I've been shooting with my 90D for about three years now mostly doing landscape stuff but I recently started getting into birding and my old zoom just isnt cutting it anymore for sharpness. I'm taking a trip to the Everglades next month and I really want to commit to a solid prime lens this time. I know the 32.5MP sensor on the 90D is super demanding on glass so I'm worried about getting something that can actually resolve that much detail. I have about 1600 bucks to spend and I'm debating between a used 300mm f4 or maybe stretching for something longer but I dont want it to be too heavy since I'll be hiking. Given the 1.6x crop factor what prime do you think gives the best balance of reach and clarity for this body?
Honestly, the Everglades is gonna be a blast with that 90D! That 32.5MP sensor is definitely picky about glass but when you nail the focus, it is just amazing. Since youre hiking, weight is basically everything. If I were in your shoes with $1600, id look at these:
- Canon EF 400mm f/5.6L USM
- This is the gold standard for a lightweight birding prime. It is ridiculously sharp even wide open and the autofocus is snappy as heck.
- Canon EF 300mm f/4L IS USM
- Fantastic lens with image stabilization, but you might find yourself wanting more reach for birds... so youd probably end up slapping a teleconverter on it anyway. Go for the 400mm. Its legendary for a reason and wont break your back on those long trails. You can find them used for way under your budget too, maybe even under 800 bucks, which leaves you plenty of money for a nice carbon fiber tripod or a better bag!
