Just before covid I purchased an M6II to try out the 32 MP sensor and the features that mirrorless was introducing, object detection and focus bracketing/stacking. It was a fun little camera but I ended up using adapted EF-S lenses mostly. It never really found its way into my regular travel kit. Earlier this year the R7 came out using the same sensor and building on the M's mirrorless capability. I got it with the kit 18-150 because that was what was available.
The R7 ended up replacing three cameras in my extended kit. The M, my wife's 77D, and my 80D. My wife would never use the M, its interface being too complicated and fiddly. I'd purchased the RF 100-400 thinking its f8 aperture would only be useful for dayhikes with the R7. It is a very capable, sharp lens except slow in low light. We took the R7 on an Alaska wildlife trip and it was a total delight to use. Adapted EF-S 10-18 and 35 macro really extend its capabilities in a kit my wife can easily carry. Trading in all my excess old photo gear and that freed up by the R7, I traded even for a 100-500.
On the Alaska trip I carried my 5D4 kit and it performed excellently as usual. But the advanced tracking and other mirrorless features of the R system are just so handy for more than wildlife. When the R6II was announced I ordered it with the kit 24-105 f4 L, my goto travel lens and the reason I need full frame. The R6II had all the features I'd hoped for but it wasn't the weight savings or image quality improvement I expected. The R5 cost more but has been out for long enough that its been well tested and excellently reviewed for all my purposes. The roughly $1K savings from the R5 seemed false economy for my main camera. I exchanged the 6II for the 5. On my scales the R5 weighs within an ounce of the R6II. Its excessive 45 MP is actually useful since I can use EF-S lenses like the 35 or 60 macros, or crop to APS-C and still fill my 5K display. I tested this on a local humming bird.
So the R7 is a wonderful camera that advances the capabilities of previous APS-Cs. Its two downsides are that there is only the kit RF-S lens and it is a seductive gateway to replacing your entire DSLR kit. OTOH, with the RF 100-400 it weighs 2.7 lbs, gives excellent reach, and can focus down to 1:2.4. The kit 18-150 is good if slow above 60 mm and weighs 11 oz. Adapted, all your EF lenses work excellently and IBIS adds new life to unstabilized lenses like the EF-S 60 macro.
EB-1 wrote:
When there is enough reach I would never use this camera over an R5.
I'll add that EB-1's comments in various posts got me investigating the R5 over the R6II. I'll use the R7 more though.
Dec 20, 2022 at 01:08 PM
Previous versions of Jeff Nolten's message #16124681 « Has anyone regretted moving to an R7? »
OTOH, with the RF 100-400 it weighs 2.7 lbs, gives excellent reach, and can focus down to 1:2.4. The kit 18-150 is good if slow above 60 mm and weighs 11 oz. Adapted, all your EF lenses work excellently and IBIS adds new life to unstabilized lenses like the EF-S 60 macro.
I'll use the R7 more though.