For birding I use an OM-1 II with the 50-200 2.8 PRO - fantastic lens, tack sharp, 1250 gm gets you FFE 100-400, and it does well with both 1.4 and 2.0 TC). Great body-lens IS.
I find the OM works great - IF I can fill the frame. Even though, with the TC, I can get up to 800 FFE, there are times I want more reach.
I've been tempted by the 150-600, but it seems awfully heavy. I used the 300 for a while - it's is a beautiful lens, but I missed the zoom. I tried the 100-400 II but found its IQ less pleasing to my taste the the 50-200.
So - I've been wondering if I upgraded my Sony A7RV to the RVI it could work for birding with the old 100-400 4.5-5.6 GM. (I mostly use the A7RV for landscape (with 24 mm 1.4 GM), since I like its dynamic range and resolution - the OM is very good, but doesn't quite match IMO
In the past I tried using the A7RV with the 100-400 GM but never had much luck with it for birds at a distance, especially BIF, using 100-400 GM 4.5-5.6. Too soft for my taste. maybe because of its slow fps and not-great lens+body stabilization. I wonder if A7RVI does enough to address the issue, when paired with "old" 100-400 GM (I'm not interested in the new 100-400 GM, due to fixed-length and weight). Anyone have any experience with the new A7RVI paired with the old 100-400 GM 4.5-5.6?
So for birds needing more than 800 mm of reach, I'm considering OM+150-600 (heavy: 2659 gm) or Sony A7RVI with 100-400 GM + 1.4 TC (2285 gm, considerably lighter). Of course the Sony would have less reach, but at least some of that would be compensated by higher resolution allowing cropping. 67 megapixels is almost like having 2x reach.
I'd have to sell some OM gear to afford A7RVI upgrade, and I'm reluctant to do so given how well OM+50-200 works.
Anyone have experience with both systems? Any suggestions appreciated!
(PS - I know, I know, the best solution is to zoom with my feet. But sometimes that just isn't possible, especially now that I'm having more difficulty walking).
I've been using both systems for years.
The OM-System OM-1 MKII + OM-System 50-200/2.8 Pro IS + OM-System 90/3.5 Macro Pro IS + OM-System TC 1.4x MC-14 + OM-System TC 2.0x MC-20 for macro and nature photography.
The OM-System OM-1 MKII + OM-System 8-25/4.0 Pro + Olympus 12-100/4.0 Pro IS + OM-System 12-40/2.8 Pro +
OM-System 20/1.4 Pro is my personal favorite combination for travel.
When it comes to the best image quality, I use my Sony 35mm system with the Sony A7RV + high-quality Sony GM lenses and top-of-the-line Voigtländer manual lenses ranging from 14mm to 200mm focal length.
I’ll skip the Sony A7RVI + long focal lengths for nature photography
since, at almost 70 years old, I no longer want to carry much weight.
This is a question nobody can answer. Only you can and only after at least many months of heavy use.
On paper they look more or less like this:
Sony A7R6 with crop = 1.5, for 100-400 = 150-600, sensor = 30 MP, lens = 2.0 kg, Camera+lens = 2.7 kg
OM1 (FF equivalent) for 150-400 = 300-800 + (internal x1.25 TC and camera Digital TC x 1.4), sensor = 20 MP, lens = 1.9 kg, Camera+lens = 2.5 kg
True test is the actual use.
I faced this dilemma and used Sony AII + 200-600, Canon R1/R3 with 100-400 and 100-500 and OM1 with 150-400, 50-200 (added recently). These systems are in a comparable price/weight bracket. For the past 2 yrs. I used Canon and OMS gear. Consider a system vs. system and forget a lens to be used with the extenal TCs. For wildlife the most important is AF performance and all these systems have strong and weak points. Next crucial thing is ergonomics (especially menu system). Good luck.
My answer would be the 150-400mm, but it’s expensive. Maybe the 100-400mm versions?
Not really sure what anything longer than 800mm-equivalent is really going to add in many cases, since at those distances atmospheric disturbances often start to decrease the sharpness.
