12 July 2025

Looking for advice on camera gear

Hi everyone!

I am looking to upgrade my camera gear for our trip to Bolivia in a couple of months. I have been asking around and have been advised to go for canon R5, R6 or R7, but i am happy to be convinced for a different brand. I have been using a compact sony camera until now and have found a lot of noise even during daylight pictures with mammals not too far off so i really want to be able to feel the upgrade.

From my research, R7  with a 100-500 mm should be good enough for daylight picture , it’s lighter to travel and it’s cheaper, but i would struggle with pictures when spotlighting at night (does anybody have experience with this camera while spotlighting?) whereas the full frame R5 and R6 mkII with a 200-800 mm lens will capture better the light in low light conditions but will have less battery usage and will be more expensive and heavy. I understand from reading previous posts in here that many of you use the R5 and R6 so any proper experience with the camera and lenses including spotlighting at night will be appreciated.

My intended budget would be around 4000 euros for camera plus lens but could be higher if the difference in quality is noticeable and it’s a camera i could use for many years to come.

Thank you!

Post Views: 51

Post author

Eduardo Ruiz
Spanish architect with a deep love for wildlife from childhood, specially mammals. For the last ten years I have had the chance to visit places like Galapagos islands, the peruvian Amazon, Borneo, Australia or French Polynesia to find the animals i dreamed of when i was a kid. I don’t need to say that this list will keep growing more since i found this website 😉
Post Views: 51

1 Comment

  • 12 July 2025
    Sebastian Kennerknecht

    Hey Eduardo,
    Since we lead photo tours all around the world, focused on wild cats, including spot lighting, I put out my thoughts below (I personally use a Sony A1 with a 600mm f/4) so as you can see from the below I am not biasing Sony.

    Best Overall System for €4000: Nikon Z6 II + NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S
    1. Nikon Z6 II (Full-frame mirrorless)
    Sensor: 24.5MP full-frame BSI CMOS — excellent low-light performance.

    Burst rate: 14 fps.

    AF system: Very capable with good subject tracking and eye detection for animals (after firmware updates).

    Price: ~€1800 (body only)

    2. NIKKOR Z 400mm f/4.5 VR S
    Focal length: 400mm prime (600mm equivalent with 1.5x crop mode).

    Aperture: f/4.5 — fast enough for low light, especially with a full-frame sensor.

    Weight: Lightweight for a super-tele (approx. 1.25 kg).

    Sharpness and stabilization: Excellent.

    Price: ~€2500

    Total: ~€4300
    Depending on region and rebates, you may find this combo just below €4000, especially with cashback or used gear.

    Alternative Option: Sony a7 IV + Sigma 150-600mm DG DN OS Sports
    1. Sony a7 IV
    33MP full-frame sensor — very good in low light and more resolution for cropping.

    AF: Industry-leading animal eye AF and tracking.

    Burst: 10 fps.

    Price: ~€2500

    2. Sigma 150-600mm f/5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports
    Excellent sharpness, stabilisation, and reach.

    Slower aperture than the Nikon 400mm f/4.5, but better range (150–600mm).

    Price: ~€1450

    Total: ~€3950
    Better focal range, world-class autofocus. Slightly less ideal in low light due to aperture.

    Budget-Focused but Solid: Canon R6 (used) + RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L
    Canon R6 (used or discounted): Fantastic low-light AF and image quality.

    ~€1600 used

    Canon RF 100-500mm f/4.5-7.1L IS USM: Sharp, versatile, great IS.

    ~€2700

    Total: ~€4300, but the R6’s low-light performance is among the best.

    The R5 overheats very quickly, the R7 is crop sensor, so doesn’t do as well in low light. Happy to talk more about all this if you like.

    Thanks,
    Sebastian

Leave a Reply