robertjerl Loc: Corona, California

I also have the RX10iv, 4 EF bodies, 2 RF bodies. A ton of lenses. A Panasonic pocket camera, some old Olympic pocket cameras, a now several years old Fuji bridge camera. And three misc. bridge cameras whose brands I now forget that I got for $20 each from Goodwill's clearance table. Being in goodwill and seeing the cameras on the spur of the moment, I got one for each family car. The old Fuji is now for our special needs son to use and my RX10iv is in a small camera bag with extra batteries, memory cards, a small flash and a pair of warm gloves that goes with me when I am out and about on my street legal mobility scooter. Cruising the backstreets and trails in parks etc. is FUN. The scooter took the place of my last motorcycle, which went to charity a few years back. (hint from wife, "You are in your 70s and...") I missed it, CA made the speed limit for seniors on mobility scooters 30mph. I pinched a sciatic nerve and my doctor gave me a letter saying I should buy a power wheelchair or a scooter for my photography etc. So I did!!! At 30 mph, I can actually get somewhere in a reasonable time. The speed of those mobility scooters is normally 8-15 mph, the brand I bought was rated at over 20 mph and when I called the company the owner told me mine would arrive able to do the new CA speed limit. It can actually do just a hair under 32 mph (50 kilometers per hour-the instruments are all metric).

Yes, I LOVE GADGETS and can afford a few! (? define few)

And another use for the mono-pod - ever watch the old "Robin Hood" on TV? Mono-pod=quarter staff, and they do have defense classes (some in video) in the use of a staff. A few of the online Native American craft sites have beautiful hand carved "walking sticks" and one or two sites will add a camera mount. The carbon fiber ones almost all have an option for a camera mount. Just search Amazon for "walking stick with camera mount".

Scruples Loc: Brooklyn, New York

I picked up a lens bracket. It supports the lens and allows me to focus. I also picked up a wrist strap. Even though I use a Canon 5D.

Look on line for FOTGA L200 Telephoto Bracket

Look on line for a VELLO Camera Wrist Strap

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

You have done the RIGHT thing and it should be with no regrets or looking back! - I have Tamron 150-600 G2, Canon 400 f4 DO, Canon 400 5.6L, Sony 70-400, on Sony A99, A9, Canon 80D and Canon 1D mark IV - The Sony RX10m4 @ 100, 200, and 400 ISO BEATS them ALL ! The Canon 70-300 IS II on the 80D is my only combo that really competes with the RX10 for image quality ! Sad, but that is the reality. The RX10 is mindblowing - https://www.uglyhedgehog.com/t-802108-1.html#14510129

george19

A month after I retired, my employer sent me an unexpected bonus check that I used to buy the 200-500. I love this lens, but I need to drive even the half mile around the corner to lug the tripod and related gear.

Even then, many of my shots are tethered. I try to end the day with some handheld shots.

I’ll bring the beast to Maine for our annual trip, along with the other gear. The Z100-400 is on my short list.

billnikon Loc: Pennsylvania/Ohio/Florida/Maui/Oregon/Vermont

You may want to consider the Nikon 70-300, which is not that expensive and would give you a field of view of about 135-450mm on your camera. You would also need the Nikon adapter since this is a DSLR lens. But it may be worth considering. This lens gets excellent reviews.
https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/1275036-REG/nikon_20062_afp_dx_nikkor_70_300mm.html

lyndacast

Billnikon….had this excellent lens with my d500…traded it, along with the d500, for the z150-500, which led me to returning it and purchasing the RX 10iv! Loved that lens on my heavier set up!

julian.gang

Got that right, I can even remember developing film in my basement darkroom!...Julian

Red6

I am also thinking seriously about making my kit a good bit lighter and more compact. While the camera I am using is not that heavy, I have an excellent Canon RF 24-205mm f4 L IS that is quite heavy. I am attending an airshow here in Florida in a few weeks and I will take the Canon with the 24-105. It will be hot and I will be there for most of the day so I will see if it is time to start shedding equipment or going to something lighter.

I am looking at several options:
(1) ditch the L lens and going to something else with less weight but lower quality.
(2) moving to another platform such as m43
(3) Going to a bridge camera such as the Sony R10 or Nikon P950
(4) sticking to my trusty travel camera a Sony RX100 III I may take this camera also to the airshow and compare results with the Canon.

Each alternative has its own advantages and disadvantages.

dennis2146 Loc: Eastern Idaho

Lynda as a user of the Sony RX10IV I doubt you will have any pangs of regret. A professional photographer friend of mine suggested I get one. At the time he told me I would find it to do about 98% of what my other cameras were doing. That would include Hasselblad, Leica, Nikon (many) Canon and so on. He was right. I use it for everything from macro, birds in flight and whatever normal photography shots you like. The 600mm when I do my part is very sharp but it also goes out to 800 and 1200mm as well and still pretty sharp. It is nowhere the size of the 150-600mm you have.

Dennis

Nalu Loc: Southern Arizona

I don't know exactly how heavy your Tamron 150-600 is, but the weight and potential camera shake may not be the only culprit causing unsatisfactory images. For instance, I was not happy with the results of my Sony 200-600 while hand holding and felt the lens was either just not sharp, or it was my inability to hand hold this lens without camera shake due to my aging arms. But, in part, listening to Patrick Murphy Youtube video commenting on this lens, and other Sony telephotos, and his comments on the need for high shutter speeds to get sharp images this Sony zoom, I started increasing my shutter speed, not worrying about the impact of high ISO's. Guess what, this lens is actually very sharp and I am a happy camper. So, if you haven't already returned the lens, take it out and shoot at shutter speeds at or above 3200 and see what you think about the results. You might decide to keep it.

47greyfox Loc: on the edge of the Colorado front range

Adding to your post, in early 2019 I was participating in a Costa Rica workshop in the Peninsula de Osa Corcovda Park nature area. We were a group of 8 or 9 that carried mostly DSLRs and long heavy zooms. We encountered another group of about ten people, also like us mostly in their 60s/70s, that were on a similar visit to the park. Four of the group were carrying a RX10 iii or iv. And the Sony was the only camera they brought on the trip. For the rest of the day and after, that stuck with me as I carried my Canon 5d4 and Sigma 150-600 Cont. I’m sure their images were just fine and to a woman/man less tired at the end of the day. I think the OP will be just as happy and pleased.

a6k Loc: Detroit & Sanibel

I was going to "prove" that the IQ of the RX10iv doesn't compare to the IQ of my 𝜶6500. Oops. I may have been wrong.

I mounted my excellent FE70-200/4 on the 𝜶6500. That gives an "equivalent" 300 mm. I set my RX10iv to 300 even though it can go to "equivalent" 600 mm. Then I took some raw+JPG shots of my favorite evaluation target at about 10 a.m. today using a railing to keep the cameras steady. Then I selected the best shot from each. I used both cameras on "auto" although that is not how I usually use them.

These two shots are SOOC.

Here are the two shots. You decide. I lean toward the RX10iv but it's close.

That said, my 𝜶6500 with a 500 mm lens is in another category. That would be a 220 actual on a 1" sensor vs a 500 actual on a APS-C sensor. Then it's not even close. But my trusty RX10iv is better than I thought!

𝜶6500

(Download)

RX10iv

(Download)

imagemeister Loc: mid east Florida

I do not see as even close - Use the RX10 more and you will get rid of the A6500 or, maybe keep it for lower light/higher ISO's .....

Hip Coyote

If more people would carry the camera they need rather than the one they want, the camera industry would go out of business. Look no further than the Gallery to see people with cutting edge gear taking fuzzy pictures of their wonky horizon vacations, their favorite cat or backsides of people strolling down promenades. Proper technique, understanding exposure, a little bit of editing goes a long way. Get the Sony, and forget the rest.

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

I agree with Theo opod. Some tripods have one leg that can be removed for use as a monopod.
Some carbon fiber tripods are surprisingly light