Finally pulled the trigger on the R5 for my hiking trip to Glacier next month and I'm honestly so stoked! But man the accessories list is getting long. I saw online everyone says to get CFexpress Type B cards for the speed but then I see some guys saying a fast SD card is totally fine for stills. My logic was that if I'm not doing 8K video maybe I can save some cash? I've only got about $500 left in my gear budget.
Also the batteries. Some reviews say the LP-E6NH is a must for the fast frame rates but others say the old ones work okay? Kinda stuck on whether I should get a grip or just extra batteries...
Just found this thread and honestly you are gonna have an amazing time in Glacier! Its seriously gorgeous. Like someone mentioned, definitely skip the grip for hiking. It just adds weight you wont want at mile 10. Since you mentioned safety and keeping things reliable, please grab a ULBTER R5 Screen Protector Tempered Glass 0.3mm before you go. Scratched my screen on a rock once and it was basically soul crushing... never again! Also, if youre sticking with SD cards for the R5, make sure you have a solid way to move files. The SanDisk Extreme PRO SD UHS-II USB 3.0 Reader is tiny and super reliable for a travel kit. Ngl, seeing expensive glass without a filter in the woods makes me nervous tho. A B+W 77mm Master 010 UV Haze MRC Nano Filter is worth the peace of mind to keep your lens safe from dust. Have a blast!!
The Canon LP-E6NH Lithium-Ion Battery is the standard choice because it enables the highest frame rates. Using older LP-E6 versions limits you to lower speeds, usually indicated by the H+ icon changing color on the screen. It works for landscape stuff, but for anything moving, the newer model is a decent option. With a 500 dollar budget, this setup is pretty straightforward:
I totally agree that those high-end cards are overkill for stills. I trekked through some rough mountain terrain last fall and found:
> My fast SD card never hit the buffer limit even during long exposures at sunrise Re: "I totally agree that those high-end cards are..." - yeah you're spot on with that. I've been super satisfied with my fast SD cards and honestly haven't missed a shot yet. One thing to watch out for tho... people keep saying old batteries work, and they do, but you gotta be careful. If you use the older versions, you wont get the full 12fps burst rate. The camera literally slows itself down. Its kinda annoying if you're trying to catch a grizzly moving fast and you're limited by power. Also, definitely stay away from those cheap generic cards even if they look fast on paper. I've seen way too many people lose photos because a cheap card couldn't handle the cold or high write speeds. Better to be safe and stick with the reliable stuff so you dont regret it later... Glacier is a long way to go just to have a card fail on you.
TIL! Thanks for sharing