In my experience, I've spent a lot of time lugging gear through the woods with the same body, and honestly, the Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM is hard to beat for handheld hiking. It’s super light and the autofocus tracking on the Canon EOS 7D Mark II is lightning fast—perfect for those twitchy songbirds!

However, I'd be careful about the lack of Image Stabilization. You'll need a fast shutter speed. If you want more versatility without breaking the bank, I would suggest looking at the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary. It's a bit heavier (your arms might feel it after an hour, trust me), but the OS is a lifesaver for handheld shots. FWIW, the Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 is also great but usually costs a bit more. Personally, I'd go with the 400mm prime if you value sharpness and weight over zoom range. Hope this helps!

Hi there, I totally get the struggle of lugging gear while hiking! Honestly, I've had some issues with the 150-600mm zooms—they are just too heavy for long treks, and the autofocus tracking on the Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary for Canon EF was not as good as expected when birds were moving fast.

Check out the Digital Picture's tool; it's a great resource for comparing sharpness between lenses. For your Canon EOS 7D Mark II, if you want reach without the weight, I'd seriously look into the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM. It's more versatile than a prime and the AF is stellar.

TL;DR: Skip the heavy zooms for hiking. Check side-by-side reviews on The-Digital-Picture and consider the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM for better balance. Good luck!

I went through this last year. Honestly, I couldn't justify the $1,000+ for the primes. I found a used Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM for about $1,200, but even that was steep. To save cash, I actually grabbed a used Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM for under $600. It's light for hiking, though the lack of IS is tricky. FWIW, it's the best value-to-sharpness ratio I've found on teh 7DII!

I totally agree that hunting for deals on used EF glass is the smartest move right now. Tbh, with everyone jumping ship to the RF system, there's a huge influx of high-end birding gear hitting the used market for cheap. I've been watching the market trends and you can basically get pro-level reach for half of what it cost a few years ago. If ur looking to save some serious cash while keeping the weight down for handheld hiking, here are a few brands to compare: * Sigma 100-400mm f/5-6.3 DG OS HSM Contemporary – This is basically the 'poor mans' Canon 100-400. It's much lighter than the 150-600mm zooms and usually goes for a steal on the used market.
* Tamron SP 150-600mm f/5-6.3 Di VC USD G2 – I've seen these compared to the Sigma version a lot, and the Tamron G2 actually has better weather sealing, which is great if you get caught in the rain while out there. * Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM – Paired with a Canon Extender EF 1.4x III, this gives you a very sharp 420mm setup. It's an older lens, but the autofocus is still *really* snappy on the 7DII. Their is definitely a lot of value out there if you don't mind skipping the latest L-series price tags. Honestly, just keep an eye on the refurbished sections too, sometimes they have hidden gems for EF shooters!

Did this last week, worked perfectly

Great info, saved!

Huh interesting. I had no idea. The more you know I guess 🤷

Building on the earlier suggestion about the used market, I totally agree that it is the smartest way to upgrade, but I had a really disappointing experience when I tried to switch brands. A while back I picked up a third-party zoom because the price seemed like a steal for the reach. Unfortunately, it just didnt live up to the hype. The autofocus felt sluggish and clunky compared to my native glass. It was so frustrating to be out in the field and have the lens struggle to lock on while the bird was right there. The tracking just wasnt as good as expected on my 7DII and I ended up missing a ton of shots. I eventually realized that even if the specs look great, the way different brands communicate with the camera body can be a real headache. I learned my lesson and went back to my original brand... the reliability is just better for those fast-moving subjects. It sucks to lose out on money trying to save some, but sometimes the compatibility issues just arent worth the hassle.

Exactly what I was thinking

Coming back to this after reading through the suggestions. In my experience, sticking with native glass is usually the safest bet for reliable autofocus, but the 7D Mark II can be a bit picky depending on your environment. Before you commit to a heavy zoom or a prime without stabilization, I wanted to ask a couple of things to clarify:

• What kind of lighting do you usually deal with? Are you shooting in deep woods or more open, sunny marshlands?
• How far are you typically hiking on a normal day out? If you are mostly under a heavy canopy, that f/5.6 on the 400mm might really push your ISO higher than you want, even with the 7DII sensor. Tracking speed is one thing, but getting a clean, noise-free image is another story entirely when you start losing light.

Finally someone says it. Ive been thinking this for a while but wasnt sure.