Canon should totally give me a sideline pass to the Superbowl for all this gear

Ok....I'll post a bunch more background soon, but I think I am there.

Ranking the lenses for my anticipated uses (sadly, not the superbowl):


  • Backyard birding. This is not something I do much of but would like to get into a bit more. My stands and bird feeders sit about 30 to 35 ft away from where I would primarily set up. And about 20-25 ft away from a secondary set up. Lens rankings
    • 600 f/4 IS II
    • 500 f/4 IS II
    • Distant....150-600S
    • A 400 mm lens




  • Loons and other wildlife while kayaking. Usually two trips a year, the 150-600S gives me just about enough reach, but more would be better. It is all hand holding while sitting in a kayak. I tend to rotate 45-60 degrees to either side, so some of the handholding can be awkward. Rankings:
    • 400 DO II
    • 500 f/4 IS II
    • 150-600S
    • 100-400 II plus TC


While I can handhold the 600II, I am not liking the idea from my kayak, especially going side to side. It would probably work, but I found the 150-600S awkward, the 600 II would be another 34% in weight, and more difficult to stow. The 500 II w/ hood reversed will fit into my set up I have for the 150-600S w/ hood in position (both ~15 inches). So, I'll have to deal with the hood, but it can work.

  • Supertele (>400mm) for travel. I'll almost certainly have a zoom with me to augment, but this is where the majority of my shots with the 150-600S have come from. Trips could include birding in FL and Idaho (eagles), Yellowstone, I hope to someday do a safari, bears, elk, deer, puffins, etc. Lens rankings would actual vary for each one of these depending on location and subject, but traveling by air to potentially remote locations in general, I would rank:
    • 500 f/4 II
    • 600 f/4 II (I can get the math to work with it fitting in an overhead bin, but I am still worried about smaller planes)
    • 400 DO II


So, somewhat interesting, each lens took first depending on the category. But, both the 400 DO II (backyard birding-want more reach) and the 600 II (from a kayak) each fell out of a category whereas I would rank the 500 II placed first or second in each.

I think we have the winner.