EOS R For Wildlife

The EOS R6 is obviously the ultimate wildlife camera, but at 2500 dollars for the body plus an additional 100 for the adapter, it is well beyond my budget of $1500, especially considering I will be spending more on lenses. My original plan was to wait it out for the R7 and hope it isn't dumbed down, but this Spring I am going to be getting some once in a lifetime photo opportunities I don't want to waste, and a camera that doesn't exist yet isn't going to take me any photos. I am debating between getting a compromise camera now, or buying a used 7DII and selling it once the R7 comes out or my budget goes up. I generally prefer to buy new bodies as I like to keep my bodies for a long time, and like them to be in the best possible conditions.

My main concern with the 7DII is that values will likely nosedive if the R7 comes out, and I will eat a loss if I decide to sell it and upgrade. The 7DII image quality is also noticeably not as good for the non wildlife work I do, which is starting to be a larger percentage of my work. If I wanted to buy new right now, the 90D is up my alley, but the EOS R also caught my eye. From what I am reading/watching, the EOS R is better than the 90D in just about every way except shutter speed and ergonomics. Have any of you guys had good experiences with it?

speedbird52 wrote:

The EOS R6 is obviously the ultimate wildlife camera, but at 2500 dollars for the body plus an additional 100 for the adapter, it is well beyond my budget of $1500, especially considering I will be spending more on lenses. My original plan was to wait it out for the R7 and hope it isn't dumbed down, but this Spring I am going to be getting some once in a lifetime photo opportunities I don't want to waste, and a camera that doesn't exist yet isn't going to take me any photos. I am debating between getting a compromise camera now, or buying a used 7DII and selling it once the R7 comes out or my budget goes up. I generally prefer to buy new bodies as I like to keep my bodies for a long time, and like them to be in the best possible conditions.

My main concern with the 7DII is that values will likely nosedive if the R7 comes out, and I will eat a loss if I decide to sell it and upgrade. The 7DII image quality is also noticeably not as good for the non wildlife work I do, which is starting to be a larger percentage of my work. If I wanted to buy new right now, the 90D is up my alley, but the EOS R also caught my eye. From what I am reading/watching, the EOS R is better than the 90D in just about every way except shutter speed and ergonomics. Have any of you guys had good experiences with it?

Bite the bullet and buy once. Get the R6 now now now.

Heck, sell the car if you have to! 

R2

I have heard several people say Canon will give you a good deal on a refurbished R6 if you are a Canon user. Canon calls it the loyalty program. I know money is tight, but for a once in a lifetime opportunity I would see what is possible. Do you have any long lenses to use for wildlife?

Kokopelli_Rocks wrote:

I have heard several people say Canon will give you a good deal on a refurbished R6 if you are a Canon user. Canon calls it the loyalty program. I know money is tight, but for a once in a lifetime opportunity I would see what is possible. Do you have any long lenses to use for wildlife?

At the moment 200MM is the longest. One of the reasons I was staying away from the R6 was because I wanted to have money left over for a decent telephoto

Otaraka wrote:

"this Spring I am going to be getting some once in a lifetime photo opportunities I don't want to waste"

Might help to say what kind of wildlife you're seeing and how long.

Is it worth considering renting instead of buying?

Definitely should have mentioned. I am taking a quarter at one of my Universities lab facilities taking a course on Marine Mammals were we make multiple observation trips. My expectations are Sea Lions, Harbor Porpoises (Which give you a few seconds at most to get a shot) Orcas and Gray Whales. There aren't any camera rental places nearby, and as this is over the course of three months I imagine renting would cost just as much as or more than buying

It can be done, the ability to crop a little is also good

Kokopelli_Rocks wrote:

I have heard several people say Canon will give you a good deal on a refurbished R6 if you are a Canon user. Canon calls it the loyalty program. I know money is tight, but for a once in a lifetime opportunity I would see what is possible. Do you have any long lenses to use for wildlife?

Can confirm, my loyalty discounted refurb R6 is in the mail as we speak.

Its 10% off refurb pricing (2250) when you call in, so the body is $2084 before tax. You also get free shipping on a loyalty order

Otaraka wrote:

Sounds awesome tripwise and not much good rental wise.

As someone who slipped on a rockpool and killed his 80D, Id suggest as weatherproof as you can get, and replaceable - salt water can be pretty brutal. It needs to survive to get to resale value considerations.

So a 7D2 sounds like a pretty good option to me. I have a 7D2, R, and R5, the R is a solid camera and the horizontal AF zone can be great for subjects like dolphins (or in my case flying foxes), but you wont gain as much over a 7D2 as you might think for this kind of shooting, compared to the cost increase.

I am only considering the EOS R because I'd appreciate the low noise and sensor for other non wild life applications. I think I am going to see if I can justify an R6 (Thanks to the person here who brought up the loyalty discount) or keep my eye on a 7DII. The R6 gives me a camera that I will be able to grow with for years, and the 7DII allows me to further improve as a photographer without spending professional level money, while also specializing in wildlife a little more. Although I might rent an R and see how I like it

speedbird52 wrote:

Definitely should have mentioned. I am taking a quarter at one of my Universities lab facilities taking a course on Marine Mammals were we make multiple observation trips. My expectations are Sea Lions, Harbor Porpoises (Which give you a few seconds at most to get a shot) Orcas and Gray Whales.

Thanks for providing this. Your primary emphasis on marine mammals (in the water) poses some interesting challenges to Eye Autofocus. Eye/Head AF is subject-based, and relies on a pre-programmed library of shapes and features to identify eyes/heads on which to focus. Your marine mammals may or may not be in that library, and even if so, having only partial subjects to work with (esp with dark eyes on dark bodies) would be extremely challenging. And this doesn’t even factor in the water, the lighting conditions, or the speed at which all this might happen.

This (very specific) situation is where a great phase detect AF system such as that found in a 7D2 (or 1DX series) may stand on equal ground with the best mirrorless options IMHO. (I shot with a 7D2 before getting the R5). Otherwise, for more typical subjects the R5 (and its cousin R6) will be about the best choice for action shooting.

There aren't any camera rental places nearby, and as this is over the course of three months I imagine renting would cost just as much as or more than buying. I am only considering the EOS R because I'd appreciate the low noise and sensor for other non wild life applications.

For your excursions, fast-action autofocus will be paramount. Instead of static samples, see if anyone has photos of waterbirds landing, taking off, and/or splashing, esp where the eyes are obscured (this may best simulate your conditions - like porpoises/whales breaching).

I think I am going to see if I can justify an R6 (Thanks to the person here who brought up the loyalty discount) or keep my eye on a 7DII. The R6 gives me a camera that I will be able to grow with for years, and the 7DII allows me to further improve as a photographer without spending professional level money, while also specializing in wildlife a little more.

The R5 tends to back focus on water. The 7D2 tends to focus on splashes/spray. It’s best to focus on the near waterline of your subject with either camera.

Although I might rent an R and see how I like it

If you’re considering any camera down the food chain, test it on action/water as much as you can. Your subjects in their natural environment will be posing an incredibly difficult challenge for all involved. Practice as much as you can beforehand. Best of luck to you!

R2

As an EOS R owner, I would say rent the R5/R6 instead of buying the R or an older EF body.

I make do with the R for some casual wildlife shots, but the eye-tracking AF system is just on another level with the R5/R6, not to mention the significantly increased burst shooting rate, and also a more useable electronic shutter.

Beyond that, invest $$$ into good lenses.

BTW did you see this recent challenge?

https://www.dpreview.com/challenges/Challenge.aspx?ID=15436

R2

It seems unlikely that mirrorless with eye-AF is going to be within your budget level for a while so you might look into what was good for wildlife before that genre came along. Try this:

My suggestion is to google search on this phrase-- "budget cameras for wildlife photography" and see that lots of videos come up with suggestions at various price lines. Cameras that may no longer be state of the art but which produced fine wildlife images while the latest stuff was in the imagination of engineers.

Something may be in there to satisfy your photographic goals until your budget meets your most optimistic  equipment goals.

Don