Canon Zoom Lens - Which one?

[chim_girl]

If you've read any of my previous threads you'll probably know that I've just got a Canon 300D. I'm slowly getting the grips with it and now want to add a zoom lens to my kit.

I plan to use the lens mainly for wildlife pics, I guess from time to time it would also be used for car related pictures.

The choice of the masses seems to be the Canon 75-300mm USM, the reviews I've read seem to indicate that it is a good 'all-rounder'. However, I'm also told that it may be better to pay the extra £'s and get the IS version. Do any of you have any advice? Am I looking at the right type of lens? Should I consider the Sigma equivalent?

One of my friends won't use anything other than the 'L' series lenses. (He earns too much!) I'm told they are fantastic and that there is a noticeable improvement in picture quality. I appreciate there is a massive price differential, is the additional expense going to show significant results in the hands of a beginner? I'm not planning on purchasing one in the immediate future, but I'd be interested in getting your views. This will tell me if I need to open a savings account for my next purchase!!

[nighthawkEP3]

Chim girl

I have the same camera

I bought a 75-300mm usm IS lens for the wildlife shots.

Some members on a photo forum I moderate praised the lens very highly.

In real terms the lens is actually 480mm at full zoom because of the magnification factor of the camera. I tried the standard non IS lens and suffered from real bad camera shake, so the decison to spend the extra on the IS was made. A quick demo of a friends and 10 mins in the shop with it did the trick and I parted with cash.

[chim_girl]

Nighthawk

Thanks for the advice, I was leaning towards the IS and you've helped tip the scales!

Two more questions, if I may, would you mind giving me the url for the photography website? If it isn't a rude question, where did you get your lens and how much was it?

Thanks

[nighthawkEP3]

chim girl

Click Here for the UK's most friendly and fun photo forum.

(if it breaks the rules of this board, please feel free to remove the link)

I'm lucky to have 2 great camera shops in the city centre. both price match the internet without a question,meaning I get great personal service and the best value possible. (sorry jessops...but you don't even get a look in im afraid)

I paid 389.99 including a UV filter for the 75-300 usm IS

If you want a lens hood for it the canon part number is ET64II and thats about 17 quid

[chim_girl]

Thanks - yet again!

Last question, with the £ being so strong against the $ at the moment I've considered ordering one from the US. Based on current exchange rates I could get one for ~£250. Do you know if there are any 'issues' I should consider before going ahead?

Thanks, on me if we get to meet!

Edited cuz I have't got me spellin 'ed on today


>> Edited by chim_girl on Saturday 17th January 15:19

[nighthawkEP3]

the only issues I have with regards to buying cam gear from the states is the nice people at HMCE
(they always used to pick on my US sourced laser discs and hammer me for import tax.....they even picked on my bike frame!)

and the warranty.

Canon don't have to honour the warranty outside of north America, so if it fails after a few months, you'll have to mess about getting it shipped back over to someone who'll then submit it for repair. Thats a problem you won't have in this country because the dealer you bought it from can do it.

Also some camera shops won't ship to the UK


If you have a trip lined up to NY, I can recomend

B+H on 9th Ave

[te51cle]

Yes, go for the IS lens. You'll notice sharper pictures when you're using it, especially at the long end. Most people (me included !) get poorer quality images through camera shake than as a result of using a lower grade of glass.

P.S. Don't be tempted to buy one of the early 100-300 IS lenses, they're real old clunkers compared to the USM IS ones !

>> Edited by te51cle on Saturday 17th January 16:00

[chim_girl]

Thanks guys. I'm now webcrawling for the best price! I'll post the results later.

My god, between the Tiv and the camera I can see myself being in the bankruptcy court before my next birthday!

Oh just another question, would it be a good idea for me to buy a UV filter?

[nighthawkEP3]

ALWAYS use a UV filter.

it's better to throw away a £10 filter than a £400 lens because of a small scratch.

You should also get one on the 18-55mm kit lens too.

58mm is the size you need for both lenses.

[srider]

Chim_Girl, hold on!!! The 75-300IS is an old lens. It has the inferior type of USM focusing which is pretty slow, and 1st generation IS. There is a big photo show coming up on Feb 9th, I'd wait to see if anything new is announced then.

Also, if you can stretch to it, consider the 70-200mm f4 L, maybe with a 1.4x converter. More expensive, but in a different league quality wise. Ideally, you'd get the 100-400mm L, but that's £1150, worth it though!

[chim_girl]

Mr Rider, I do believe you are the devil either that or you work for Mastercard!!! I'd just about convinced myself that I was going to upgrade to an IS lense. My friend (the one with too much money) thinks I should 'make' do with a second hand zoom for a couple of months then sell it and buy one of the L series. :gulp:

Since my last post I read a 'personal' review that slated the 75-300m IS USM. The reviewer said the motor was slow and struggled to 'lock-on' when at max zoom. Others have said it is the bees knees.

Oh Bu66er I'm confused again!

[nighthawkEP3]

I had similar concerns with this so called failure to focus, but in the 3 weeks i've had it, i've only once failed to get a lock. and that was in VERY bad light with about 250mm dialed in. I think any lens would have failed to lock first time in those circumstances.

I also looked at getting a 2nd user 70-200L IS but the cost including the tripod adapter made me a little faint

At the end of the day, focus speed at 300mm isn't anywhere near as important as reducing camera shake to me.

You pays ya money and takes ya choice.

[srider]

chim_girl said:

Mr Rider, I do believe you are the devil either that or you work for Mastercard!!! I'd just about convinced myself that I was going to upgrade to an IS lense. My friend (the one with too much money) thinks I should 'make' do with a second hand zoom for a couple of months then sell it and buy one of the L series. :gulp: Since my last post I read a 'personal' review that slated the 75-300m IS USM. The reviewer said the motor was slow and struggled to 'lock-on' when at max zoom. Others have said it is the bees knees. Oh Bu66er I'm confused again!

Lol

When I got back into photography 3 years ago, I bought several bits of equipment which didn't last long, and cost me a lot in depreciation. The 75-300IS was one. It isn't a bad lens, just not that good. I never had a problem with focus accuracy, but it was slow, particularly in low light. I mostly shoot mototsport and it wasn't up to it.

The problem is, there's nothing in Canon's range between it and the lower end L lenses. They are excellent, but expensive and heavy. They also hold their value very well.

The sensor in your 300D extracts a lot of information from an area smaller than 35mm film. Some of the lower end lenses will not get the full potential from it, but that's true for users of slides and film too, and many people use them quite happily.

I'm a huge fan of IS. It really does let you use much lower shutter speeds than you otherwise could. However, you have another option, you can up the ISO on your 300D, which increases the light sensitivity of the sensor, and gives you a faster shutter speed. You will get more 'noise' (like grain on film), but it's well controlled on the 300D. In daylight, it's rarely an issue.

I think you friend's idea is good, get something cheap to see if you're going to do it seriously, and if so, save for one of the Ls.

Welcome to an excellent but expensive hobby

[chim_girl]

Thanks once again for the wise words My friend has very kindly offered to let me borrow one of his L lenses so I can see if it's for me. My usual motto is to buy the best as this 'usually' means I only have to buy once. (Contradicting myself here as I think I'll get a second hand zoom to play with for the next couple of months)

As for the expensive hobby, I drive a TVR, I can't have another expensive hobby!!!

[srider]

chim_girl said:

As for the expensive hobby, I drive a TVR, I can't have another expensive hobby!!!

At least cameras won't leave you stranded on the hard shoulder

[chim_girl]

BTW - At over 3lbs I think the 100-400mm L could be a little bit of a heavyweight for me to tackle.

The reviews of the 70-200mm sounds promising although I'm guessing it will also be a little heavy. I'm hoping that I should get the opportunity to try a couple later today.

[srider]

chim_girl said:

BTW - At over 3lbs I think the 100-400mm L could be a little bit of a heavyweight for me to tackle. The reviews of the 70-200mm sounds promising although I'm guessing it will also be a little heavy. I'm hoping that I should get the opportunity to try a couple later today.

Yeah, it gets very heavy, I use mine on a monopod. Together with my 1D, the whole lot weighs 3Kg

You could also consider a prime (fixed length) lens like a 200mm f2.8 or 300mm f4.

[chim_girl]

srider said:

Also, if you can stretch to it, consider the 70-200mm f4 L, maybe with a 1.4x converter. More expensive, but in a different league quality wise. Ideally, you'd get the 100-400mm L, but that's £1150, worth it though!

Choosing and buying the car was much easier than this! I'm staying with the zoom, please don't suggest other variables!!

Okay, last question before I go and try some lenses. If you had ~£1k to spend would you buy the 100-400mm or the 70-200mm with a converter?

Answers on a postcard to the usual address please. The winner gets free membership to the PH Photography Forum!

Edited to remove a rogue 'a' and put in a 'd' that was MIA

>> Edited by chim_girl on Sunday 18th January 12:17

[pies]

70-200mm with a converter

cheaper and this is the range you would use most, and the lens should be lighter and faster

[nighthawkEP3]

Hmmmmmmm

Afraid to say i'm keeping out of that one chim girl.
If I had a spare grand to spend, I'd buy a better camera body to start with.

The body on the 300D is plastic as you know and i'm worried (probably without cause) about the long term effects of hanging a h000000ge lens off it.

The L's i looked at needed a tripod mount which added another 90 notes onto the price, but then the body of the cam hangs off the lens.

So swings and roundabouts but either way there is always going to weight acting on the lens/camera fixings. The 300 IS at full zoom is the biggest i think i'll ever put on the 300d.

as I said, it's probably without cause, but only time will tell. I have no idea how the film versions of the 300 have coped with long lenses/time.