R7 for bird photography and birds in flight (2 Viewers)

[Barred Wobbler]

Apologies for deviating from the thread’s topic but can anybody recommend a good lens cover for the 100-500mm. I’ve had a neoprene cover on a Sony lens in the past and it never fitted particularly well, particularly around the switches. The Rolanpro seems to get reasonable reviews but I was hoping someone on this forum might advise.

Thanks

David

When I bought my 100-500 in April 2021, I don't think there were any lens coats available off the shelf - the lens was just too new. Since then, there are several manufacturers making them, but I still rely on the solution I found three years ago.

On YouTube, there's a bloke called Ron Bulefeld (my guess at the spelling), with a channel called Whistling Wings, and he had just issued a video about a stick-on vinyl coating made by Mossy Oak that he used on his new lens. It seemed to fit the bill, so I sent away for a roll. He does a video specifically on how to cut it for this particular lens.

A problem with the 100-500 when it comes to camo is the way the zoom works, with the barrel sliding into the closely-fitting body. As far as I can tell, all the Lens Coat type covers get round this by either having a baggy sock around the barrel, or it just stays white and uncovered.

The advantage with the Mossy Oak is that it's thin enough to slide into the lens barrel without fouling the body at all. This is because, unlike the other solutions, it's not neoprene (which is 2-3mm thick and way too thick to fit the gap). The Mossy Oak coating is vinyl, with a peel-off backing. A drawback is that it's not made to measure. It comes in a roll 7 feet long by 6 inches wide and you need to go a bit 'Blue Peter' with it and measure the various cylindrical sections of the lens barrel and cut the neoprene to size with a craft knife. It sounds harder than it is. All you need is a cloth tape measure (or even a strip of paper) to determine each circumference, then measure the length of each section. I covered my 100-500 with it as in the photo, and there was just enough left over to cover my new, bigger, 200-800. You can cut the vinyl to suit around the various control switches, so they aren't masked behind a see-through plastic window the way the controls were on my Sigma 150-600.

It's easy to use, because when you peel off the backing to place each section, the vinyl is sticky enough to stick, but not too sticky. If you get it a bit wrong at first, you can just peel it off and put it back on properly. Once it's where you want it, a gentle warming with a hair dryer on a low setting fixes the glue, and it stays fixed. Three years later, mine is still as good as new. Unlike camo tape, it's also removable, simply by warming it again with the hair dryer, and when it's peeled off it leaves absolutely no sticky residue, so the lens is clean if you want to sell it.

You might want to get one of the made to measure neoprene covers, but this was my solution.

 

[Steve Arlow]

The lens covers made by NEOPRENE CAMERA CASES | Outdoor photography gear are very good quality, better than the more expensive Lens Coat. I have their covers on my 100-500mm and can recommend it

 

[Barred Wobbler]

The lens covers made by NEOPRENE CAMERA CASES | Outdoor photography gear are very good quality, better than the more expensive Lens Coat. I have their covers on my 100-500mm and can recommend it

How does it cope with the zoom extension?

 

[davids]

When I bought my 100-500 in April 2021, I don't think there were any lens coats available off the shelf - the lens was just too new. Since then, there are several manufacturers making them, but I still rely on the solution I found three years ago.

On YouTube, there's a bloke called Ron Bulefeld (my guess at the spelling), with a channel called Whistling Wings, and he had just issued a video about a stick-on vinyl coating made by Mossy Oak that he used on his new lens. It seemed to fit the bill, so I sent away for a roll. He does a video specifically on how to cut it for this particular lens.

A problem with the 100-500 when it comes to camo is the way the zoom works, with the barrel sliding into the closely-fitting body. As far as I can tell, all the Lens Coat type covers get round this by either having a baggy sock around the barrel, or it just stays white and uncovered.

The advantage with the Mossy Oak is that it's thin enough to slide into the lens barrel without fouling the body at all. This is because, unlike the other solutions, it's not neoprene (which is 2-3mm thick and way too thick to fit the gap). The Mossy Oak coating is vinyl, with a peel-off backing. A drawback is that it's not made to measure. It comes in a roll 7 feet long by 6 inches wide and you need to go a bit 'Blue Peter' with it and measure the various cylindrical sections of the lens barrel and cut the neoprene to size with a craft knife. It sounds harder than it is. All you need is a cloth tape measure (or even a strip of paper) to determine each circumference, then measure the length of each section. I covered my 100-500 with it as in the photo, and there was just enough left over to cover my new, bigger, 200-800. You can cut the vinyl to suit around the various control switches, so they aren't masked behind a see-through plastic window the way the controls were on my Sigma 150-600.

It's easy to use, because when you peel off the backing to place each section, the vinyl is sticky enough to stick, but not too sticky. If you get it a bit wrong at first, you can just peel it off and put it back on properly. Once it's where you want it, a gentle warming with a hair dryer on a low setting fixes the glue, and it stays fixed. Three years later, mine is still as good as new. Unlike camo tape, it's also removable, simply by warming it again with the hair dryer, and when it's peeled off it leaves absolutely no sticky residue, so the lens is clean if you want to sell it.

You might want to get one of the made to measure neoprene covers, but this was my solution.

Thanks for that reply. An interesting option which I was not aware of. It looks relatively inexpensive too.

 

[davids]

The lens covers made by NEOPRENE CAMERA CASES | Outdoor photography gear are very good quality, better than the more expensive Lens Coat. I have their covers on my 100-500mm and can recommend it

Thanks It was an Outdoor photography cover which I had problems with on a Sony lens but it is good to know the Canon fits better.

 

[Barred Wobbler]

Thanks for that reply. An interesting option which I was not aware of. It looks relatively inexpensive too.

South of 25 quid on Amazon, enough to do the 100-500, plus the 200-800.

 

[Evan Atkinson]

I have finally been able to order my own R7 last night. It will probably turn up today but the adaptor won't turn up for a few days after that unfortunately, as Jessops's delivery time is "between 3-5 working days" but who knows, it could turn up tomorrow for all I know.

Evan

 

[davids]

Hi

Another general question on the R7 and 100-500 combination. How do people carry it? I use a Peak Design sling strap with the PD plate attached to the lens's tripod foot. However, I would like to dispense with the tripod collar to reduce weight/bulk and was thinking of connecting the strap to the camera body. However, I think I read somewhere that this puts more strain on the lens/camera connection than if the strap is attached to the lens body. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

David

 

[Farnboro John]

Hi

Another general question on the R7 and 100-500 combination. How do people carry it? I use a Peak Design sling strap with the PD plate attached to the lens's tripod foot. However, I would like to dispense with the tripod collar to reduce weight/bulk and was thinking of connecting the strap to the camera body. However, I think I read somewhere that this puts more strain on the lens/camera connection than if the strap is attached to the lens body. Any thoughts?

Thanks in advance

David

Yes it does. Don't do it.

Edit: Having said that, shoulder strap plates or their swivel connections have been known to fail, so I usually run a strap from the camera body strap attachment to a karabiner round the fabric of the shoulder strap as a back-up.

John

 

[Mark Jarrett]

Currently in Spain where the weather is sunny and warm, 17-24*c during the day but, more importantly, with good light if you obviously avoid the middle of the day.

The attached photo of a Red-crested Pochard was taken with the R7, the 100-500 (at 500mm) and the 1.4 extender. The light was good, if not a little harsh, but I think it’s decent enough detail wise. I shoot in jpeg and do very little ‘post.’

There have been several occasions where I have wished that I had gone out with my R5 as the ability to crop, even with less reach, is so much better. I have also found that I’m getting better flight shots with the R5.

The R7 is still a very fine camera. I bought it for the extra reach but, after much trial and error, the R5 is what I’ll take out most of the time. The old adage, ‘you get what you pay for rings true.’

 

[Mark Jarrett]

Lesser Kestrel with R5 and 1.4 extender.

 

[davids]

Yes it does. Don't do it.

Edit: Having said that, shoulder strap plates or their swivel connections have been known to fail, so I usually run a strap from the camera body strap attachment to a karabiner round the fabric of the shoulder strap as a back-up.

John

Thanks John

 

[Clive Watson]

Yes it does. Don't do it.

Edit: Having said that, shoulder strap plates or their swivel connections have been known to fail, so I usually run a strap from the camera body strap attachment to a karabiner round the fabric of the shoulder strap as a back-up.

John

That's an interesting point that I never noticed and which can only really be regarded as a design flaw. There is nowhere on the lens to attach a strap. I've just been carrying it by the camera strap thus far. How are people attaching a strap to the lens?

 

[davids]

I use a peak design strap. The PD plate is attached to the lens's tripod foot.

 

[colincurry]

I use a peak design strap. The PD plate is attached to the lens's tripod foot.

I use a Black Rapid R7 attached to the collar foot and a safety line attached to a carabiner on the strap which runs up and down the strap. See attached snap. This is the second R7 that I have used this way.

Colin

 

[Farnboro John]

FWIW my latest strap - a Tycke with underarm strap - broke at the usual place, the hole where the swivel is attached, yesterday. The camera/lens combo was saved as usual by the strap from the camera strap attachment round the fabric strap that runs over shoulder.

I've ordered a Black Rapid Breathe as a replacement but it too will have a safety strap on for that last resort.

John

 

[dabut101]

Canon R7 and RF 200 800
Red legger portrait

 

[Mendobirder]

There have been several occasions where I have wished that I had gone out with my R5 as the ability to crop, even with less reach, is so much better. I have also found that I’m getting better flight shots with the R5.

The R7 is still a very fine camera. I bought it for the extra reach but, after much trial and error, the R5 is what I’ll take out most of the time. The old adage, ‘you get what you pay for rings true.’

Agree. I have the R7 and my wife the R5, we often shoot the same birds simultaneously and her images are nearly always FAR better than mine. I still don't really understand why - the pixel density on the R7 is greater than that on the R5, yet the images are never as sharp.
And the big drawback is BIF where the R7 fails most of the time. This may be partly down to the lens I have been using, the EF 100-400L, which apparently slows down the AF. I will be testing with the RF 100-500 soon.

 

[Farnboro John]

Agree. I have the R7 and my wife the R5, we often shoot the same birds simultaneously and her images are nearly always FAR better than mine. I still don't really understand why - the pixel density on the R7 is greater than that on the R5, yet the images are never as sharp.
And the big drawback is BIF where the R7 fails most of the time. This may be partly down to the lens I have been using, the EF 100-400L, which apparently slows down the AF. I will be testing with the RF 100-500 soon.

I think you'll find a huge difference in your output at once. The EF100-400 Mk II is a fine lens (and was my initial combination with the R7) but having the RF lens designed for use with the RF range cameras is the business.

John

 

[k.hoogteyling]

I use a Black Rapid R7 attached to the collar foot and a safety line attached to a carabiner on the strap which runs up and down the strap. See attached snap. This is the second R7 that I have used this way.

Colin

View attachment 1571621

I have made my own 'combo' of these two brands: strap from Black Rapid, clips from Peak Design. In a way that I have two 'bindings' to my lens foot (I have R7 + RF 100-500mm), so double backup already there. Besides these two, I still have a small line to camera and strap as a final backup. In use for now 6 months, so not yet very worn but intensively used during a trip to Sri Lanka in feb 2024.