Dear Hogs:
Don't remember if I have intro myself --- If not my apologies & will do so --- But could use some advice or conformation on what to & not to take --- --- 11 day - Trip to So. Italy = Naples, Pompeii, Sorrento, Amalfi, Poestum --- Sicily = Just about all of the Greek/Roman temples plus Mt Etna
Want to of course take everything -- but previous experiences prove that I'm just too old & those days are long behind me ----
Here is what I'm planning on taking --- Canon --- 5Dmk2; 24mm 1.4; 35 1.4; 85 1.8; 100-400 IS (old model); Gitzo G1127 mk2 with Acratech GP ballhead ----- What i'm leaving behind = 50mm 1.4 & my favorite lens 135 2.0 plus all the filters, flash & close-up lenses ----- per the bathroom scale that's still almost 15lbs of "stuff"

My experience has found that ---- In general the Hogs most always provide outstanding advice & they generally if not always have the photos to prove it!!
However I have found one application where using a polarize filter on long glass to be most useful ---- It's not a 600 but a 100-400 canon @ 400 -- In the Grand Canyon using both an EOS-3 & a 5D mk2 --- When shooting directly down into the Canyon -- Found that the Polarize filter cut through the haze (both natural/coal fired) --- Really made a big difference --- Granted with the filter things get a tad slow -- So if you can use a tripod and or increase the ISO --- Hope this helps

THANK YOU -- THANK YOU !!!
Wish we had the BBC

Somewhere during the time period 1937 to 1939 A very smart German came up with the SLR --- I for one think It's here to stay -- Stay at least for a long time in my camera bag ----

But on the subject of the future what about the PIXEL --- When are "they" going to get around to providing the poor thing with the same eye sight capability we humans or most of us humans have -- Eye sight in the form of human Dynamic Range --- Now that in my humble opinion is REAL go out & get a new camera PROGRESS!!!!! --- Until then I'll hang on to the old gal with the flapping mirror -----
Anyone out there in Hog Land have any insight on that subject???????

PLEASE say AMEN -- Then turn off your PC

What an extraordinary and incredible waste of time & effort --- You guys chewed-up 7 electronic pages & accomplished nothing --- Suggestion go outside with camera & capture some God given or otherwise produced photons --- see if you can any to smile at you

Interesting topic ---- After reading all 5 pages I can't find much if anything I don't fully agree with --- I especially agree with what Steve just added -- Yes indeed you would need to bolt on a 450mm on a FF to achieve the same angle of view as you would get when using a 300mm on your Canon crop frame ---- But to Waterboy I would add the following caution ---- Don't think for a second that by employing a smaller sensor you now have a 450mm lens in your camera bag --- It's still only a 300mm --- You can of course achieve the same angle of view with a FF simply by doing your own cropping --- But consider what happens when you use a 450mm on a ff -- You of course get the same angle of view but now with a larger image with more detail/information as a result of the increase light/photons collected with the larger sensor. Now granted this is only a potential increase in detail --- If you only view your images on a PC screen or make smaller prints you may never get to see any of this. So enjoy the hobby & use what you like & can afford

Well here is my 2cents:
Have always been an admirer of Civil War photos-- Remember asking my Photo class teacher why 150+ year old photos looked so darn good --- His response was that it certainty had nothing to do with the equipment -- in that the camera's didn't even have shutters, or L-Lenses & that the ISO rating's on the glass plates used were somewhere between 8 & 12 --- When they were good -- They were darn good due of course to the photographers many skill's & in his opinion of equal if not greater importance to the very large Formats employed ---- A larger format collects more light -- All those extra packages of information called Photons --- Now don't get me wrong pixels are important , but starting out with an image containing more collected photon provided information combined of course with your skills just may provide for a better photo
So I suggest if you can afford it --- Why Not Go full frame