Game Changer - the EOS R6

[Tronhard]

I had been saving my retirement superannuation for some time in the hope of taking a trip overseas, but with the pandemic running riot, I am a lot safer where I am. So, I decided to spend my funds on a significant up grade in my kit. I went for the new Canon EOS R6 and RF lenses. I had considered the EOS R5, but the cost, plus the need to invest in the super expensive express CF cards sent me in the direction of the R6, which seemed to have all the features of the R5 that I wanted, plus dual SD cards.

Getting hardware has proved problematic as the supply chain has been totally disrupted by changes in factory output caused by COVID. Right now we have queues of ships waiting to dock to unload, while shops are selling vaporware. I was very lucky. If found a deal with a camera store that I had been with for about 40 years: I bought my first SLRs: 2xNikon F3's and 2xCanon A-1's plus lenses from them when I first got serious about photography. They had stock and gave me a really decent price.

So, I got 2x R6 bodies, 1x EF-RF adaptor, a RF 24-105 f/4 and the RF 100-500.

For me, the results were significant improvements in shooting fast moving animals. With the lens and in body stablilization, plus the animal eye autofocus, I could track and get a much higher percentage of shots of birds on the wing that I could before. I also used my Sigma 150-600 C and 60-600 S on the bodies with the EF adapter. They worked pretty well, although Sigma sent out an advisory that they can focus on only the centre 80% of the area. See: https://www.sigmaphoto.com/article/o...with-canon-r5/. That was not a problem for me.

it's early days yet but here are some shots I took at the zoo and the local gannet colony.


A Cotton-top Tamarin Canon EOS R6, RF 100-500, 428mm, f7.1, 1/500sec, ISO-1250.


This tiny lizard is only about 100mm long, photographed through smudgy glass in rather dim conditions. 500mm, f/8, 1/500sec, ISO -3200


Tracking despite the clutter: this gannet was really motoring but the tracking kept it locked in. 159mm, f/7.1, 1/400sec, ISO-100


The back-light showed the internal structure of the wings 157mm, f/10, 1/500sec, ISO-100


Fast air! 133mm, f/8, 1/500sec, ISO=100

It's early days yet, and I am working on the settings that most match my shooting style and subjects, but so far I am very impressed by the performance of this unit with the native lenses.

[xpatUSA]

Very nice captures, Trev.

This year I went in two opposite directions.

In the Sigma/Foveon line, I reverted to their first digital SLR, an SD9 which I found new-in-box on ebay. Purely nostalgic reasons.

In Panasonic, I bought a Lumix DC-G9 and the excellent 12-35mm Vario X, Dual-IS for my unsteady hands and it's IBIS for my Takumar M42 lenses and it's focus-peaking for my poor vision. Helluva combo, IMO.

[Manfred M]

I'm a bit jealous as I have not acquired any new gear in a couple of years now. The money that we've been saving by not traveling for the past couple of years has been / is being converted into some home renovations (bathrooms being redone). The money that we've dropped on a couple of Toto Washlets would have gotten me a very nice new, high end camera and lens.

That being said, I'm waiting for the second generation of mirrorless full framecameras from Nikon before I'm ready to spends some money there. I expect that would be either later this year or early next year.

[Tronhard]

You probably use the toilets every day Manfred, the cameras perhaps not so much. Also almost anything you do with your bathroom or kitchen will add value, cameras tend to go the other way!

[Tronhard]

Well, another trip to the zoo today to focus (literally and figuratively) on Orangutan. I took my trusty EOS 7DII with the Sigma 150-600C, and the R6 with the RF 100-500 attached.

First the 7DII:






Now the R6:



The very bottom of this is faded with some out of focus vegetation, but I wanted the composition and rather like the effect anyway.


and my personal favourite...

[Tronhard]

Very nice captures, Trev.

This year I went in two opposite directions.

In the Sigma/Foveon line, I reverted to their first digital SLR, an SD9 which I found new-in-box on ebay. Purely nostalgic reasons.

In Panasonic, I bought a Lumix DC-G9 and the excellent 12-35mm Vario X, Dual-IS for my unsteady hands and it's IBIS for my Takumar M42 lenses and it's focus-peaking for my poor vision. Helluva combo, IMO.

Hi Ted:

I know what you mean about nostalgia. I was reading a copy of a book by Tom Ang (who lives in Auckland, I now discover) called Photography, the Definitive Visual History. On a double-page spread was an item about the Canon EOS D30, released in 2000 with a 3MP APS-C sensor. I wrote about that in this thread: A Piece of History in Action Nothing wrong with a bit of nostalgia and we become protectors of the legacy.

[Astro]

I have as a result of lockdown found myself with additional (never surplus) funds after 12 months of going nowhere.
I decided to retire my 5DsR with some regret. I had aquired an EOS R 12 montss ago to 'assess' mirrorless cameras.
Couldn't quite justify the R6 to myself, but the R5 is a pretty good match for the 5DsR and I took the oppotunity to go for the new Canon EOS R 800mm lens.

Putting aside the reduction in weight (which is spectacular), and only a few weeks of testing (in reality), I can't see me going back to the SLR. I do a lot of insect macro and the EOS R in combination with Cannon's 100m macro performed excellently last season. The R5 is in a different league already from the EOS R so I am looking forward to the spring and really stretching the capabilities of the R5.

For all of that, I am kind of sad to retire the 5DsR...just couldn't trade it in, which is a bit stupid really, been shooting with it for 4-5 years.. .

Eventually, it will get to me and I will have to look at passing it on, I hate good kit just sitting on the shelf !!!

[rpcrowe]

Outstanding images Trev - congratulations on your new gear but, it was your photographic skill; that enabled you to capture the imagery.

I have not traveled anywhere and have also not purchased any photo gear of any importance, Instead, I (Like Manfred) have invested in my home some of the money I have saved by not buying photo gear and by not driving 15,000 miles (more or less) in support of our Maltese rescue efforts.

We have invested in new windows for the kitchen and dining nook for new sliding doors for the family room. We have also invested in a new fountain/birdbath for our yard as well as some new bird feeders. The combination of food and the feeders has drastically increased the numbers of birds we have in our garden. I still have a few feeders coming from Amazon and once they are established, I plan on doing a lot of bird photography which I will post here.

I am expecting to get vaccination #2 next month and I will then start photography away from the house again...

Trev, congrats again on your new gear and those great images...

[Dave Humphries]

Nice pictures Trev,

Congrats on new set up.

[Tronhard]

Thanks to James, Dave and Richard for you comments. I think a lot of local economies are staying solvent thanks to people not traveling.
Richard, I hope your efforts to encourage birds into your garden and your images will get you the results you deserve. I look forward to seeing them.
James, I would be really interested to see how your new setup works with the macro shots. I have the non-L 60mm EF macro lens and the EF-S 100mm unit, along with the EF-R adapter.