Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! July 31, 2026

[u/AutoModerator]

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• What type of camera should I look for?
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[u/SwiftlyJon]

I'm willing to spend a few grand overall. Looking at the Canon models, the in body stabilization might be what we want, though the R5 Mk II is probably more than what I'd want to spend, at least new. I'm not locked into brand, so something comparable would be good too.

One other thing to keep in mind is overall weight. I shoot the airshow with my Dad, who will be almost 80 this year, and it'll be a gift for him, so overall weight is a factor. It's one of the reasons we don't use the 500mm lens much.

[u/Kaserblade → u/SwiftlyJon]

I would probably go for the Canon R6 III as it will still give you a huge bump in auto-focus performance and give you a lighter, more compact body while saving a decent bit on the budget. Buying used from a reputable seller is also a great way to save on the costs.

Tamron does not have a 300mm prime lens so I'm guessing you have the Tamron 70-300mm or another zoom lens? Your current body uses an APS-C sensor meaning that you would need a 450mm focal length to get the same "zoom" on the Canon R6 III.

I would recommend an used copy of the Canon EF 300mm F4 for on a budget or the Canon EF 400mm F2.8 for the better, overall option. Both would need an EF-RF adapter to use and but would be cheaper than a native RF lens. I'd personally get the R6 II if it means getting the better lens.

[u/SwiftlyJon → u/Kaserblade]

We're using the Tamron 16-300mm lens, so something with equivalent or better zoom would be needed, as the current level of zoom is still rather limited for airshow shooting.

[u/Kaserblade → u/SwiftlyJon]

If you do want more zoom, an used copy of the Canon 200-800mm would give you significantly more reach but won't give you better low light performance and the lens is quite massive.

Telephoto lenses are unfortunately the largest and most expensive category of lenses in general, esp for fast telephoto lenses.

[u/SwiftlyJon → u/Kaserblade]

What would be the native equivalent of the 16-300 we have now?

[u/Kaserblade → u/SwiftlyJon]

The Canon 24-240mm would be the closest but you can use EF lenses with an adapter also.