What is the best lens I can actually get for wildlife on my Canon R7 because I am honestly reaching my breaking point with my current setup and I need to figure this out before I lose my mind. I bought the RF 100-400mm f/5.6-8 thinking it would be fine since the R7 has that great crop factor and everyone online said it was a bargain but man I am struggling so hard lately.
I live in the Pacific Northwest and it is basically cloudy or misty 90% of the time and that f/8 aperture at the long end is just killing my soul. Every single time a hawk or something even slightly interesting lands in the trees the lens just hunts and hunts and by the time it finally decides to lock on the bird is already gone. I am getting so frustrated because I have missed so many incredible shots over the last month and I have this huge trip to Costa Rica coming up in exactly three weeks and I am panicking that I am gonna spend all that money on airfare and guides just to come home with blurry, grainy messes that I cant even use.
I have been looking at the RF 100-500mm but then I saw it is f/7.1 at the long end and I am like is that even enough of an upgrade for that kind of money? It is nearly three thousand dollars and I dont want to spend that just to have the same low light issues. Then someone at my local club told me to just adapt the old EF 500mm f/4 prime but that thing is like a literal cannon and I am a pretty small person and I really dont want to break my back hiking through the rainforest for ten hours a day. But then I see people posting these amazing crisp shots with zero noise and I am just sitting here with my ISO at 12800 just to get a shutter speed that doesnt blur every wing beat.
I have about $2800 saved up specifically for this and I need something that actually performs when the light isnt perfect. Should I just bite the bullet on the 100-500 L series or is there some secret EF glass I should be hunting for on the used market? I even thought about the 200-800mm but I heard it is even slower aperture-wise and that just sounds like a total nightmare for deep canopy shooting. I just want something that works and doesnt make me want to throw my camera in a lake...
Are you shooting handheld or using a tripod? I'm very satisfied using DxO PureRaw 4 for noise, so you might not actually need that Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM.
Had a moment to think about this more. Honestly, be careful with those massive older primes. If you are hiking ten hours a day, that weight is gonna kill your back way faster than the f-stop helps your soul. Just keep in mind that jumping from f/8 to f/7.1 isnt a huge leap for light. I would suggest focusing more on the autofocus motor speed... that is usually what actually stops the hunting.
Jumping in here... Regarding what #3 said about "Bookmarked, thanks!" - glad to see people are following this because it is a tricky spot to be in. I have been really satisfied with the R7 for wildlife, but your frustration with the hunting makes total sense given the PNW weather. Quick tip: Toggle your "Lens drive when AF impossible" setting to OFF if it is just racking back and forth endlessly. It helps stay closer to your focal range so you dont lose the bird completely. One thing I need to know though before recommending a big spend... are you mostly using the single point AF or the animal eye-tracking? The way the R7 prioritizes focus can change dramatically based on that, especially when the aperture is stopped down to f/8. If you want pure reliability, the Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1 L IS USM is actually a massive jump. The dual Nano USM motors are much better at moving the glass than the gear-type motor in the 100-400 you have now. No complaints from my end on that lens at all. If that feels too pricey, look for a used Canon EF 400mm f/4 DO IS II USM and use the Canon Mount Adapter EF-EOS R. It is way lighter than the big 500mm primes but still gives you that prime-level light gathering you need for the Costa Rica canopy.
My buddy told me the exact same thing last week. Guess he was right lol.
Bookmarked, thanks!
Regarding what #5 said about "My buddy told me the exact same thing..." - honestly, he is totally spot on! I love it when the simple fixes actually work out. To add one little DIY tip for reliability, I always put a tiny strip of bright gaffer tape on my lens switches so I dont accidentally bump them into manual mode while trekking through the brush. It sounds so basic but it is amazing for peace of mind! It makes the gear feel so much safer and more reliable when you are out in the PNW muck. You gotta do whatever it takes to keep things running smooth!
