p.1 #1 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
I am going to Yellowstone in May, with my Canon R5 mkii. I have the 70-200mm Z, the 100-500mm f/7.1 and the 200-800mm f/9, along with the 1.4 xtender. I am considering renting one of the big white prime lenses for the best possible shots but am unsure about which would be more useful for bears in Yellowstone. The 400mm F/2.8 or the 600mm f/4?
Can someone with Yellowstone experience let me which of those two big whites would be generally more useful for bear photography in May at Yellowstone?
p.1 #2 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
For on the tripod, long distance - 600/f4 with 1.4x with R7 is my vote. Your lens are good but sometimes the wolves are far away. 600/f5.6 with high iq and lots of pixels is best.
For out your window, I like the 200-800. This is the most versatile handleable lens. And it is nearly as good as 100-500 in centre but you don't have to fiddle with 1.4x.
Shorter than 400, I would not bother. 400prime would always leave me lacking mm or too long.
You can rent lens in Bozeman. I have done it. I don't know about 600/f4. But I would rent the r7 for reach. Yellowstone often has extreme distance great opportunities and in close out the window opportunities.
Shoot r7 efcs to improve the angular movements that ruin slower read speed camera's with big magnification.
Bring a tripod.
100-400 or 100-800 or 100-600 from car are great if the light is good. If I am driving I bring my 200-400(560) f4 (f5.6) for quick shooting. It is fast enough in low light and on the r7, in efcs, it does a good job in a pinch.
Worry about function, more than iq with these lens. Eg 200-800 on r5 is very good enough. And 600-800 range is more important than iq at edges. 600 F4 /r7 is useful in low light. 100-500 is easiest (light and shorter) to use from your car without risking being gored by a bison.
r7 is good in efcs, because of 32mpx. Not in electronic at extreme distances.
R5ii is best ff because of read speed for fast fps. r7 is not good for long mm and fast fps, but really good with efcs.
p.1 #3 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
I shoot a Yellowstone a lot. For sure the 600/4.0 with a 1.4x teleconverter. And yes a cropped sensor body would help. In the past most of my work there has been done with such a setup on a Canon 7D MKII. I now have a R5 MKII also and when I go this spring I know my 7D MKII will still be going with me for the times I need it.
Now that said, you can get lucky there quite often if you know the right locations and such. Or if things go very wrong, ! This guy come out of nowhere one day when I was checking on a seasonal coyote den. Had me corned a bit for awhile. This was the 600/4 on the 7D MKII pretty much not cropped at all. Carry bear spray on you at all times.
I've always found the northeast corner to be best for the bears. You should have plenty of them out with their cubs up there in the spring. Be ready for low light shooting which is when you will see them the most.
If you have the time spend at least one day down in the Tetons if you want bears. Most likely you'll find Grizzlies close to the main road in the Pilgrim Creek area.
It can be a bit of a circus there and I generally avoid it but it does give you a great opportunity to get them if they are active then.
p.1 #4 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
Definitely go with 600f4. Bears, pronghorn, wolves are usually far away. Also bring along a zoom like 100-500. You will also have opportunities for bison near the roadway where a 70-200 is perfect.
p.1 #6 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
rogeruzun wrote:
I am going to Yellowstone in May, with my Canon R5 mkii. I have the 70-200mm Z, the 100-500mm f/7.1 and the 200-800mm f/9, along with the 1.4 xtender. I am considering renting one of the big white prime lenses for the best possible shots but am unsure about which would be more useful for bears in Yellowstone. The 400mm F/2.8 or the 600mm f/4?
Can someone with Yellowstone experience let me which of those two big whites would be generally more useful for bear photography in May at Yellowstone?
-Roger Uzun
BTW - May is a very good time to go. Just after road open is best because crowds are lower, animals are forced closer to the roads, and babies are coming out. I like late September as well for low crowds (and eg bison rutting).
p.1 #7 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
rogeruzun wrote:
I am going to Yellowstone in May, with my Canon R5 mkii. I have the 70-200mm Z, the 100-500mm f/7.1 and the 200-800mm f/9, along with the 1.4 xtender. I am considering renting one of the big white prime lenses for the best possible shots but am unsure about which would be more useful for bears in Yellowstone. The 400mm F/2.8 or the 600mm f/4?
Can someone with Yellowstone experience let me which of those two big whites would be generally more useful for bear photography in May at Yellowstone?
-Roger Uzun
The RF 400 f/2.8 takes the 1.4TC very well to give you 560@f/4
p.1 #8 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
I spend 9 months a year home basing out of yellowstone. 600 f/4 will trump the 400 2.8. Especially if you are at a bear jam, eventually bear management will show up and you will be 70-100 yards from the bear depending on the situation.
p.1 #9 · Best "Big White" prime to rent for Yellowstone Wildlife
big country wrote:
I spend 9 months a year home basing out of yellowstone. 600 f/4 will trump the 400 2.8. Especially if you are at a bear jam, eventually bear management will show up and you will be 70-100 yards from the bear depending on the situation.
! This guy come out of nowhere one day when I was checking on a seasonal coyote den. Had me corned a bit for awhile. This was the 600/4 on the 7D MKII pretty much not cropped at all. Carry bear spray on you at all times. 
