Glad it helped! Thanks for watching!

I prefer this harness: www.cottoncarrier.com/?ref=UstaUkQq0CdpR1

That really stinks that the 200-800 is missing focus. It sounds like you got a bad copy. Super frustrating, but it can happen. Honestly, I'm not surprised that a 25 year old EF prime still outperforms this lens. Even used 25 year old 500's are still about 3 times the price of this lens. I'll be interested to hear your opinion once you get the lens back and use it at its peak performance.

​@@matthewgehly yeah, that's what I'm hoping (that it's a bad copy). I have to collate the images from the other day and notate them to prove my points before contacting my contact at Canon CPS. I'm not a CPS member (not a working pro - in Australian, Canon will only give CPS membership to working pros who's income is derived from photography by at least 90%). Canon's consumer support is as useless as the proverbial and CPS have agreed to assist me with any issues. I never expected the RF200-800 to be as sharp as the EF 500mm - if it gets within 90-95% range, then I will still be happy with the lens. It's the focus issues that are making the lens worthless to me. A mark 1 500mm prime is around USD 3k at the moment, and this lens is around 2k, so not really 3x but 1.5x. I suspect you were referring to the mark 2 prime, which is probably close to 3x. My goal was to originally save for a mark 2 EF 600mm prime (selling my mark 1 500mm prime in the process), but that wasn't going to eventuate until ~2029, which is when Canon will stop providing spare parts and supporting the mark 2 super tele primes. So, I decided to get the RF200-800 with my existing savings, and wait until I retire in ~13 years and use my superannuation to buy a RF 600f4 prime. I may have even kept the 500mm prime and not sold it, given it is consistently dropping in price. Now this problematic RF 200-800 scuppers most of my intentions sadly and is causing me a great deal of frustration and anxiety, something that I don't need in my life for health reasons.

Really appreciate your great tips! It was probably difficult to tell in the video, but the fence line scenario is pretty much as you described. Crazy thing is that I’ve had very little luck there, it wasn’t until I was in an adjacent field walking the fence line that I really had success. If it was easy the images wouldn’t be as special. 😁

Appreciate your kind comment! Wildlife photography is pretty much all about overcoming disappointments! Haha! We all strike out a lot more often than we hit home runs! Good luck on finding that Squatch! I grew up in that area. If you get a lead, let me know and we’ll go find him together! Haha!

Thanks so much for your kind words! Wildlife photography is such a rollercoaster. I'm sure you saw the heat haze in the flight and fence clips. So many things to need to come together to get the shot just right, but it's that hope that this adventure might be the one that it all works out that keeps us going back for more. Best of luck as you continue the quest!

Oh man, I totally feel your pain. I hope that your luck changes soon. As they always say, you won't find anything if you stay home! Keep at it!

Thanks so much for watching and following along. As you know wildlife photography can be both exhilarating and frustrating, but when it all comes together those frustrating moments are long forgotten!

Thanks for watching, Chris! It has literally been years of trying. So worth it when it all comes together. Best part is...I didn't even need to walk into a frozen creek! Haha!

It's nice to hear I'm not the only one who prefers the quiet solitude of nature. It's funny that I have way more patience in nature than at a mall! :)

Thanks for watching. It's about as raw a video as it gets...but I have a lot of fun just documenting the experience! :) Can't wait for YOUR next adventure!

Haha! It's the rush of adrenaline when the situation is unfolding in front of you that makes you forget simple things. :)

I ended up buying the Mark II, but I needed a new CF Express card because I kept my Mark I. The Mark II sure does seem to drain batteries a lot quicker than the Mark I...I've been experimenting with different power settings to help.

Haha! Yeah, my kids must know your kids! 😂

You’re going to have an incredible trip! I can’t wait to see the images! A small group splitting costs on a big trip like this makes total sense. The shared experiences will add to the memories of the trip. I’d definitely do something like this in a small group. I’m with you though. Local is best solo.

It’s great to share nature and wildlife encounters together!

Yep! I get it! Me too!

Some of our best memories have come from family vacation photo shoots. My son is graduating college this year and has a job lined up, those family adventures will be few and far between now. Hard to believe!

@@matthewgehly Congrats on him graduating and finding a job. Mine started college in the Fall so I understand no more family trips.

I’m with you Craig! The solitude of nature provides time to reflect and talk to God.

Haha! Me too! 😂

A small group in a big area is good. I just don’t like not being able to move without getting in someone else’s way when it’s tight quarters.

@@floridasuburbannature bear spray is your friend 🙂👍 My GF is 5'1", 110 lbs. I got her and I both a big can of bear spray. I originally got some about 4 years ago, then I saw they actually had an expiration date, which had just passed. So we took those out to see how well they worked, and Wow ! .....then bought new fresh ones 🙂

@@Chris_Wolfgram Maybe a friend AND bear spray for me. I'm 4'9" (and three quarters) lol.

Walking in a big group would drive me insane! 😂 Splitting up is definitely the way to go!

That’s awesome! I’m probably not brave enough to do that solo in your neck of the woods. Wish I was!

I’m with you! It gives me time to think and unplug. I prepare many sermons in my mind while I’m out in nature.

I wish my wife would go out with me more, but she is always busy keeping things rolling at the house while I’m out.

I get it! Me too. Maybe we can meet up sometime! 😂

Interesting. I looked them up. I guess that helps to find the shutter button through your gloves?

@matthewgehly Yes, through the gloves. I also have some nerve damage on my right index finger tip, so feeling the shutter button is hard. I shoot a lot of cross country ski races in Minnesota and barehanded is not the way to go for any length of time, so windproof liner gloves and a hand in the pocket or muff between shots is my try for this year.

Thanks so much! My equipment in this video was the same as yours. I wasn’t using a tripod in this video. I use Premiere Pro to edit and sometimes I use the warp stabilizer effect, but the results vary.

Thanks for listening and the great response. It’s amazing how God knows exactly what we need and when we need it. I’m with you on that Alaska trip! I’ve been saving for years, but still have a long ways to go! 😂

That's an amazing pair of gloves. I've looked into them in the past. I always just worried that I would lose the ability to sense the camera buttons. What has your experience been like?

@@matthewgehly the pointer fingers and thumbs fold back to expose your, works great fingers when you need to take pics

Using a hand muff around your waist is a fantastic idea!

Hi Gregory! Thanks for subscribing! Here's to many great wildlife encounters in 2025!

Oh yeah! I can’t imagine! Do you have any way to feel the buttons on your camera when it’s really frigid?

Bank robber mask…haha! Yep! It’s great to protect the cheeks and it helps to hide the human form from critters. 😁 Thanks for watching! 👍

Haha!

Man! Your heart must of sunk…and to have that happen in front of a bunch of people would make it all the worse! Glad it still works! 👍

I don’t have the assets available to share, but that’s a fantastic idea. I need to make another version of this video and provide files to download and use on your own content. Thanks for reaching out!

Not a bad strategy!

The RF 200-800 is an amazing lens, basically a 2.0 version of the RF 800 f/11. Being able to zoom out a bit to find the subject in frame makes all the difference!

Appreciate it! Hope you found some helpful tips! 👍

Thanks for sharing that tip! I’ll have to look into it a little more. I'm always looking for ways to improve my autofocus. These cameras are almost so good that it’s overwhelming! There’s so many options that can be customized to suit your shooting style and subjects. Thanks again!

Hi Joe, I use this camera strap: amzn.to/4gdU9l5

I’m much better at following the subject when I have the ability to zoom out and find it in the frame then zoom back in. The 100-500 allows that option. The 200-800 (not in the video) is a great option to get the reach, but also be able to zoom out and zoom in to find the subject. The other reason is that the R5 and 100-500 is a much better setup that produces a better image. I was hoping for a wall hanger…that I obviously didn’t get! 😂 Thanks so much for watching! 👍🦅📷