So I finally made the jump from my old 90D to the R7 about two months ago because I really wanted that fancy animal eye AF everyone keeps talking about. I've been shooting birds for a solid 8 years now mostly around the local wetlands near my house in Florida and occasionally some raptors but man this R7 sensor is proving to be a bit of a diva. The 32.5 megapixels are just so freaking dense that any tiny flaw in my glass is showing up like a sore thumb and its driving me crazy. Right now Im using my old Sigma 150-600 Contemporary with the EF-RF adapter and honestly the results are all over the place. Sometimes the AF just pulses or hunts right when a heron is taking off and I'm missing shots I used to nail with the DSLR which is just frustrating beyond belief. Plus I'm seeing some weird soft images at the long end which I think is just the lens not being able to resolve that much detail on such a small high-res sensor.

I've got a big trip planned for the Everglades in mid-November and I'm honestly starting to panic a bit because I dont want to blow the whole trip with blurry photos or missed focus. I need something that actually keeps up with the R7s insane burst rate without breaking my back or my bank account. My budget is capped at like $1800 maybe $2000 if I really stretch it but that's pushing it. I was looking at the RF 100-500mm but that price tag is just insane and I'm worried the f/7.1 is gonna be too dark when the sun starts going down. But then there's the RF 200-800mm which seems cool but I've heard it's impossible to find in stock anywhere and might be too heavy for hiking all day.

Here is what I am looking for:

• Budget: $2000 max
• Use case: BIF and perched herons or egrets
• Weight: Needs to be hand-holdable for at least an hour

Should I just stick with a prime or is there a zoom that won't make the AF freak out? I've heard some people say the R7 has issues with certain EF lenses pulsing and I think I'm seeing that first hand. What are you guys actually using that stays sharp and fast?