Well, we all are more or less driven by GAS: should I have the latest camera or lens? But sometimes I hesitate and reconsider my addiction for the latest stuff. This happens every time when I think I should upgrade my vintage, now 23 years old EF 500 mm f/4.5 L USM (built in 1995). It survived sand storms, fell from a tripod on a rock etc., it looks battered, but it still works 100 % reliably. It has no IS (in fact, it has a built-in passive mass inertia IS 
), its first generation USM drive is a bit slow, wide open the image edges get a little bit soft (but f = 5 is fine) and with a 2x TC my cameras switch off their phase AF... But every time I have it in my hands, I still love it, and I know exactly what this lens can achieve and where its limits are - after many years its like an extension of my body. I shoot it more the 80 % free hand, because then I am best in catching birds in flight. For this technique this lens is not too heavy with 3 kg (my old back is still fine) and its more slender form factor compared with a modern EF 500 mm f/4 is just perfect for my hand.
For this Atlantic puffin I used it in combo with a 7D2. I think it is more important that you really know your gear than having always the latest stuff.
), its first generation USM drive is a bit slow, wide open the image edges get a little bit soft (but f = 5 is fine) and with a 2x TC my cameras switch off their phase AF... But every time I have it in my hands, I still love it, and I know exactly what this lens can achieve and where its limits are - after many years its like an extension of my body. I shoot it more the 80 % free hand, because then I am best in catching birds in flight. For this technique this lens is not too heavy with 3 kg (my old back is still fine) and its more slender form factor compared with a modern EF 500 mm f/4 is just perfect for my hand.For this Atlantic puffin I used it in combo with a 7D2. I think it is more important that you really know your gear than having always the latest stuff.
