500 f4 & 7D, if you can handle the weight. Otherwise, as Henrik said, the 300 f2.8. The 500 of course has a massive reach advantage when adding extenders.
If you go for the 500 f4 & 7D, but find you are too close some of the time, I would add a 5D or a 100-400 to that combo; a used 5D being cheaper.
I prefer the 7D over the 1DMk3, and I don't believe a Mk3 image cropped to equal a 7D image will give you the same quality.
Imagemaster wrote:
500 f4 & 7D, if you can handle the weight. Otherwise, as Henrik said, the 300 f2.8. The 500 of course has a massive reach advantage when adding extenders.
If you go for the 500 f4 & 7D, but find you are too close some of the time, I would add a 5D or a 100-400 to that combo; a used 5D being cheaper.
I prefer the 7D over the 1DMk3, and I don't believe a Mk3 image cropped to equal a 7D image will give you the same quality.
Tony
I agree with the others. 500 + 7D + 1.4X & 2X as money becomes available... Jim
OCphotography wrote:
Is the Extender EF 2x III alright on 500mm ?
That gives you f8 , so if you want AF you will need a 1 series (or a 5d3 later nest year) .
Problem will be f8 AF on the 1 series is single point only. You'd get more reach from a 7D+1.4x and have full AF
(Ie more pixels on the subject if you crop down to the 1300mm equive of the 1 series + 2x).
My vote is the 500mm + MIII. I prefer the files out of the MIII. A good case could be made for either camera. What I would not do is buy a MIV and a shorter lens.
I owned both 7D and 1D III. For wildlife if you can afford a 500, get the 1D III. You might need to use 1.4x TC's a lot more often but AF is superior and I'm someone who thinks 7D is a great camera and still have one. My 1D III was simply wonderful for AF and I'm not sure I've got the same number % keepers from my mk IV yet.
300 is too short even on a 7D, although with a 1.4x it's not too bad for some wildlife but 400mm is bottom end of birding on even 7D most times, but you can get by pretty with 420mm. Also 300 does take a 2x very well givin you 600mm which is nice on a 7D.
Really comes down to what type of wildlife you do. For birding get the 7D + 500 + 1.4, otherwise 1D III is superb even if you give up a fair bit of reach when Fl limited compared to 7D.
