If you are into night sky photography the Rokinon are regarded as god (oops! or good if you wish) as any & best value for money. Their lack of coma is the deciding factor for many.
As you can see I am not into buying cheap stuff unless it is good. Neither am I into buying lenses just because they have an L in their designation.

http://www.borrowlenses.com/blog/2013/05/the-best-lenses-for-night-photography-a-case-for-rokinon-primes/

http://intothenightphoto.blogspot.com/2013/06/night-focusing-rokinon-14mm-lens.html

http://www.lonelyspeck.com/lenses-for-milky-way-photography/

+ many others if you care to search & for other subjects. Have a look at photozone tests & MTF charts ( if you put credence into this sort of testing)

Putin is a nasty man whatever his involvement in this affair.
Strong but nasty. Maybe you'd like a clone to replace OB?
I take it the US is not supplying arms to anyone.
Israel for example.
I think Israel has every right to take the steps it has & blame Hamas totally for how the situation has escalated since the killing of the Israeli students.

There is no definitive answer. Much depends on the subject, weight, price, time of day, desired IQ & weight. There will be compromises.
When I was into bird/nature photography my choise of lens was a 300 f2.8 L IS that could be used without much loss of IQ with both 1.4 &2x TCS both singly & stacked. This set up was portable unlike tramping the bush with a 500, 600, or 800 which are more useful when shooting from blinds or vehicles.
As you have a Canon I would look at 300 f4 with 1.4, 400f5.6 (regarded as the best bird in flight lens) & 100-400 zoom ( new model when it arrives.
Due to a recent back problem I have now sold my superteles & awaiting the appearance of the 100-400. Don't rely on making money when selling lenses. I have never broken even let alone made on this. I have always bought from dealers to obtain warranty & eligibility for Canon Professional Services. You may have a different policy which may be more conducive to funding. Having said that I have never lost more than $500 which is cheap rental for a 5 year period.
You could also look at a compact super zoom as suggested in the previous post. As I have said compromise is the name of the game. The Tamron 150-600 is worth a look but is receiving mixed reviews.

There is no definitive answer. Much depends on the subject, weight, price, lens speed, desired IQ & weight. There will be compromises.
When I was into bird/nature photography my choice of lens was a 300 f2.8 L IS that could be used without much loss of IQ with both 1.4 & 2x TCS both singly & stacked. This set up was portable unlike tramping the bush with a 500, 600, or 800 which are more useful when shooting from blinds or vehicles.
As you have a Canon I would look at 300 f4 with 1.4, 400f5.6 (regarded as the best bird in flight lens) & 100-400 zoom ( new model when it arrives as the first step into this type of photography.
Due to a recent back problem I have now sold my superteles & awaiting the appearance of the 100-400. Don't rely on making money when selling lenses. I have never broken even let alone made on this. I have always bought from dealers to obtain warranty & eligibility for Canon Professional Services. You may have a different policy which may be more conducive to funding. Having said that I have never lost more than $500 which is cheap rental for a 5 year period.
You could also look at a compact super zoom as suggested in the previous post. Compromise is the name of the game.

I agree. Not sure if you read this but that is the point the writer
of the following is making.

http://photofocus.com/2013/08/01/why-i-couldnt-care-less-what-dxomark-says-about-my-lens-...
Interesting read & point of view.

If I were not heavily invested in Canon L lenses then the D800E would certainly be of interest over other manufacturers' offerings.
However if I really wanted MPs I would look further afield & have to lighten the bank balance considerably. As always compromise is the name of the game.

I could say the opposite. After reading & researching I try before I buy.They find fantastic performances from Sigma Art lenses. I have never had a good one from the box & certainly am not interested in spending time multiple testing to find a good one at a premium price that meets DxO findings.
I stand by what I said that they do not have the monopoly on being correct. As with most reviews one tends to read & find what one wants to hear. Real life can be & is different on many occasions. That's my opinion take it or leave it-just as I do with their findings.

http://photofocus.com/2013/08/01/why-i-couldnt-care-less-what-dxomark-says-about-my-lens-or-yours/
Interesting read & point of view.

DxOMark ratings are suspect. A guide maybe but not gospel.

Rule of Thumb: Viewing distance 3x the diagonal=270 approx.

Amazing mentality. Ban bags not firearms. Just think 500 sleepers all able to arm themselves at country fairs & on the internet. No need to smuggle in arms. Intelligent hey!

70-200 f2.8 L IS vii is one of Canon's best lenses.
If you are shooting a lot of moving subjects IS not that important. For portraits & static subjects IS can be invaluable. Heavy lens but then all 2.8 lenses are. I have no problems carrying one all day & quite often do so along with a 300 f2.8 L IS. But then I always carry a load of gear so it is what I am used to. I am also nearer 70 than 60.
Whatever offering you choose in the 70-200 range is good & I have had them all. Depends whether f2.8 is important or not.

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/

Tamrac is a good one.

I'll drink to the wine & your Pic!

Not wine but equally as welcome on occasion & a local brew.

End of the Day

http://digital-photography-school.com/iso-settings


In Digital Photography ISO measures the sensitivity of the image sensor. The same principles apply as in film photography – the lower the number the less sensitive your camera is to light and the finer the grain. Higher ISO settings are generally used in darker situations to get faster shutter speeds (for example an indoor sports event when you want to freeze the action in lower light) – however the cost is noisier shots. .................................................................

Read more: http://digital-photography-school.com/iso-settings#ixzz1u2Jx4AtC

Hello from Perth Western Australia. :-)