New Gear

I have been getting along with only one camera body since last summer but changing lenses when hiking can be a pain. The lens that's on the camera tends to stay on the camera even if I could do better with the other one. 

A confluence of circumstances has caused me to remedy that situation. I spent last weekend going over camera specifications and reviews to see which of several bodies would be best as a second body. I decided that an EOS R8 would best suit my circumstances, taking into account financial constraints. And Canon has an instant rebate on new R8 bodies that brought the price of a new body below the MPB "like new" used price. And Best Buy had one available near me.

You can see the differences between the R8 and the R6 Mark II and my current body, the R6 here. Some specifications at DPReview are misleading or just plain wrong. For example, they give the 6 fps for the R8 with partly mechanical shutter but the full speed electronic shutter speeds for the R6 and R6II. The R8 shoots 40 fps with electronic shutter.

I think this two body, two lens solution will work nicely. The R8 will be paired with the 14-35mm lens and the R6 with the 24-105mm lens. I can carry both with the OP/TECH Dual Harness system.

While the R8 does not have in body image stabilization, the RF 14-35mm f/4L lens has stabilization rated at 5.5 stops without IBIS and only 7 stops with IBIS. The RF 24-105mm f/4L lens, on the other hand, has stabilization rated at 5 stops without IBIS and 8 stops with IBIS. It works out nicely.

I am awaiting the extension grip for the R8 and a couple of backup batteries from MPB for which I traded my mostly unused battery grip for the R6. Here are some photos of the two setups followed by some shots with the R8 and 14-35mm f/4L lens.

14mm, f/8, 1/350 sec., ISO 200

35mm, f/8, 1/250 sec., ISO 200

18mm, f/8, 1/180 sec., ISO 200

18mm, f/11, 1/750 sec., ISO 200