70-300 or 55-250 + Extender

neilw

neilw

neilw

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14 Feb 2007
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707
What are the pros and cons of these options?

70-300 at @ 370ish

or the 55-250 for just over 200, and then purchasing an x1.4 extender in the future when and if I feel I need more length?

This will be for wildlife and airshows mainly. I'd love a 100-400 L but can justify spending 1000

(My pound keys not working at the mo)
 
Well they are both given the same user review rating on Fred Miranda so i don't think there is a real difference in the IQ between them.

They both have the same fstop and both have IS.

I think the main points are whether you need the extra bottom end or the extra top end.

The other difference is that one is EF-S and the other is EF so if, in the future, you want to upgrade to a full frame camera you won't be able to use the EF-S.

I've got the 70-300 and it's by far and away my favourite lens.
 
It probably depends a lot on which focal length will be most useful to you. For air shows it would probably be the 70-300, I have the sigma 70-300 and its pretty good for the money.

Also I don't think that the 1.4x extender can be used with either of these lenses.
 
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images from both lenses seem quite good - for the reach i wiould go for 70-300
 
The con of the 1.4x option is that you won't be able to autofocus, image quality will be degraded and your maximum aperture will be a hilarious f/8. Don't do it.
 
robmiller said:
The con of the 1.4x option is that you won't be able to autofocus, image quality will be degraded and your maximum aperture will be a hilarious f/8. Don't do it.
Click to expand...

Ah yeh that sucks badly.

Looks like the 70-300 then.

I'll see if I can have a look at one on Saturday, I'm going to royal international air tattoo, a large digital camera lens suppler is going to have a stand there.

Thanks people
 
One final thing to consider is size and build quality. The 70-300 IS is nearly twice the weight and 50% larger than the 55-250 IS however it has better build and USM.
 
This is fact: only CERTAIN EF lenses (and NO EF-S lenses) can use the Canon (beige coloured) 1.4x and 2x tele-converters. The front of the tele-converter sits proud of the end of it's barrel and as such will only fit certain longer (I think all are L series) lenses which have a recessed rear element.
 
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