Hi David, The new 100-400 mark 2 is an excellent lens by accounts so far, certainly a step up from the mark 1. I've heard good things about the new tamron and sigma superzoom lenses, but I would expect Canon's new 100-400 to leave them behind.
If you aren't dead set on a zoom, the Canon 400mm f5.6 is the very best lens you can get on a budget. Ridiculously sharp, light, excellent build quality. I shot with the 100-400 mark 1 for two years before switching to the prime, and I have been blown away. You do lose IS, but I haven't found it to be a problem at all, and I can handhold it down to really quite low shutter speeds.
The 600mm mark 2 is nice and all, but for less than $1500, the 400 f5.6 rules all!!!! I got mine second hand for $950.
However, i wouldn't be using any of these lenses (tamron, sigma 150/160-500/600, the canon 100-400 or the canon 400mm prime) with a 1.4x converter. The image quality just takes too much of a hit, especially on the zooms, and you also lose that extra stop of light, as a 1.4x converter turns an f5.6 lens into an f8 lens.
Don't forget that with the 7D mark 2, you have the benefit of that 1.6x crop sensor, giving a 400mm lens the same field of view as a 640mm lens.
Hope that helps some, Cheers, Julian Teh Sent from My iPad
On 26 Feb 2015, at 7:01 pm, David Churches <> wrote:
Thank you all for your replies. I currently have a 100-400mm f4/f5.6 with the 1.4 teleconverter on the Canon. Will persevere with that for longer while I decide if and when :) Yes, I have checked the cost of the big Canon lens, and not happening soon.
Anyone have experience with hiring for that 'special' trip?
Cheers
D
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