[Mik3ymomo]

Originally Posted by dcstep

From what I see, the D800 is still a great body. Are all your lenses top drawer and serving your needs. The EF500mm f/4L IS II gets as much credit as the Mark IV in all the shots above.

That's pretty much all I've done is upgrade my lenses, added niche lighting accessories and most of all worked on learning certain nuances with shooting technique. It's been a very long road over the last decade. I can honestly say that I am learning new things all the time still. There are so many genres in photography and in the past couple years I've really seen the most improvement from just proper planning of my shots.

The simple things now make the biggest differences in my shots. Things like the time of day, the way I choose to use the available light. There is always more to learn. I think the difference between good photographers and great photographers is staying hungry for knowledge. Not listening when people say you are great. Never being satisfied that you are doing it "good enough".

I always come back here because of the dedication I see with a few individuals that frequent this section; including the person doing this review. Thanks for staying the course Dave.

[dcstep]

Thanks Michael.

My most common advice to photographers that I meet, with great equipment and basic composition mastered is, shoot with Raw and use Lightroom or DxO to convert to JPG. I'm amazed at how few take that advice and get stuck with almost wonderful shots.

I think that many think that I'm suggesting Photoshopping and altering every shot, not realizing that I'm not talking about that at all. Oh well...

[dcstep]

Here's another Field Review of the 5D MkIV, with results consistent with mine:

http://arihazeghiphotography.com/blo...-field-review/

[dcstep]

I ordered my MkIV today, with the 24-105mm II "kit" lens.

I'll be selling my Series I 24-105mm next month. The condition is "well used." I'll probably send it in to CPS for a clean and check before I put it on the market.

[Itsed65]

Originally Posted by dcstep

I ordered my MkIV today, with the 24-105mm II "kit" lens.

Happy New Year Dave!

I have been more than pleased with mine.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by Itsed65

Happy New Year Dave!

I have been more than pleased with mine.

Thanks Ed. Happy New Year to you also.

I have high hopes for the Series II 24-105mm. My Series I was not my best lens by a long shot, but probably my most used (neck and neck with the 500mm). I hope it's a step up in IQ, although the tests that I see aren't touting a huge improvement in IQ, like many of the other S-II lenses. Still, I'll make good use of another two-stops of IS.

Dave

[dcstep]

The 5D MkIV arrived last night. I set up the menus and I'm chomping at the bit to get out and shoot. It's around zero Fahrenheit, right now, and snowing lightly, but I'll be out this p.m.

[apexlocator]

Originally Posted by dcstep

Thanks Michael.

My most common advice to photographers that I meet, with great equipment and basic composition mastered is, shoot with Raw and use Lightroom or DxO to convert to JPG. I'm amazed at how few take that advice and get stuck with almost wonderful shots.

I think that many think that I'm suggesting Photoshopping and altering every shot, not realizing that I'm not talking about that at all. Oh well...

Great advice. I started using lightroom regularly a couple years ago to do minor croping/leveling horizons/levels, etc.; really can transform a picture, and it usually takes 20-30 secs to do a pic.

[dcstep]

Originally Posted by dcstep

The 5D MkIV arrived last night. I set up the menus and I'm chomping at the bit to get out and shoot. It's around zero Fahrenheit, right now, and snowing lightly, but I'll be out this p.m.

I just wanted to report that, after over 2,000-clicks, my opinion is still very high. The AF pretty well blows away the 7D MkII.

I shot with an experienced shooter, that was using a 7D2 with an EF 600mm f/4L IS II and 1.4x TC, on a tripod. I was hand holding the 5D4 with the 500/f4 II and the 1.4x TC. I was getting shots right and left that he was totally missing.

We were shooting a rough-legged hawk, flying low over the grass. I had many shots to chose from and he had none. Here's my favorite from the shoot:

Rough-legged Hawk Flies Low by David Stephens, on Flickr

After an hour of shooting, he went to his car to get his 1DX MkII.

Dave

[san~man]

That's a stunner Dave!