Best birding/wildlife combo?

[temp726]

While my business photography is primarily adventure, extreme sports, and commercial photography, my biggest side hobby/passion is birding and bird photography. Right now I have a 5D3 for my main body and a 70D as a backup body. My main birding setup, however, is usually my 70D with a 300 f/4L + 1.4 TC, I have found that since that is the longest lens I have, with the TC and on the crop body it gets a decent reach (672mm) and since I am still almost always cropping, I have found that the IQ holds up a bit better when cropping on the 70D vs the 5D3. So my question is, I have some money to upgrade, but not a bunch. I am wondering which might be a better combo for birds and wildlife: the 70D with the new 100-400 mk II, or the 5D3 with the 100-400 mk II + 1.4 TC, or keep my current 300 f/4 +1.4 TC and upgrade the 70D to the 7D mk II. Any thoughts on this, or experience with any of the aforementioned combs?

Thanks,
Brent

 

[tayassu]

I would not use the 100-400 with the plan of using it with the TC all the time, because that is not what it's made for. 70D and 100-400 II is a great option, but the AF of the 5DIII is so much better, so what about the "FF equivalent", the Sigma 150-600 f/5-6.3 Sports on the 5DIII?
Also, take into your consideration that at 560mm on the 5DIII you will only be able to use the central AF point. For IQ comparisons: http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/ISO-12233-Sample-Crops.aspx?Lens=972&Camera=453&Sample=0&FLI=5&API=2&LensComp=972&CameraComp=963&SampleComp=0&FLIComp=4&APIComp=0

 

[Deleted member 91053]

Just a thought but have you considered selling your crop camera and getting a used Canon 300 F2.8? Much as I loved my Canon 300 F4 it is not the lens that the F2.8 is so the 300 F4 could go as well to help with costs. You will loose a bit on the minimum focus distance and gain a bit of weight but I can assure you that it is worth it! I went through a similar dilemma but I am really happy that I went to the 300 F2.8 and Full Frame.
This is a personal view, but I have yet to find a crop sensor camera that I am happy with for wildlife (with the exception of the 1D4). True with a full frame camera you do loose apparent reach but (with cropping) the loss is less than the crop factor would suggest - though it is still there. Against that is the fact that your 5D3 will operate at ISOs that will allow you to actually get the shot!
For reference my "walkabout setup" is a Canon 1DX + Canon 300 F2.8 L IS + 1.4 Mk2 and 2 x Mk3 extenders - the 2 x Mk3 works surprisingly well on the F2.8 and is passable on the 300 F4.

 

[AlanF]

I use the following combos and have the following opinions.
1. There is very little difference in IQ between the 5DIII + 1.4xTC + 100-400 II at f/8 and the 7DII + 100-400 II and f/5.6. There is no gain in using narrower apertures, and the wider aperture without the TC allows you to one stop lower iso. You get some extra resolution putting the 1.4xTC on the 7DII but I prefer to use the 7DII + bare lens.

2. The 5DIII + 300/2.8 II + 2xTC III is sharper, but much heavier. When I go out with my wife bird photographing (and we are going to Cyprus for a bird watching holiday next month) I take the 5DIII + 300/2.8 II + 2xTC III and she takes the 7DII + 100-400 II. I made the decision yesterday to keep the 300/2.8 rather than sell it and have a second 100-400 II to have a lighter load.

 

[gqllc007]

I have the 5Dmk3 and the 7Dmk2 I would take the 7Dmk11 100-400 Mk2 and the 1.4tc when birding I use the 7Dmk2 for all sports too. I use the 5Dmk3 for portraits, landscapes and ultra wide angles