I just bought this Canon R7 because I wanted to take pictures of birds and maybe some bears when I go to Yellowstone next month but everything looks like a tiny tiny dot. I am so frustrated because I spent all this money on the camera and now I find out the lens it came with cant even see across a field. People keep talking about 100-400 or 600mm and mount adapters and I am just totally lost with all the numbers. I only have about 800 bucks left in my savings for this so I cant buy those giant white ones you see pros using. Is there anything that actually works for a beginner that wont break the bank?
> I am so frustrated because I spent all this money on the camera and now I find out the lens it came with cant even see across a field. I totally feel that pain. Years ago I went to Glacier with a standard kit lens and my bear photos were basically just brown blurry blobs... super disappointing after spending a fortune on the trip. Reach is everything in the wild. If you're looking at that Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM definitely check the Canon USA refurbished site first. I saved a couple hundred bucks that way and it looked brand new. Just a heads up tho, you might want to consider how heavy your gear feels after hiking for hours. Also be careful when shooting in the early morning at Yellowstone because that specific glass needs a lot of light to stay sharp. If it gets too dark, your photos might turn out grainy, so maybe practice with your ISO settings before you leave. Wildlife wont wait for you to figure it out!
honestly you should just grab the Canon RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 IS USM and call it a day. i would suggest avoiding those cheap third-party adapters because they might mess with your autofocus speed. be careful with the aperture though since its kinda slow... you might want to consider bumping your iso when the light starts fading in the woods.
Saw this earlier and yeah, that 100-400 suggestion is basically the only way to go for under 800 bucks. I totally agree with that, just wanted to add that you will need to watch your ISO levels because those types of lenses get pretty dark when you are fully zoomed in. Honestly, it is kinda disappointing how much more you have to spend just to get a clear shot of something far away. I had such a rough time when I first started out with a similar setup. I thought that focal length would be plenty, but unfortunately, birds are still tiny even at that length. I remember being out for the first time and feeling so frustrated because my photos looked like mush compared to what I saw on the back of the camera. It really took the wind out of my sails for a bit. Some technical hurdles I ran into that might help you:
- High-megapixel sensors like the one in your R7 are really unforgiving with budget glass.
- Handholding a long lens is way harder than it looks; you basically have to hold your breath to keep it steady.
- Using an adapter for older DSLR lens types can sometimes slow down your burst rate which is a total bummer for fast moving animals. I eventually figured out some workarounds, but it is definitely not as easy as the YouTube videos make it look. You are gonna get some great stuff though, just dont expect every shot to be a winner right away... it takes a lot of patience. If you are really struggling with the cost, looking at the used market for older glass or even renting a big lens for your trip might be the move, even if it is not a permanent solution.
