CANON R7 - Still good after 2 Years? Featuring the RF 200-800 and the Mighty Pika of Alaska!

[@alansach8437]

"Littlest lion!" Love that, and so true! They are getting harder and harder to find in the lower forty eight due to climate warming. My favorite time photographing them was about 15 years ago with a good friend who has since passed. One little guy was coming down the skree, would dash under a log, sit there a minute and then jump into the grass. He'd collect some and head up the hill. He did this over and over. The only thing that varied was how long he sat under the log before jumping. We sat on the ground and tried to get him in mid jump, right toward us. In those days we had pretty limited buffers on our cameras. Time after time we would start shooting too soon, and our buffers would fill, or he would jump before we could hit the shutter! We were rolling on the ground in laughter about how he kept "outwitting" us! We finally gave up and put our gear away when he decided to pick up this huge (for him) aspen twig with dazzling yellow leaves, hopped on a rock, and just sat there looking at us, posing! Cameras packed away! Good times!

[@WILDALASKA]

🤷‍♂️

[@AlphaZuluPhotography]

lol.. climate warming. I find them all the time in Colorado.

[@alansach8437]

​​@@AlphaZuluPhotographyYes, I do too, but at higher and higher elevation. There are many places I used to photograph them where they are no longer found. It is well documented that warming climate is at least partially responsible. Pika are very susceptable to the heat, as I am sure you are aware. I like to know as much as I can about the animals I photograph. www.usgs.gov/news/national-news-release/pikas-disappearing-parts-west-due-climate-change#:~:text=American%20pikas%20%E2%80%93%20small%20herbivores%20that,southern%20Utah%20and%20northeastern%20California.

[@Chris_Wolfgram]

Love the Pika's :) And I still love (mostly ;) lol) my R7's :) I'm ready for an R7 Mk II, but until then, their is nothing else on the market that will really work for me. Certainly no stinkin' full frames ;) Oh, and loving my brand new 200-800 as well. Hey btw, I really like your music choice. Great video, and glad to see you back out there :) Continued blessings to you.

[@WILDALASKA]

Right on!

[@lanep4322]

Good show and photos. The music score is awesome.

[@WILDALASKA]

thanks

[@Rudy.Pohl.Ottawa]

Great video Scott, loved the intro and the music. You're looking good and strong and fully back in your zone! Thanks and have a great day! 😎

[@WILDALASKA]

Thanks

[@faerphoto]

I love pika! I haven't had a chance to photograph them yet, but hopefully one day. Thanks for sharing your beautiful day even if you didn't see as many as normal. Cheers from Maine. :) Paula

[@WILDALASKA]

Thank you! You too!

[@Kellysher]

I went to Colorado last September and really wanted to get some pica shots. I was only able to find 1 little guy above the tree line on a cold and windy day. I did get a few keepers. They’re smaller than I thought they’d be! I wanted the iconic picture of a pica with a mouthful of grass, but that didn’t happen. They are darn quick and blend into the rocks pretty good. We didn’t come upon a Marmot. That will have to wait for the next trip. I really enjoyed this video, you have such amazing wildlife diversity in Alaska.

[@WILDALASKA]

You have to find big skree piles. Just bunch of rock fall areas to search through. Once you find those stash spots you are golden.

[@alainmichaud6747]

Love to see what you do with the R7 , I will have a great time with this camera...and love to check out the lens and settings and tricks you use for this camera.....thank for these video.

[@WILDALASKA]

Thanks. Glad you find them useful

[@simeonbennettphotography]

Excellent video 👏big fan of your channel and photography 👍

[@WILDALASKA]

Thank you so much 👍

[@rawbsworld6604]

👍🤗 only encountered a pile once , cute animal mention them most don’t know of them nice vid and catch ! ✌️🤙

[@WILDALASKA]

Thanks 👍

[@diaslaksana4009]

wow😮

[@WILDALASKA]

😄

[@keeskraaijeveld4704]

Nice video again Scott!! With this combination I have still some issue's with focusing at great distances. Im using all of your settings as shown in your videos in the past (R7, R5, etc.). But again this morning I was trying to get a marsh harrier at about 150/200 meters low at the horizon with trees behind it to get focused. Sunny weather, good sight. I didn't get it focused on the bird and the focus area was jumping from 1 focus point to a whole area with eye detect on. Is the distance to far? Unlucky? Some advice?

[@WILDALASKA]

If you just ant environmental landscape with a bird in it then its not too far. If you want the bird? yes way too far. 75 yards max for detail imho.

[@michaeljohannsen4872]

Nice Video, music and photos, but what about the actual lens? There wasn’t a lot talked about it. Pro‘s and cons. Dealing with the dim aperture. How is the weight manageable. Would you buy it again? Would it be your first choice when venturing out? Differences using it on FF and crop bodies....

[@WILDALASKA]

When the video title says 'x month review' then we will cover those type things thent. 😉 This was just a how does it look after 2 years using the camera. Lens is just what we used along with the 500 f4. If it looks good in the images that's all really for this one. Some videos are adventures with the gear and some were reviews. Thanks for the kind words.

[@kosowskj]

I went to Grand Teton last year and was able to come back with decent photos of both Pikas and marmots. They were fun to watch. Also, I experienced rolling shutter with the R7 for the first time this week. I was photographing hummingbirds and many of the photos came back with very warped wings. Was shooting at 1/1000.

[@WILDALASKA]

Pics are a blast

[@spyder000069]

1/1000 is too slow for humming birds. Try 1/2000 to 1/4000 and set the R7 to 1st curtain electronic shutter. The ISO will raise but I get pretty good hummingbird pics with my R7 and you can use a denoise tool to smooth out any grain from the higher iso.

[@WILDALASKA]

@@spyder000069 Depends on what type of shot you are trying to get. The lower shutter speeds were not to stop the wings. I want the soft wing look in a few shots

[@alansach8437]

I agree. Sometimes Iike a little wing blur, especially in hummers. I gives the sense of action. Of course, it's cool to freeze them 100% too!

[@eskay2250]

Nice pillow Scott 😂 Looks like a great place to rest and photograph

[@WILDALASKA]

Its makes the best pillow in a pinch 🤪

[@stephenthompson1998]

Enjoyable video Scott, you seem to be back to health well done. What kit are using for the landscape photography/ video..

[@WILDALASKA]

I think that was the insta360 go 3s. IM not fully back that walk up took a while lol

[@Joya5545]

Scott, great video. I've been very happy buying some of your accessory suggestions, I wonder if you might be able to help me with a recommendation for a wide strap to carry my R7 RF200-800mm. I was using the strap that came with it and wearing it around my neck but I think it caused me to experience some neck issues that became quite debilitating. I think the way I see you and your friend with the wide over shoulder straps (connected to camera base and lens tripod mount?) maybe the better way to go.. Thanks for any thoughts on this. Love your videos.

[@WILDALASKA]

Thanks. This is the strap I use for all my big lenses. Peak Design SL-BK-3 Slide, Camera Strap amzn.to/48rGL9R

[@Joya5545]

@@WILDALASKA Thanks Scott, much appreciated.

[@boredcat7]

High Scott how do you carry such heavy gear, and do you have any sort of strap system to carry the large lens and camera for the day? Thanks

[@WILDALASKA]

Just put out on and go. Strap I use is a peak design slide strap

[@bladerealm124]

Are you getting the R5II?

[@WILDALASKA]

Got notification from Stewarts that I can pick it up Tuesday 🎉😃

[@bladerealm124]

@@WILDALASKA nice. Mine is coming in tomorrow. I was close to switching to the Z8 but the R5II will keep me with Canon a bit longer. Hopefully it's a significant step up from the R5, especially for video animal AF. I still envy Nikon's video stabilization with long lenses and I don't think the R5II will catch up in that regard.

[@bladerealm124]

@@WILDALASKA any updated thoughts on the 100-500mm vs 200-800mm? Which do you find yourself using more? And have you compared them with the Nikon 180-600mm? I own all three lenses but I only have a Nikon ZF so not a fair comparison. I REALLY like the 180-600mm as it's very similar to my previous beloved Sony 200-600mm, with a reasonable throw and internal zoom. I hate the throw on the 200-800mm and the 100-500mm isn't great either. They each have pros and cons.