ChrisMak wrote:
Geoff, isn't the Sony A9+600GM and extenders simply thé best birding kit IQ wise and AF wise on the planet right now?
Yeah I'd say so. The only other kit that competes is an R5 with Canon 600III and 1.4TC. The IQ with that combo is off the charts because of the extra MPs. But it isn't quite as easy panning with BIF...although pretty close.
Sounds like the rumor mill is building for an A9(X) release very soon and assuming Sony gives that camera the Bird Eye-AF and some extra MPs then I think the R5 will fall squarely into 2nd place. As long as Sony keeps the stacked sensor and blackout free, live feed in ES.
I just read up on the A9III rumors, 50mp likely without AA!
I assume a stacked sensor and a powerfull processor. That will replace the A9II and the A7RIV as the only wildlife camera you need. And it is very near release it seems. It will be an indecently expensive combo with the 600GM, but covers every possible need, action, BIF, (large) distance shooting, low light shooting.
Practically every scenario that I can think of is covered with the A9III, 600GM and both extenders. And with high quality in a portable package.
arbitrage wrote:
Yeah I'd say so. The only other kit that competes is an R5 with Canon 600III and 1.4TC. The IQ with that combo is off the charts because of the extra MPs. But it isn't quite as easy panning with BIF...although pretty close.
Sounds like the rumor mill is building for an A9(X) release very soon and assuming Sony gives that camera the Bird Eye-AF and some extra MPs then I think the R5 will fall squarely into 2nd place. As long as Sony keeps the stacked sensor and blackout free, live feed in ES.
ChrisMak wrote:
I just read up on the A9III rumors, 50mp likely without AA!
I assume a stacked sensor and a powerfull processor. That will replace the A9II and the A7RIV as the only wildlife camera you need. And it is very near release it seems. It will be an indecently expensive combo with the 600GM, but covers every possible need, action, BIF, (large) distance shooting, low light shooting.
Practically every scenario that I can think of is covered with the A9III, 600GM and both extenders. And with high quality in a portable package.
Chris, my previous 600mm lens was a Canon 600mm f/4 Mark II. Actually, I had this lens twice in 2 different periods. First, when I was using it with Canon bodies. I sold it when I found out that my Sony A7r II didn’t play well with it. After the A9 came out, and Sony wasn’t close of announcing their 600mm lens, I bought another copy. My understanding is the Mark II lens is on the same level optically as the newer Mark III version; the newer lens is lighter and shifts the COG more towards the camera end for an easier handling. I am not a lens tester from my usage experience the optical performance of the Sony and Canon 600mm is virtually on the same footing. What makes the difference IMHO is the optical performance of the TC, especially the 2X TC. While the Canon 1.4X TC performs fine on that lens, the 2X TC leaves something to be desired. The Sony TCs, both of them but more so the 2X, perform really well on the GM 600mm lens.
With that said, I am sure that Canon will improve their TC performance when they introduce the RF TCs together with the superteles. We will see when they do that; again, not if but WHEN. Canon can’t afford to loose more people, leaving their camp.
ChrisMak wrote:
I just read up on the A9III rumors, 50mp likely without AA!
I assume a stacked sensor and a powerfull processor. That will replace the A9II and the A7RIV as the only wildlife camera you need. And it is very near release it seems. It will be an indecently expensive combo with the 600GM, but covers every possible need, action, BIF, (large) distance shooting, low light shooting.
Practically every scenario that I can think of is covered with the A9III, 600GM and both extenders. And with high quality in a portable package.
A camera with those specs would just about be the perfect camera to cover all use cases - not just birds.
AGeoJO wrote:
Chris, my previous 600mm lens was a Canon 600mm f/4 Mark II. Actually, I had this lens twice in 2 different periods. First, when I was using it with Canon bodies. I sold it when I found out that my Sony A7r II didn’t play well with it. After the A9 came out, and Sony wasn’t close of announcing their 600mm lens, I bought another copy. My understanding is the Mark II lens is on the same level optically as the newer Mark III version; the newer lens is lighter and shifts the COG more towards the camera end for an easier handling. I am not a lens tester from my usage experience the optical performance of the Sony and Canon 600mm is virtually on the same footing. What makes the difference IMHO is the optical performance of the TC, especially the 2X TC. While the Canon 1.4X TC performs fine on that lens, the 2X TC leaves something to be desired. The Sony TCs, both of them but more so the 2X, perform really well on the GM 600mm lens.
With that said, I am sure that Canon will improve their TC performance when they introduce the RF TCs together with the superteles. We will see when they do that; again, not if but WHEN. Canon can’t afford to loose more people, leaving their camp....Show more →
Thanks for sharing your impressions. I never considered a 600mm f4 lens before, due to their size and especially weight (I hike and cycle a lot), and their steep price. Eventually though, if birding is your passion, their is no real way around a 600mm f4 lens if you want to leave all the compromises behind. Luckiliy, both Sony and Canon now have a 600mm f4 lens that is just over 3 kg, which is a weight I am still comfortable with handholding.
I currently shoot the D500+500PF combo, and will keep that combo for its convenience, but the Nikon 600mm f4 is out of the question due to its weight.
What complicates it all, is the shift to mirrorless gaining traction currently, with Canon as well as Nikon working on a 600mm f4 lens for their mirrorless systems. It would make no sense to buy a Canon EF 600mm f4, let alone a Nikon AF-S 600mm f4, meaning it to be possibly my final birding lens purchase. But a Sony FE600mm f4 makes perfect sense. Otherwise, a longer wait for Nikon's and Canon's 600mm f4 mirrorless lenses would make most sense.
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