R3 or wait for R1 for BIF and low light conditions?

Messier Object wrote:

Hi Mark,

I appreciate your need for GPS if you're producing images for bird surveys etc,
but in your position however I'd not be letting GPS limit my camera body selection as there are simple and effective off-camera alternatives (with their own advantages) where you can synch images to a GPS track log. You don't get the immediate convenience of in-camera tagging but you can tag images from any camera and you have a log of your journeys even when your cameras are OFF

I haven't used an R3 so I don't have specific comments about how well its AF works for BIF

Having used MFT and FF for several years I know from experience that the change in FoV (reach or whatever you want to call it) for a given focal length when switching between MFT and FF can be a challenge.

From your MFT perspective the RF100-500mm will look like a 50-250mm on a FF body like the R3 (or R6) so you'd likely be thinking about using a 1.4x and 2x.

Which is why I think that the R5 at 45Mp would be a better option offering a lot more pixels for cropping than the R3

The R5 has been out for a few years now and rumours of the R5 Mark II specs are starting to pop up and so I think it's more likely that we'll see an R5II before an R1 and Canon is probably going to push to higher pixel counts in the 50-60Mp range to match the Sony A7 IV

The other thing from the MFT perspective is that terrific 150-400mm f/4.5 1.25x lens you have. I can't see anything on the Canon side like it in terms of image quality, but from what I've seen the RF100-500mm is a good lens for birds if you're not wanting a big prime

So my advice:

> relax the GPS requirements

> look/wait for an R5 Mk II.

> if you want to jump to Canon now get an R7 and RF100-500mm - it will give you the same reach as you have with your current MFT system and you will have your lens ready for the R5II

Peter

Hi Peter,

Thanks for your reply and always pertinent comments.

I agree with the R5 benefit, 45Mp cropping, vs the R3.  Just today my R5 exponent friend told me of the R5 Mk II rumours so I'll bide my time and see what the rumour mill produces next year.

I'm not in a hurry to jump to Canon so will continue with the Oly gear.