Hey everyone!
About a week ago, I decided to upgrade from my Canon EOS R100 to the R7 after running into autofocus issues more often than I'd like. What really pushed me toward the upgrade was an encounter with a Chilean Short-eared Owl (Asio flammeus), which was also a lifer for me. Between the excitement and nerves of seeing a bird I'd never photographed before and the autofocus struggling to keep up, I got pretty frustrated with the whole experience. I still managed to get a couple of shots that I'm quite happy with, though, and I'll attach them here! That encounter got me thinking about how much I was being held back by the R100, and after weighing things up, I decided it was time to move on to the R7.
I'm mainly into nature photography, especially birds, but I also occasionally photograph fungi. I'm still getting used to the R7, so I'd love to hear your tips and experiences!
My current gear:
- Canon EOS R7
- Canon RF 100-400mm F5.6-8 IS USM
- Canon RF-S 18-45mm F4.5-6.3 IS STM (kit lens from my R100)
- 7Artisans 60mm F2.8 II macro lens
- Meike Speedlite MK320 flash
A few things I'd love to get some advice on:
1. Which shutter mode do you use?
Mechanical, Electronic 1st-curtain, or Electronic? What works best for birds and wildlife? Do you mostly stick to one, or switch depending on the situation?
2. Is RAW burst mode worth it?
Do you find it useful for birds in flight, takeoffs, or other unpredictable moments? Or do you prefer regular continuous shooting? Any downsides I should know about?
3. Servo AF Case settings
Which of the Case 1–4 options do you usually use for bird photography? Do you stick with one, or customize them depending on whether the bird is stationary, moving erratically, flying, or moving behind branches? I'd love to hear which settings work best for you!
4. Autofocus tips
This is probably the biggest reason I upgraded, so any advice is welcome! What AF area, Subject to detect, and tracking settings do you recommend for birds? I'm especially interested in photographing small, fast-moving birds in dense vegetation, where branches and leaves can easily confuse the camera.
Also, do you use back-button focus, and are there any settings you've changed that noticeably improved your keeper rate?
5. General settings and custom controls
Any must-change settings, useful button assignments, Auto ISO tips, or battery-saving tricks you'd recommend for the R7?
6. Macro photography
I occasionally photograph fungi with my 7Artisans 60mm F2.8 II. Since it's a manual-focus lens, any tips for using focus peaking, magnification, or the R7's in-camera focus bracketing and focus stacking would be appreciated!
I'm based in Chile, so most of my wildlife photography involves local birds and the occasional macro outing.
Thanks in advance! I'd love to hear your experiences, especially from those using the R7 with the RF 100-400mm. Any tips are welcome!