The Canon 5D Mark IV with Canon EF 24-70mm f/4 L IS (and a RRS L-bracket).
Canon EOS 5D Mark IV (with Canon 24-70mm f/4 L IS)
-click to enlarge-
I don’t write about equipment here often as I prefer talking about locations and photographs. Too many photographers concentrate on the equipment over the experiences and results, and I think that often hurts the photography. I tend to only research and read (and write) about equipment when I need it. I was happy to not have bought a new lens since 2011, and only did so recently due to the camera upgrade. Since 2011 I’ve been shooting with a Canon 7D, an improvement at the time from the Canon 30D I’d been using since 2007. The 7D was a big upgrade from the 30D and I was able to use the same lenses (EF-S and EF) I’d invested in already. One of those lenses, the Canon EF-S 17-55 f/2.8 IS started to break down on occasion just over two years ago. A lens that just refuses to work at exactly the wrong time isn’t a good one to keep around. I put up with this as it still worked for the most part, and would make occasional bad noises before it crapped out on me again earlier this year. I had always imagined moving to a full frame camera at some point, and this lens was part of what got me to do it. If I had upgraded the 30D in 2012 instead of 2011, I might have bought a Canon 6D which is full frame. I’d probably still be happy with that camera and continue to use it as many of my photographer friends still do. At his point the 6D is getting old(er) and I had waited long enough for the much rumored 6D Mark II to be released. It may be released later this year, or not at all. The 7D was made in 2009, and while it is still a good camera (that I will continue to use) it lacks a number of things more modern cameras offer. Higher dynamic range, much less noise at higher ISO, etc. Even the increase in megapixels (a wildly over hyped feature in general) will be handy as the 5D Mark IV yields 30 megapixel files while the 7D was around 18.
So after months of research I had decided my new camera body had to be a 5D Mark IV but this required upgrading some lenses as well. The 7D has a APS-C crop sensor (1.6x) which worked well with my two EF-S lenses, the 17-55 f/2.8 IS and the Canon 10-22mm. Neither of these will work on a full frame DSLR body, so it was also time to move up in the world of lenses. The 17-55 was a good lens, but after using it’s replacement, the Canon 24-70mm f/4 L IS (which comes with the same price tag), I’m very happy with the quality of the images from it. I replaced the 10-22mm with a Canon 17-40mm f/4 L which is a pretty ubiquitous landscape lens among Canon landscape photographers. I haven’t used the 17-40mm much yet, but I expect it to be a step up from the 10-22.
I’ve spent a few weeks learning all the features on the new 5D Mark IV and do love the results so far. I’ve only been out for one “real” evening of shooting (in White Rock) but have made quite a few images in the backyard of baby rabbits, birds, and various spring flowers. It has been very nice to shoot at ISO 3200 and get the same level of noise I was used to at around 800! You’ll see those results, as well as the photos of other trips I have planned… soon!