Safari Camera & Lens Advice & Beyond

I am going on safari to Rwanda and Kenya and to see the gorillas.  I currently own a Canon 6D and looking at the Canon R6 for my new camera.  Any advice on lenses?  Beyond the safari I would like to lighten my load that I carry.  Any thoughts on the new 100-400 rf lens and the 600 or 800 rf f11 lens?  I will take my 6D body as a backup with my 28-70 L 2.8 lens.  Would I be better off buying a used 100 -300L lens with image stabilization with my 1.4 ii teleconverter than the new rf lens?  Do the adapters work well with the EF lenses?

cculp wrote:

I am going on safari to Rwanda and Kenya and to see the gorillas. I currently own a Canon 6D and looking at the Canon R6 for my new camera. Any advice on lenses? Beyond the safari I would like to lighten my load that I carry. Any thoughts on the new 100-400 rf lens and the 600 or 800 rf f11 lens? I will take my 6D body as a backup with my 28-70 L 2.8 lens. Would I be better off buying a used 100 -300L lens with image stabilization with my 1.4 ii teleconverter than the new rf lens? Do the adapters work well with the EF lenses?

You need a sealed lens to avoid dust into the lens and camera. E.g. the RF 100-500.

cculp wrote:

I am going on safari to Rwanda and Kenya and to see the gorillas. I currently own a Canon 6D and looking at the Canon R6 for my new camera. Any advice on lenses? Beyond the safari I would like to lighten my load that I carry. Any thoughts on the new 100-400 rf lens and the 600 or 800 rf f11 lens? I will take my 6D body as a backup with my 28-70 L 2.8 lens. Would I be better off buying a used 100 -300L lens with image stabilization with my 1.4 ii teleconverter than the new rf lens? Do the adapters work well with the EF lenses?

It is my understanding that the 100-300L will not take telextenders.

Don't spend the money for a safari, then poor boy it on equipment.  Go for the R6, the RF100-500 and RF 800 and use your 6D for your short stuff.  Of course this is two different systems with no backup primary camera which is not wise.

R5.  100-500.  Done.

Although I do not have one scheduled yet, on my next safari I will most likely go with RF 100-500 plus TC.  On my last safari, I took a Tamron 150-600 and found 600 was too short at times.  I also recommend a second body with a shorter FL.

cculp wrote:

I am going on safari to Rwanda and Kenya and to see the gorillas. I currently own a Canon 6D and looking at the Canon R6 for my new camera. Any advice on lenses? Beyond the safari I would like to lighten my load that I carry. Any thoughts on the new 100-400 rf lens and the 600 or 800 rf f11 lens? I will take my 6D body as a backup with my 28-70 L 2.8 lens. Would I be better off buying a used 100 -300L lens with image stabilization with my 1.4 ii teleconverter than the new rf lens? Do the adapters work well with the EF lenses?

Based on your current gear list I would buy the R6 + EF 100-400 + RF-EF adaptor... and a spare battery.

cculp wrote:

I am going on safari to Rwanda and Kenya and to see the gorillas. I currently own a Canon 6D and looking at the Canon R6 for my new camera. Any advice on lenses? Beyond the safari I would like to lighten my load that I carry. Any thoughts on the new 100-400 rf lens and the 600 or 800 rf f11 lens? I will take my 6D body as a backup with my 28-70 L 2.8 lens. Would I be better off buying a used 100 -300L lens with image stabilization with my 1.4 ii teleconverter than the new rf lens? Do the adapters work well with the EF lenses?

I have done a photo safari in Etosha National Park in Namibia.  Probably a bit more open then the jungle areas for gorillas.  I had a crop body, Canon 7D with a 17-55 f2.8 and EF 100-400LII.  The 28-70 should be a good general use lens but on a full frame, you may wish for more reach than the 100-400.  In good light, the RF 600 or RF 800 will probably work but if it is dark forest, maybe not?

Thanks so much for all of the advice.  Always good to hear others opinions especially those that have been where I am going!

User4286416121 wrote:

To repeat, rf lenses wil not fit 6d ef camera. So backup...

Or get a (used) EF 100-400Lii with 2xTC III. I have both, works flawlessly, you get 200-800mm equivalent @ F11 and AF works very good. On the 6D the AF works only in live view mode.
The RF 100-500L is more expensive, and with RF 2xTC it is limited in the 300-500 range (600-1000 mmeq).

And if you want to travel light, get the RF 100-400 F8 and possibly the 800 F11. Together they cost less than the RF100-500 or EF100-400L each.

cculp wrote:

I am going on safari to Rwanda and Kenya and to see the gorillas. I currently own a Canon 6D and looking at the Canon R6 for my new camera. Any advice on lenses? Beyond the safari I would like to lighten my load that I carry. Any thoughts on the new 100-400 rf lens and the 600 or 800 rf f11 lens? I will take my 6D body as a backup with my 28-70 L 2.8 lens. Would I be better off buying a used 100 -300L lens with image stabilization with my 1.4 ii teleconverter than the new rf lens? Do the adapters work well with the EF lenses?

I lived in South Africa for 30 years and did plenty of safaris there, but none in Rwanda.

In general, open plains / light bush wildlife is often most active in early mornings and late afternoons - when light is not as good. So be cautious about taking very slow lenses. I don't think I have ever been on a safari where I was not wishing for either faster lenses or better high ISO performance.

My last trip back to South Africa was 5 years ago and I took a 70D and EF 100-400L. I generally limit the Canon APS-C cameras to ISO 1600, and there was SEVERAL times where ISO 1600 and f5.6 at 400mm (640mm FF equivalent FoV) was just not adequate.

Both your 6D and R6 are better at higher ISO than a 70D, but they lose the "reach" of the crop camera and if you whack a f11 lens on the front of the R6, you might be testing the high ISO ability to the max. The same may apply to the RF 100-400mm + TC.

I would think (but have no first hand experience) that your R6 + adapted EF 24-70 f2.8 might be the best option in dense jungle for gorillas - faster lens + better AF and eye AF.

Colin

A 6d or 70d and an R6 makes a lot of difference which is more than I expected before I got the R6.

The first category does not AF at all with the OVF (which is rather dark as well), while the R series (regardless whether RF or EF lenses) do AF at F11, even in twilight. The higher sensitivity of the R6, even compared to 6D, allows ISO up to 12k5 and the (IB)IS allows razor sharp handheld shots as slow as 1/20 sec at 800mm equivalent F11. Admitted, not suitable for running impalas, but suitable for other game sitting or sleeping in the bush.

Moreover the 'more reach' of the 70d is nothing different than a cropped image. With the R6 you can also play that trick, enable APS-C mode, but you have than only 8MP left, far less than a 70d, but I consider that as adequate.

We are all too spoiled with the megapixel race.

R5+100500RF & 1,4TC.

In Kenya, 100-400 focal range will cover at least 80% of wildlife. This should work well for the gorillas too. You will need a bit wider and a bit longer range for the rest. Yes, EF lenses work very well on R bodies with an adapter.

mermaidkiller wrote:

User4286416121 wrote:

To repeat, rf lenses wil not fit 6d ef camera. So backup...

Or get a (used) EF 100-400Lii with 2xTC III. I have both, works flawlessly, you get 200-800mm equivalent @ F11 and AF works very good. On the 6D the AF works only in live view mode.
The RF 100-500L is more expensive, and with RF 2xTC it is limited in the 300-500 range (600-1000 mmeq).

And if you want to travel light, get the RF 100-400 F8 and possibly the 800 F11. Together they cost less than the RF100-500 or EF100-400L each.

But then you have a dust problem as they are not sealed. Safaries are dusty.