First time canon user

[mephisto2061]

I've been shooting with a d700 for several years and am heading to my first safari next week (near Kruger).

Due to availability issues I've had to rent a canon 7d as my second / crop sensor body. this will be used with a canon 300mm 2.8 and 1.4/2.0 TCs (with my nikkor 70-200 2.8 on the d700).

I will pick up the canon only when I land at joburg unfortunately, so won't have much time to get used to it.

From those of you who use this canon combination, anything I need to look out for? Any major autofocus gotchas with the 7d that a d700 user won't get easily?

Separately, I have a tripod but it probably won't be much use in the safari vehicle either so I'm hoping that's not a huge problem with the relatively heavy 300mm.

Welcome any thought / advice / suggestions.

[Bryan Conner]

Download a copy of the owners manual for the 7D and read it before your trip.

[JonathanRimmel]

Download a copy of the owners manual for the 7D and read it before your trip.

+1

Definitely something I would do. I was crazy confused when I picked up the 7d that the college uses where I work. But now (after some extensive customizing of controls) it works smooth as glass. 

One thing to be Leary of is the direction you turn dials in different modes. For instance if you turn the front dial one way to change say, aperture in aperture priority and then go and try and do that in manual mode it won't work the same. But thankfully you can change this in the menus.

Also with Canons to change something like ISO, you press the button and it just stays in that mode, where as with Nikon you have to press and hold the button. As you know the mode changes once you release the button. On the Canon you have to press it again.

Be sure to change the auto-focus settings before going out in the field. Otherwise it will be using a bunch of auto focus points and searching all over the place. This has to be changed in the menus btw.

Basically the best advice is to read the manual, and change the controls and camera functions to best suit your shooting style. It shouldn't take you much time.

[Ken Bennett]

Along with the manual, you can check the review at dpreview here. It has a lot of information on what the different menu options do, and why you might choose certain ones.

For simplicity, I would set the AF to the center point and leave it there. The 7D has a very complex AF system, one that takes some time to master. I borrowed a 7D from CPS for two weeks and was totally confused. For long lens work, the center point will be fine, and it's the most sensitive.

As Bryan mentioned, the control buttons are sticky, so it's possible to change settings inadvertently without even knowing it. Something to keep an eye on.

The 7D is a nice camera, and will do a good job with the 300/1.4x combo. Have fun with it.

[kbolin]

I've shot in Sabi Sands (next to Kruger) and took along my 70-200 f/2.8 and 300 f/2.8.  The 300mm was the longest lens I used and used the 70-200 for about 70% of my shooting.  You'll probably find you won't use the TC's at all.

Enjoy!

[mephisto2061]

You were spot on. I was in Sabi Sand as well as Ngala for about 5 days. Particularly in Sabi Sand, you get pretty close to the animals - I shot approximately equal amount with the d700+70-200 and the 7d+300. Used the TC on a couple of drives only. Absolutely loved that 300mm lens but was annoyed several times about how easily the mode dial in the 7d moves around in a bumpy jeep - usually (unhelpfully) to M due to which I missed / badly exposed some fast moving opportunities. But overall it was a great combination and I can't wait to go through the few 1000 shots!