrying a second body it helps to have the same controls so you are not having to pause and figure it out. I would hate to miss the shot of a lifetime because you were trying to set your 5D3 with a button position from the 550.

 

[jasonsim]

For a second body that is reasonably priced, I'd go with the 7D. The 1D III I've had also and got annoyed by the 10MP and the low resolution LCD display. I was unable to judge my results using the LCD on the back very well. The results were mostly stellar, but annoyed me. Also the 10MP does not lend itself to much cropping ability.

If you wanted to spend even less, why not a good 50D. It has something like 6.3 FPS and 15MP and the LCD is decent. Just an idea to limit the expense. These can be had for good prices now days and would be much better than the 550.

Kind regards,
Jason S.

 

[scottkinfw]

I would agree with neuro. A 70- 200 will come in very handy. A lot of the time, animals will be so close that anything longer and you will only be able to get a part of the animal. The other thins is that you want to minimize lens changes on the road- lots of dust.

The other thing fyi- you will be be using a bean bag most likely.

I went to the Serengeti last year and had a great experience and want to share a tip. See if you can talk the safari crew into taking you on a night safari drive. Be sure to have fresh flash batteries. It is a whole new world at night.

Have a great time.

sek

 

[brad goda]

just rent a 5DIII

 

[stephan00]

So I have crossed off the 550D for good, and will wait a couple of months to see how things evolve pricewise with the 7D, even though neuro's argument for two identical bodies is really convincing.

I already got the 70-200, and also the 24-70 for the tourist-stuff and the Samyang 14 for landscape. As much as I would love to take a really long lens, the problem is that we're not going on one long safari, but we'll take a rental car and drive around the country - and on top of that we'll have a domestic flight. All of this puts restraints on the size and weight of photo-gear I can take along, so taking a 300 and a 500/600 will not be possible.

I've been thinking of using a 100-400, due to its small size when retracted, but am leaning towards taking one long prime. And considering that the 300 is quite close to the 70-200 in terms of focal length, I might get a 400 or 500 instead, which, together with the TCs, should fix me up for most situations. So I guess I'll have to practise mounting/unmounting the TC with camera and lenses under a blanket or in a bag, for the dusty and windy weather

 

[bycostello]

hire something

 

[Menace]

Get the 7d, use it and sell it when you are back - without losing much money.

 

[stephan00]

What with the cashback available here in Europe and the ticking clock I went for the 7D, selling the 550D and a hardly ever used lens, leaving me with a more or less zero balance. Took my first fotos at a local swimming-event with a 100-400, and am very satisfied with the results.

So I'm very much looking forward to my trip - it's a pity the big whites are so expensive Oh well, maybe I'll win the lottery sometime 8)

 

[crasher8]

Batteries. Why am I the only one who mentions batteries when it comes to selecting a 2nd body?

 

[RGF]

You could go small and light - SL1 or even an M if the new firmware comes out and is as good as Canon claims.