Need new Telephoto Lens

Mr.Orb

Mr.Orb

Mr.Orb

Soldato
Joined
12 Nov 2004
Posts
2,527
Location
Bath
Hello all,
I'm in the market for a new telephoto lens, i've currently got a Tamron 70-300mm f/4-5.6 macro which is... well... not that great (what did i expect for £130 :p ).
I'm going on a photography workshop next month (In The Company of Wolves), so I have decided to buy a new lens for the event.

I have seen the Canon 70-200mm f/4 L which looks very nice, but I'm a bit unsure whether 200mm will be long enough. I have also seen the Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS, if the 200mm is not long enough.
Obviously I would love a 100-400mm L but the wallet says no (:() - I have seen the 70-200mm L for £350 which is a bit of a bargain.

Can anyone comment on both these lenses? Which one should I go for (or should i look at something different?)?.
Has anyone done this type of workshop before? What do they recomend?

Thanks! :)

PS: I currently have a 400D and a 17-40mm f/4 L
 
I used to have a sigma 170-500mm APO which was a lovely lens for the money.

Just under £400 new and can be had off the bay for £260-£320 depending on age and condition.

I've just got the 300mm f/4 IS in sig which is better than the sigma but is obviously quite a bit more expensive and is quite a bit shorter too.

The sig is ace for the money!

The holy grail if you can stretch to £450ish (might even find one cheaper) is the sigma bigma 50-500mm. Very sharp and covers a massive range - replaces a couple of lenses in one go! :cool:

gt
 
I'd agree that 200mm (generally) isn't long enough.

I owned the 70-300 IS before getting the 100-400 L IS and I wouldn't have any problems recommending it.
 
I've got the 70-200 F4 L and as much as i'm impressed with it, i think i still miss the extra 100mm i get on my cheap 75-300 canon lens, on the other hand though, i've not been tempted to use my 75-300 since i picked the 70-200 up as for most things it is great, and i'll make do with 200mm until i can afford the 100-400 L, however i'm sorely tempted to trade my 70-200 L for the 17-40 L as i use the shorter range the most.
 
i decided not to go for the 100-400 but instead went for the sigma 120-300mm EX f2.8

figuring that at 300mm its f2.8, with a 1.4x tc its f4 at 420mm (better than the canon), and for f5.6 (the canon at 400mm) with a 2x tc its 600mm.

only downside is that its a beast to hand hold. (and get filters for)
 
be wary of the 2.0x teleconverter, I've used it on my 70-200mm and getting clean crisp shots is very difficult, focusing is slow and you often get a bit of a haze over the image.
I hear the 1.4x is better though, but I should imagine you'll still get a reduction in quality beyond what you'd expect from just the reduction in apeture size (because don't forget that if you double your focal distance with those teleconverters you also halve your apeture size!)
 
Cookie-Monster said:
i decided not to go for the 100-400 but instead went for the sigma 120-300mm EX f2.8

figuring that at 300mm its f2.8, with a 1.4x tc its f4 at 420mm (better than the canon), and for f5.6 (the canon at 400mm) with a 2x tc its 600mm.

only downside is that its a beast to hand hold. (and get filters for)
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Seeing as i mentioned i can't afford a 100-400 what makes you think i can afford a 120-300mm? :p

I forgot to mention my budget is £400 (though i could afford a 1.4x at a push).
 
the 120-300 can be had second hand for around 700, which seems to be about the same price as the 100-400 normally goes for second hand, so possibly both would be in the same "saving up for" ballpark.
 
Where are people getting the 70-200 for 350?

I got it a year ago for 500 i think and it seems to have came down in price :eek:
 
Cookie-Monster said:
the 120-300 can be had second hand for around 700, which seems to be about the same price as the 100-400 normally goes for second hand, so possibly both would be in the same "saving up for" ballpark.
Click to expand...

Yeah, the work shop is at the start of next month so I don't really have the time to save up :(


wez130 said:
I got mine for £300 with the genuine Canon ring mount adapter :D
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Lucky ####### :p
 
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