Right now I have Canon's 10.1 mp EOS Rebel XTI and a Canon 70-300 IS Zoom Lens. In October I am journeying to the Pantanal to photograph Jaguars (thank you Mark Andrews for the info) and I will have a little over $1000 to purchase newer equipment before departing. Is there a better camera body for this situation within that price range? What are your opinions on how I should approach this? I already own a 430EX Speedlite as well for those low light situations. Any suggestions are welcome....I just want to be prepared for this chance of a lifetime with sufficient equipment. Thanks- Brandon
I'm not certain what the conditions are for shooting jaguars in the Pantanal, but I think I'd be more interested in getting more lens than more camera. The 1 series cameras are weather-sealed but way outside your $1000+ budget. How about a 400 f5.6, or 100-400, or A 300mm f4 lens + 1.4 TC.
Posted by Bill Chambers on July 23, 2008 at 10:01 PM
I know nothing about Canons, but I would certainly second Buck's suggestion to put the money towards glass rather than a new body.
Your camera is just fine.
Here's another vote for investing in a better lens.
Assuming you have the wide angle to moderate spectrum covered already, then consider the new Sigma 150-500 image stabilized lens.
I've always wanted to visit the Pantanal area. Hope you have an excellent (and lucky!) trip.
Posted by Bill Reichert on July 24, 2008 at 12:29 PM
You might want to read about the 400 f5.6 in Luminous Landscape before you do any lens buying.
The main issue with photographing jaguars is how close they will let you get to them.
The Pantanal is loaded with birds for which the 400 f5.6 would be great - one fast lens!
The 100 - 400 offers lots of range plus IS. The 300 f4 plus 1.4Tc offers some varaibility plus IS.
I don't shoot canon, so I can't be of specific help, but the 100-400mm seems like a nice range to have in that environment. I strongly suggest upgrading the glass as opposed to the camera.
Well, it's unanimous in favor of more glass rather than more camera. I'm not a Canon person either, but what about the 100-400 + the tc? If it's affordable and works well-- wow!
Brandon, I'd second either the 400 f5.6 or 100-400. You could pick up a used 40D or 30D/grip for $1,000 or less, but you wouldn't gain anything IQ-wise, nor enable yourself to make larger prints. While those bodies have added features and a faster burst rate, it's the glass that's going to show you a noticeable IQ improvement.
I shot the 100-400 hard for years, and have been putting the 400 f5.6 through its paces as well for the past several months.
IQ in the prime is slightly better (this is a minor difference, often overstated, between the lenses). You lose IS with the prime, and in some grab shot situations when tripods and monopods are too cumbersome to get set up in time, IS can make the difference. Either of these lenses will deliver noticeably better IQ than the 70-300, and it's possible to strap on the 400 and keep the 70-300 handy in case you need to swap them out quickly to get zoom capability.
Both are f5.6 lenses at 400mm, so you have no differences there. Neither lens will autofocus on that body with the Canon 1.4 TC added. You'd need a "1" series body to autofocus that f8 combo. Manual focus aside, the 100-400/TC combo needs good light to deliver good (not excellent) IQ. The prime provides better IQ with the TC, but of course the TC is another approximately $290.
Not that it'll matter with jaguars, but the minimum focus distance on the 100-400 is only six feet, which makes it a great lens for butterflies/flowers at 400mm. The prime's MFD is 11 feet, and in some situations (mostly but not always from a blind and drawing birds in close to a perch), that difference in MFD is a limiting factor when photographing small birds.
At $1,450 new, the 100-400 is over your budget, but then the $1,150 400 f5.6 is a bit over your budget, too. You can buy used with some confidence, however, because those are durable lenses. If you choose the aforementioned Sigma 150-500 OS or the 100-400, you also can sell your 70-300 to ease your budget, as either of the lenses mentioned would render the shorter zoom superfluous. If you buy the 400 prime, I'd suggest holding onto the zoom so you have the flexibility to compose images of animals in their environment, which actually are more popular among print buyers than tight portrait shots of animals.
There is a Web site specifically devoted to Canon gear that has a very active and reliable used equipment for-sale board. I have purchased or sold used gear there pretty often. You should be able to find either of those lenses used for around $1,000, although neither of those lenses will hang around long when they go up on the for-sale board. You can find it here.
Since you've got until October, if you pick up one of these Canon or Sigma lenses you'll have plenty of time to master the new lens learning curve. Also a good idea to pick up a solid monopod and/or tripod, if you don't have each already. The 100-400 or Siggie 150-500 on a monopod with that IS qualifies as a deadly weapon, and with no IS on the prime you'd want it on a monopod most of the time. Though you may be shooting from windows. I don't know the local photographic conditions there.
Also worth picking up is a Better Beamer to extend the flash range of the 430EX.
Posted by Basil Greber on July 26, 2008 at 8:25 AM
How much does a Sigma 100-300/4 EX combined with their TC cost over in the US? Oh, well, I checked at B&H - the lens is 1100$. But that way, you'd get it all - the zoom, the f/4 for low light and shallower DoF, and the 400/5.6. No IS, though.
Discussion
9 repliesHere's another vote for investing in a better lens.
Assuming you have the wide angle to moderate spectrum covered already, then consider the new Sigma 150-500 image stabilized lens.
I've always wanted to visit the Pantanal area. Hope you have an excellent (and lucky!) trip.
The main issue with photographing jaguars is how close they will let you get to them.
The Pantanal is loaded with birds for which the 400 f5.6 would be great - one fast lens!
The 100 - 400 offers lots of range plus IS. The 300 f4 plus 1.4Tc offers some varaibility plus IS.
Bill
I shot the 100-400 hard for years, and have been putting the 400 f5.6 through its paces as well for the past several months.
IQ in the prime is slightly better (this is a minor difference, often overstated, between the lenses). You lose IS with the prime, and in some grab shot situations when tripods and monopods are too cumbersome to get set up in time, IS can make the difference. Either of these lenses will deliver noticeably better IQ than the 70-300, and it's possible to strap on the 400 and keep the 70-300 handy in case you need to swap them out quickly to get zoom capability.
Both are f5.6 lenses at 400mm, so you have no differences there. Neither lens will autofocus on that body with the Canon 1.4 TC added. You'd need a "1" series body to autofocus that f8 combo. Manual focus aside, the 100-400/TC combo needs good light to deliver good (not excellent) IQ. The prime provides better IQ with the TC, but of course the TC is another approximately $290.
Not that it'll matter with jaguars, but the minimum focus distance on the 100-400 is only six feet, which makes it a great lens for butterflies/flowers at 400mm. The prime's MFD is 11 feet, and in some situations (mostly but not always from a blind and drawing birds in close to a perch), that difference in MFD is a limiting factor when photographing small birds.
At $1,450 new, the 100-400 is over your budget, but then the $1,150 400 f5.6 is a bit over your budget, too. You can buy used with some confidence, however, because those are durable lenses. If you choose the aforementioned Sigma 150-500 OS or the 100-400, you also can sell your 70-300 to ease your budget, as either of the lenses mentioned would render the shorter zoom superfluous. If you buy the 400 prime, I'd suggest holding onto the zoom so you have the flexibility to compose images of animals in their environment, which actually are more popular among print buyers than tight portrait shots of animals.
There is a Web site specifically devoted to Canon gear that has a very active and reliable used equipment for-sale board. I have purchased or sold used gear there pretty often. You should be able to find either of those lenses used for around $1,000, although neither of those lenses will hang around long when they go up on the for-sale board. You can find it here.
Since you've got until October, if you pick up one of these Canon or Sigma lenses you'll have plenty of time to master the new lens learning curve. Also a good idea to pick up a solid monopod and/or tripod, if you don't have each already. The 100-400 or Siggie 150-500 on a monopod with that IS qualifies as a deadly weapon, and with no IS on the prime you'd want it on a monopod most of the time. Though you may be shooting from windows. I don't know the local photographic conditions there.
Also worth picking up is a Better Beamer to extend the flash range of the 430EX.
Basil