Here i am on a 40mp Fujifilm X-T5 APSC camera with adapted long prime lenses shooting birds and fighting the poor AF performance and yet, still getting good shots, still capturing beautiful colors, and most importantly still having fun because I LOVE the body and how it all feels on my hands. I guess the most important thing is to shoot with whatever will encourage and give you motivation to get out there and use it. The best camera is the one you're excited to go out and play with :)
The ability to crop with the R5’s 45 MP sensor is why I will pass on the R3. 24 is not enough for me. Thank you for your thorough comparison. I always look forward to your excellent videos.
Mark, you are more than welcome and thank you for the ongoing support. Yes the R3 is a strange one, I almost wonder if using the R5 sensor would have been an option as the other upgrades with no blackout, no rolling shutter, 30fps etc would have made it a nice upgrade. Cheers, Duade
I've begun my journey as a wildlife photographer with the Fuji X-H2S and a 150-600mm. It's kinda interesting because there's not many photographers around so far that uses the X-series as their platform, so the knowledge is quite low overall. I made the choice myself because I had heard about the great ISO performance and the image quality and so far it hasn't disappointed. Some of my best shots have been 6,500 ISO or higher and I've had no issues removing some of the noise with post processing software (especially not with the latest Lightroom upodate). I've really liked Fujifilm cameras in the past so this is why I decided to go with a Fuji for wildlife photography as well. It is a bit tricky in low light situations of course but if Fuji stays on this path I'm sure we will have more options in the near future when it comes to better lenses etc.
I think Duade has a pretty sharp mind as he raises the question one would like to have with a different combinations. Thanks for such a great informative video.
Trying to educate my wife, who is now completely addicted to bird photography, how different combinations of full frame and crop sensor cameras work together with different lenses and how they affect images. Of course she now wants the most expensive combo so I may have just shown her too much of your video! Thanks for posting the raw files which were also really helpful. Beautiful captures as always and great video.
Sam, great to hear your partner is addicted to bird photography, it is a great hobby and gets you out and about. Good luck with the gear. Cheers, Duade
I started bird photography recently, i bought a 7d with 55-250, now i saving money for canon 100-400 or sigma/tamron 150-600. These videos helping me such a lot. Thanks mate! :)
Krisztián, that is great to hear, the Sigma 150-600C should work well with the 7D. I used the EF400 5.6 which is another option and can be picked up for a bargain these days. Cheers, Duade
I've just Sold all my Sony A7 gear and gone back to a Canon 20D and 40D both with low shutter count, at 70 years old I felt that going back to old school photography suits me best now, modern cameras are ok don't get me wrong but photography seems to easy with the latest tech, great video as always Duade :)
I have an R6 and I just got my RF 100-500mm 2 days back. I have been researching for many months and I was just feeling why all RU-vid wants an R5 when the animal is just too far away.... and then came Duade with superpixel resolution (upscaling an R6 image) example. Just the right video at the right time. Thanks Duade. Your videos gets better and better with time. Love your channel and I learn a lot from it. Great Work!! I am from India. If I ever visit Australia / New Zealand ever would love to go with a bird photography outing with you!!
Souptik, congrats on the R6 and RF100-500, a nice light kit that I am sure will capture you many wonderful shots. Yes, Aus/NZ are great places to go birding. Cheers, Duade
you may have just convinced me to get an R5. But fantastic comparisons, thanks for doing what many of us have wished we could do over the years but couldn't.
Duade; Excellent video packed with practical information. Like many people, l visit various photography forums. The common question revolves around a person wanting to improve their photography and the majority of the responses focus on buying a new camera body or lens. As you pointed out, your old Canon 40D with your 400mm f5.6 lens often times produced good photos. You are doing side by side comparisons and the differences are still marginal. The majority of photographers post their photos and don't also post the same composition shot with with let's say a higher priced set up ie R5 body and an RF 800mm f5.6 lens. My point is your video shows it's about shooting to get great shots, not buying expensive gear. Personally l shoot high volume still photography of surfing (1300-1500 shots per day) or 2-5 hr shoots doing video of surfing. Either way, still or video my data captured each day is massive. Even if l had a R5 l would likely shoot crop for production shooting just to reduce file size. Yes, if l was literally on a shoot, thought the shot might end up being published, would opt to shoot full frame. As you mentioned, you prefer shooting full frame then cropping post edit in fear of shooting too tight, missing something a tighter shot left out. In video work l have learned to do the same. Surfers, like bird's move and it is nearly impossible to keep a subject in a desirable rule of thirds composition. Instead, when l edit in Vegas Pro videoing software find a can literally post edit crop placing the subject in desirable places within the composition. An added benefit is in posted edit crop, when l crop in it creates a zoom effect that's smooth and desirable whereas if l tried zooming during shooting the smoothness wouldn't be there and composition off. Also in post edit, cropping one part of the video to the next, lets say 3 seconds apart, the editing software moves between the two crops smoothly and if l tried to move the subject le5s say from bottom left quadrant of rule if thirds to top right quadrant it would be jerky assuming l could pull it off atxall. To illustrate what l mean, go to 35 seconds in my video on attached link below. Notice the video shot from the rocks on the foreground is shot wide, then in post edit as the surfer rides the wave l crop in drawing the viewer to the subject. If l shot tighter, l could not achieve that effect and it would have been super challenging to shoot close up while maintaining desired surfer placement/composition as he turns up and down the face of the wave. If l zoomed in while actually shooting it woould have been jerky and l doubt l could have maintained optimal photo compostion. My main point is a $12,000, bigger telephoto lens isn't always the answer. Sometimes less optimal gear forces you to shoot with more creativity or learn to use your gear better. ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-opgIF801I08.html
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience, looks like you have a lot of fun with the surfing videos. No doubt you have a great tripod and head. Cheers, Duade
I'm very new at all of this, having adopted nature photography as a retirement pastime. Your explanations were wonderful. It provided me a few "light bulb" moments that I'd not acquired from other sources. Thank you kindly ~ Peace and continued success on your journey.
Super informative. I have RP and just tried 1.6 crop in camera with R 100-400mm. Definitively will try in the field, but agree it might cut off part of bird. Thanks for that idea. Also, your photography is beautiful. Those bird with their fantastic colors are wonderful. I live in San Diego and we'll have our hawk watch in January, so I am excited to try your techniques on eagles, ferruginous hawks and if I can get close, burrowing owls. Meanwhile, I'm shooting red shoulder and cooper's hawk in my backyard. Very fortunate to have those visitors. Thanks, again, John
Thanks for sharing, I usually just crop in post as if we crop in camera we might miss something if the bird flaps its wings or similar. I would only crop in camera if you want the bird bigger in the frame to focus. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Just used in camera crop to photo cooper's hawk. Needed it to find him in the eucalyptus. Even if they are vocalizing, it's hard to find them in the camo. Right in my backyard, so I drop everything when they call. Used eye focus AF (Canon RP probably not as good as newer models). Thanks for the tip on that.
What I learned is, that you need to know where the birds are, how to get close to them, what is the best light for this type of shooting and how to edit your pictures. If you know all of these, even the ancient the 40D with the lame, old 400 will give you pro looking results for next to no money...
Probably the best video I've ever seen comparing all the methods for filling the frame with small, or even any birds. One quick note from a UK nature photographer. I am somewhat envious at how close Australian and North American bird photographers can get to birds in general. For many years I was just amazed at the bird photos American photographers got. However, RU-vid videos have explained why, because when you see how close the photographer is to the bird, out in the open, I am amazed. These are often similar, or even the same species as in the UK. Yet except when using a hide/blind, you would never get that close. In the UK, except for tame birds in a public park, certain seabirds at breeding colonies, there is almost no way you could fill the frame with a FF sensor, no matter how much focal length you have. So cropping, and heavy cropping at that is fairly standard. Additionally, being a far more crowded island with less public land, you are generally stuck to walking around a lot of sites, meaning a more portable outfit. Although of course there is a big difference between bird photography, and birding with a camera, but that is a whole different subject. Just to give some ideas of distance. With a raptor, out in the open, there are not many opportunities to get within 100yds/m of the bird. With small birds out in the open, often it is difficult to get closer than 45ft, ,15 yds, 14m. Many ducks, because they are regularly shot, like Teal, Shoveller etc, won't let you get closer than about 80m in the open.
Stephan, I live in Kentucky which is part of the mid Atlantic flyway for migratory waterfowl. If after this Covid crazy ever gets a handle and under control try to make it to the states. Either early to mid spring for songbirds and turkeys or wintertime for Bald eagles, waterfowl and other raptors. Be more than HAPPY to be your photo guide. It gives me more opportunities to get out too.
Stephen, I appreciate how difficult it must be for you, we are very fortunate with how many birds allow a semi close approach. We do have very wild ducks so I have some idea of your challenge, it is near impossible to get anywhere near them as they are shot here also. I spend a lot of time trying to find locations that have birds that are approachable or locations I can setup and have good odds of getting a shot. Chasing truly wild birds is a real challenge that is for sure. Cheers, Duade
RU-vid put you on my video feed and I've been watching you for the last few days. What great videos you put together. I can tell you love photography too. Very informative and a joy to watch because your excitement comes through
Great video, lots of excellent information. As hobbyist photographer and retired, I really can’t afford a high megapixel camera. So will apply some of the techniques you mention in your video.
Very informative video! It did get quite confusing for me at a certain point.. however, the conclusion was very clear and if someone has a specific question, one can just search for the topic in the video and watch the corresponding section. Thanks for sharing!
VERY thorough, thanks Duade. I’ve been eyeing the R6, 100-500, extenders and upscaling software as I rarely print larger than 8x10 so this video is very helpful.
Nice analysis that is at a level of detail that is understandable, yet complete. One thing to consider re: mega-pixels... right now most folks have either a mobile phone or 1080p monitor... 10 years from now, what monitor will we all have, perhaps super high MP VR? Looking at low mega-pixel photos from back when 2MP was dense for a digital camera and they look like crap... so to future proof, consider higher counts MP were you can afford it and unless things like action/speed/dynamic range are more important. Obviously not simple decisions, but thought I'd throw future proofing out there as something to consider.
Yes, 8k screens are already what 33mp so it is interesting to see where we end up going with MP etc. I guess it all depends how you display your images. Cheers, Duade
Thanks, Duade for a great comparison. Whilst the R5 with its 45MP is the obvious choice, my take was that you got really good images whatever combination you were using, which obviously comes from your experience and technique. Now in my early 70's I recently decided to upgrade some of my gear, but stay with DSLR's as the price of mirrorless and RF lenses is just too great. If Canon decide to bring out a decent crop sensor mirrorless body, then I may investigate that as an alternative to the 90D. Keep up the good work.
Chris, yes the RF gear is very expensive that is for sure. I hope they do release an R7 as there is a big market wanting a more affordable APSC body. Cheers, Duade
Thanks for comparing so many different combinations. Your illustration at 7:40 showed me why I was always frustrated with my Tamron 150-600mm on my crop sensor 7D, even though it was sharp on a full-frame 5D. Another great test would be to find the furthest distance with each combination where you can still capture a high-quality, full frame image. It's often hard to compare "100% crop" samples online because a 100% crop on an R5 zooms in much tighter than a 100% crop on an R6 (if cropping by pixels, which Lightroom does). Thanks again!
Thank you Duade. You are very good at what you do. Everything so clearly explained. I started birding and bird photography 2 years ago with a Nikon D5500 and Sigma 150-600mm. Been pushing the limits and struggling with high noise with the low light far away shots that most bird sightings present. I'm deciding between R5/R6 with 800mm/100-500mm, but wondering about a D780 and keeping my Sigma 150-600mm or even Z7 with FTZ. Your video is exactly what I needed. Now I need a video about how to approach my bank manager and my dear wife! Thank you.
Roger, yes, it is tough deciding which way to go, I think Nikon will release some nice cameras with the Z9 onwards. They really need to get the bird eye AF working as it is a big advantage. Unfortunately I don't have any advice for how to obtain the funds whilst keeping a happy marriage :-)
Absolutely incredible video. I cannot imagine how hard this was to pull off comparisons using different cameras on the same birds. Awesome awesome job !
You do a good job of explaining all the possible combos and the pluses and minuses........and in moving along at a pace to deal with ever-shortening attention spans.
Wow what a great video !!! i'm a backyard birder with a canon m50(24mp) with adapter(not speed booster)for ef and efs lenses and a EFS 55 - 250mm lens. I set up a feeding station (maybe 20 to 30 feet away from the house)and most of the time I shoot through glass(patio door) and I've always had a great time and got some really good shots but I always thought I needed a high MP camera body with a huge zoom lens ! Thanks for explaining it in a simple way that everyone can understand !
Super comparison. I have r5 and 600/f4II and 200-400 and 100-400v1 and 1.4x. Mostly for grizzly, wolves, moose in dark situations. My struggle is which lens where and weight and wielding the 200-400 in my car. After watching your video, I am more inclined to use my 200-400/1.4x/and apsc mode on R5 more, knowing I can resort to topaz for upscaling. I am also more inclined to buying the 100-500 with apsc mode and retire my 100-400v1 - too heavy for what I get. You are right about losing wings but you did not mention that when you use apsc mode, you know when its futile and you will just get crappy shots. Great job. Scott
Thanks Scott, a great selection of lenses you have, I can say the RF100-500 is a wonderful lens, it is so light, the R5 and rf100-500 weighs less than 2kg which means you can use it handheld easily. I love walking with it and using for macro style shots due to the MFD. Cheers, Duade
Thanks a lot for all your hard work ! Those raw files are interesting because we can see the true quality of those lenses on the field without any youtube compression. And this jacky winter was so cute !
Three years ago I went on safari and happily brought my 5DMIV plus EF 100-400 and 70-200 plus TC 1.4 and 2.0. Very happy with the results but lugging that around was pretty brutal. After I started shooting hummingbirds in our backyard I began to think of MFT in a better light (no pun intended). Especially the EM1.X body which has bird detection AI, Pro Capture (helps capture birds taking off and flying), faster frames/sec, etc. I got used to removing noise w Topaz DeNoise AI, but when using the 300mm f/4 with TC14 or TC20, many of the images just weren’t sharp enough after cropping. So I sold most of my Canon gear and got the new M. Zuiko 150-400mm f/4.5 with built in TC1.25. What a huge improvement! That lens ain’t cheap, but it’s helping me get so many more keepers. Excellent comprehensive video that mirrors my journey with gear for bird photography. One (small) thing you might have also mentioned: Weight Depending on your age and strength, bodies with full-frame sensors weigh a lot more than mirrorless ones or ones with APS-C or MFT sensors. When we travel or go into the field, the total size and weight of our kit can be a factor. Also, if one is shooting w a really long lens, you’ll likely need a gimbal head and tripod or monopod. My EM1.X body has great IBIS, and the new lens sans extenders gives me up to 7 stops of image stabilization. So while using a support brings optimal sharpness, I’m able to run and gun if need be. Simply put, some of us need to factor in how heavy (and big) everything is going to be. So glad to have found your channel!
Ken, I couldn't agree with you more, as I get older the thought of lugging around my heavy lens starts to factor into my outings. I have to say having the R5 and RF100-500 has made a difference as I can handhold it all day long and can just walk around shooting what I see. 500mm is a little short for me but the R5 does allow a decent crop which helps. Cheers, Duade
Have you considered doing part 2, now when R7 is out? I'd definitelly love to see that! Anyways, great video and a very important one, because most of the people enjoying bird photography won't have unlimited budget so a choice like this is likely to be made....Thank you and big thumbs up!
Thanks Lukáš, be sure to check out this video where I test a number of lenses on the R7. Cheers, Duade ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-qv3TxfZTttE.html
Absolutely epic.. this Video will stand the test of time and will be a reference for years to come... We missed ya, but so glad you took the time to produce this. I'm so happy with my R6 and you showed pretty much my workflow, by shooting, enhancing, cropping. Great to see I'm not doing anything stupid 🤣 A million thanks Duade, cheers!!!
Fantastic video! I thought about testing this myself, I really appreciate the work you put into this "super-comparison"! I got the R5 a while ago and couldn't be happier, I can crop with confidence (and now even more, after your video ;) ) and while I prefer having the subject large in the frame in the first place, it saved some cool shots I would have missed otherwise.
Great video, Duade! Very thorough. One thing I notice a lot of people get wrong with teleconverters is that they think it'll allow them to get better shots from further away. I prefer to use teleconverters in my normal sweet when I want a tighter frame on a smaller subject. I find that doing this minimizes the IQ hit my shots take from using teleconverters.
The R6 is still very good with the 20 MP. I ordered today the R6. I wanted the R5 cause of the MP but the different for Social Media Post or for Websites you can see them on this plattforms. Thanks for this video this helped me out :-) Nice work.
Great video, you pretty much answered all my questions. Being out in nature is my goal and the pictures I get will hopefully celebrate the moment. Thanks much!
Good day! Wow, what a fantastic vídeo! Full, of comparisons and Tests, the best vídeo on RU-vid about the Matter. The results from the 1dx test, were crazy 😁
This is a great video with proof of the pudding on top. I actually also got a 40D that I don't know what to do with. But Im off to Antarctica in January and have invested in a used 80D and a r6. This video makes me confident that my choice of gear is good. For glass I got an very old Vivitar 19-35, rf 24-105mm f4, canon ef 70-200mm f4 and sigma 150-600mm. Thanks for confirming my choices! Wooohaa
Your vlogs are excellent and thorough and well thought out. Really easy to listen to and understand. Thanks so much for sharing this. Really well presented. Thank you.
Thanks for the reminder about shooting the R5 in crop mode. I started digital photography with an 8 MP Rebel then “upgraded” to a 60D. When I put both cameras on a tripod and tested with a zoom lens at identical image size I liked the Rebel better. I now have a 6D and 100-400 L zoom. I thought the R7 might be a good choice to get more reach, but the more I see, the more I think it might be a repeat of my 60D experience. A 1.4x extender probably isn’t a good choice either. Without spending a fortune, the R5 might be my best choice at this time, or I could wait for a true replacement for the 7D.
James, yes all very interesting questions, I think the R5 will deliver far better quality and has many better features but at a much higher cost. The R7 really is an affordable way to get a bigger subject with amazing AF. Cheers, Duade
Thank you very much, was debating going for the R6 to shoot sports and your video really helped me see the differences between all different factors. In the summer, when our school is closed, I started shooting birds as practice for in mouvement shooting, so small little hobby on the side, since their are similarities.
Thanks Allen, what a fantastic piece of kit you have, the a1 is the best camera on the market at the moment and was a joy to use when I had a play. Cheers, Duade
Best video yet to compare megapixels, extenders and focal length. I used to use my 7D II for birds but if I needed higher ISO it was terrible for noise. I sold it along with my Mark IV for the R5 and love it. I’ve got great high ISO and can crop significantly. Thanks for all your work in this video.
Having been a professional photographer all my life, I am well aware about the difference pixels make, I bought a pro digital DSLR in 2000, £10,500, 2.1 MP. Shocking isn't it. I am glad to see that you mentioned the problem with a crop sensor, noise mainly, and that extenders cause a drop in quality. It can be frustrating that vendors rely on megapixels. The P1000 has a fantastic zoom, plenty of MP, but the sensor is the size of a fingernail. After watching your videos I bought an R6 [use mainly 5D4] mainly for the animal eye focusing as I do a lot of wildlife, especially birds in Spain. Incidentally I did wonder if more MP could be a disadvantage, using my 50-500 Sigma images were softer on a 7D2 than 5D4, possibly because the lens was not resolving enough, and the higher pixel count as seeing the flaws. Keep up the good word, the main problem with Spain is natives with guns, but I have some cracking vultures, hopefully now the focus will follow the eye. Oh, it is Derek HIbbert, only the wife managed to change the settings, Google me if you are curious.
Derek, thanks for sharing your experience and I agree, the R6 is a great camera and the eye af should make photographing the vultures a little easier. I am looking forward to going out on a boat and photographing seabirds once Covid restrictions ease. Not sure I looked at the right account but if it was the one with the Ford Escorts then they looked great. Cheers, Duade
My Sony a7rv has a 9k sensor. Using my 600mm lens, I can crop into 1500mm-ish (2.5x crop) and still retain a 4k crop. I have no need for a teleconverter. I use DxO deep prime 6 pro software and the sharpening capabilities of it are astonishing. I don't pay as much attention to ISO anymore because this software is absolutely amazing. It also adds dynamic range.
Good grief that was a packed video! Kudos for going through all those combinations it must have taken a long time. I think you must have answered every question I've ever had on the subject. Sadly I'm in the budget camp for now but on a good day...well I now know I can't blame the gear. Thanks for a great presentation. Fabulous shots.
I just wanted to take the time to thank you. Your videos are very informative as well as very inspiring. Your joy for what you do is contagious. Mahalo
I found your video very informative. I, too, see that this took a fair amount of work to produce and edit to a watchable video. Thank you very much. I learned a whole lot.
Thanks for another great video Duade. I use the 400 f5.6 on my Eos R. The 30mp sensor is a good size but the focal length is a bit limiting. I just try getting closer to the subject to try to get frame fillers. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. Can't wait for this bloody lockdown to end so I can get back out there. All the best, Brian.
G'day Brian, yes 400 can be a bit limiting for sure, as Keith mentioned my 1.4 version 3 extender works very well when you have adequate light. I shared lots of photos in my last video using the extender. It does struggle in low light but is very good in better light. I am also waiting for the lockdown to end. Cheers, Duade
@@Duade Hi Duade, I have the same 1.4 extender and I do use it but as you have mentioned and as I replied to Keith it has its own limitations. Maybe I'm just impatient or expect too much from my equipment. Anyway, thanks again. All the best.
Loved the kookaburra! Hehe. Thanks for this video. Loads of comparisons and information. I noted that the APS-C will always noise issues. I think I keep coming back to the R5 as my upgrade from a 1200D. But Canon rumours say they bring out a new APS-C with bigger MP and hopefully better ISO capabilities. So I will continue to wait. Nothing to lose by waiting. I'll only upgrade once as I am hobbyist photographer and don't earn money from it. It's just for fun.
Nerrel, yes, I think that is wise, I believe Canon will release an APSC mirrorless at some stage this year which will be a nice upgrade over the 1200D. Cheers, Duade
I have been considering a change to Canon mirrorless for my full size bodies ( currently all 5D series). I have decided to stay with my DSLR equipment for now but I have decided to add a 7D mk ii to add to my 600 f4 and 300 f 2.8 rather then using my teleconverters. Especially on my 600 as I don’t care for the image quality especially the 2x. I will keep the new mirrorless in mind for the future, but the price of the used body outweighs the investment right now for the mirrorless option. I’m just getting into birding and find it very interesting and a lot of fun. Love your video s and instructional style. Keep it up.
Mark, thanks for your comment and sharing your experience. I believe the R7 is the camera many birders are waiting for as it should give excellent IQ, AF, FPS etc but also the 1.6 crop which is great for wildlife. The big question is how it handles higher ISO. Cheers, Duade
I really like your straightforward presentational style. I would love to see a comparison between the R5 and R7 using the 100-500 in different lighting conditions to see how they compare. Thanks
Hi Duade! Thank you for your very interesting and enjoyable videos. The very serious approache in this video was very helpfull with very nice picture examples. Thank for your quality work!! Paul
Mine would be an R5 and EF400mm DO f/4 ii plus 1.4x and 2x extenders as this prime lens is the only Canon super tele light enough for hand holding at about 2kg and works brilliantly with either 1.4x or 2x extenders or even both stacked for 2.8x (need to use the EF mark ii extenders as these are the only ones that can be stacked) and I'd also use either an EF100-400mm ii or RF100-500 zoom.
@@angelogarciajr5356 the R3 is in my dream list but we won't have any unbiased tests until after it's released . The RF400 f/2.8 weighs 2.9kg so it's too heavy for handholding for birds in flight and the extra stop of light isn't enough to justify the weight I think.
G'day Angelo, at the moment the Sony A1 is the best camera out there and coupled with the 600 f4 would be a fantastic kit. For BIF the A1 and 200-600 would be a great kit. Cheers, Duade
This video is very timely! I finally got my 100-500 and shot it yesterday on my R5. I got some decent images of some butterflies and a wren. Given the light, the results were pretty decent but next time I'll use crop mode for such relatively small and distant subjects.
Super informative video! Thank you for doing all the hard work on this one. I shoot with an R6 and the Sigma 150-600C and also with a Panasonic G9 with the PL 100-400. Both cameras at 20 megapixels. ISO performance is better on the R6 by quite a bit. In good light IQ is quite similar. I will often choose the G9 because of the lighter weight and smaller size. I have issues with both shoulders so lighter is better for me. I mostly use Topaz Gigapixel and then Topaz Sharpen and the results seem noticeably better (to me) than using Adobe Super Resolution. I have the 100-500 RF on back order primarily for the weight savings over the Sigma. R6 with the 100-500 would weigh about a pound less than the G9 and save 1.5 lbs over the adapted Sigma. Using Gigapixel has me doubting how much the extra megapixels from the R5 would help me. I suppose one could argue that I could use Gigapixel on the R5 images as well. I like the look of the resulting images so I probably would use it resulting in some really ridiculous file sizes.
Rod, yes weight is a big factor for many and I have to say I really enjoy walking around with the RF100-500, it really is crazy how light it is. Yes, software works very well for when you need to print large etc. Cheers, Duade
Duade, thanks SO MUCH for this review. It was so helpful! I photograph a lot of small birds so I'm the cropping queen. I have a 5div now with a 100-400 and a 150-600 Sigma. Weight of the gear is becoming a real issue for me physically so I'm anxious to drop some weight and move to a lighter set up. I do have a budget but am dying for the R5. However, looks like the R6 might be an option.
Lisa, thanks for your detailed comment. The R5 is a beautiful camera and should work with your two existing lenses with an adapter. Long term the RF100-500 is a super light lens at only 1.3kg and is very nice to walk around with. For reach both the RF600 & 800 F11 are very light. Good luck, Cheers, Duade
Excellent comparison with great information. I have a Sony a6000 (aps-c) and a Sony a7c (FF) that I couple with Sony's 100-400 zoom. Your video of has caused me to think that I really need to go out and do some comparisons with my system before I go and buy a 1.4x extender. Aps-c vs vs full frame in crop mode vs cropping in post-production. The tools to minimize noise, sharpen, and upscale resolution in post-production also need to be considered as I consider how to best achieve my desired outcome. Thank you for a very thought-provoking video.
