Need your help to let me decide what to do about my lens situation.
Here is what I'm playing with:
Body: Canon Xsi
Lenses:
Canon 50mm EF 1.8 - loving it
Canon EFS 17-85mm USM IS - loving it
extension tube for macro: Canon EF12 II - loving it, sufficient for now.
Canon zoom lens EF-S 55-250mm IS 4-5.6 - not happy with this one.
It's not fast enough, doesn't have big enough reach for shooting wildlife in my backyard..etc.
I want to improve my ability in shooting birds and nature with telephoto lens. What would you recommend, getting rid of that EFS55-250 lens and getting something bigger such as
I'm using Amazon links for for an ease of illustration but obviously I'd try to look for something cheaper available on Ebay , because budget is an issue here.
Don't want my husband to have and heart attack.
Go the lens route, not the extender. Shooting birds is one of the more expensive things to shoot in photography, simply when needing all that reach.
First off, I don't think extenders work with EF-S lenses, so getting an extender won't work. I also think you'll have trouble focusing quickly with these lenses that you have listed. Some USM's are built differently than others, and I do not think this is one of the faster focusing lenses. If you really, REALLY want to shoot birds, you're gonna have to open up the wallet even more =(
@bardejov The Canon EF1.4X and EF2X telephoto extender cannot be used on your EF-s 55-250 lens....
Btw, for the 1.4X extender, the aperture of your lens will be step down by one-stop while EF2X will be step down by 2 stops. That means, if you use EF1.4X on EF-s 55-250, the aperture will become f/5.6~8 and if you are using EF2X, the aperture will become f/8~11. If you are not using EOS-1D/1DS series, AF-system will be no function if lens aperture smaller than f/5.6
I think if you are looking for a lens which suitable for wildlife, EF300mm f/4L IS plus EF1.4XIII or a EF100-400L f/4~5.6L IS would be much better. Or even you can try the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
For those 75-300 or 75-300 by other brand just too slow for focusing when you shooting wildlife object especially those are moving object mostly
@bradleynovak@hales
Awesome guys. Thank you very much for giving me a clearer picture of my options. I'll have to sit down and analyze it ( eBay - it) as what $$ it translates to.
I have a EF 300 2.8L shooting through a full frame body. I am convinced while shooting birds, you will always have lens envy of someone with the next lens above yours. I actually have a refractor telescope of superb quality that I can mount my body on and shoot as an 800mm lens. Even that doesn't always suit me. Of course I have to set everything manually with it and it weighs in at 21 pounds but it's amazing. I can literally frame a batter from 300 feet and freeze the seams on a spinning ball moving 80 mph BUT wary, fast moving birds are just a challenge and they make you appreciate the professionals that get those unbelievable shots. I share your dream! Good luck.
@canoninholster Thanks for your response. Will have to follow you to see what you can do with your set up. :)
Meanwhile I think I'll have to move our birdbath in the backyard closer.
The Sigma 70-300mm F4-5.6 DG Macro is a cheap alternative, though I haven't tried it myself.
I've got a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro, that was cheap enough when I bought it. It's noisy and a bit slow, but I've managed to capture birds in flight at 300mm with it, so I'm not complaining (really) any more.
My best suggestion, however, is the all-rounder Sigma 18-200mm DC IF. It's my new favourite standard lens, replacing a 18-55mm and a 50-200mm. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without it, now. ;-)
@bardejov FWIW I'll use my 2X extender with my 50mm to get a faster telephoto, instead of using my 70-200 sometimes. Remember the extender will work on all your lenses, and is sometimes a lot easier to carry around with one lens rather than taking two whole lenses on a hike.
If your complaint about your current lens is that it's slow the 70-300 you linked to wont make a lick of difference, still a slow lens.
PS in the words of the great Rober Capa "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough. "
(Granted he did blow himself up stepping on a land mine while covering south east asia)
@bardejov
Really don't know enough yet to respond intelligently, but,
are you famiiar with "uglyhedhog.com"?
Fantastic site for questions like yours, though you've already gotten good advice from the 365 gang.
@bardejov , well, he died the way I want to die, taking photos!
Having owned a cheap third party and the canon 70-200 (just a shorter version of the one you linked to) I'll tell you that I really wasted my money both times. If all you want is extended range it'll do ok, but if you need it to be a fast lens as well save up for the real 70-200 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/680103-USA/Canon_2751B002_EF_70_200mm_f_2_8L_IS.html
Any chance to bring the bird feeder (and therefore the birds) closer to you?
I have the second one and it is fine, nothing to write home about. I mostly use it for when my kids are preforming in a school play, sports events, etc. It does a good enough job. I am hoping to upgrade soon to something with a smaller aperature. I am more of a portrait lens girl myself.
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First off, I don't think extenders work with EF-S lenses, so getting an extender won't work. I also think you'll have trouble focusing quickly with these lenses that you have listed. Some USM's are built differently than others, and I do not think this is one of the faster focusing lenses. If you really, REALLY want to shoot birds, you're gonna have to open up the wallet even more =(
Btw, for the 1.4X extender, the aperture of your lens will be step down by one-stop while EF2X will be step down by 2 stops. That means, if you use EF1.4X on EF-s 55-250, the aperture will become f/5.6~8 and if you are using EF2X, the aperture will become f/8~11. If you are not using EOS-1D/1DS series, AF-system will be no function if lens aperture smaller than f/5.6
I think if you are looking for a lens which suitable for wildlife, EF300mm f/4L IS plus EF1.4XIII or a EF100-400L f/4~5.6L IS would be much better. Or even you can try the EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6L IS USM
For those 75-300 or 75-300 by other brand just too slow for focusing when you shooting wildlife object especially those are moving object mostly
Awesome guys. Thank you very much for giving me a clearer picture of my options. I'll have to sit down and analyze it ( eBay - it) as what $$ it translates to.
Meanwhile I think I'll have to move our birdbath in the backyard closer.
I've got a Tamron AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 LD Macro, that was cheap enough when I bought it. It's noisy and a bit slow, but I've managed to capture birds in flight at 300mm with it, so I'm not complaining (really) any more.
My best suggestion, however, is the all-rounder Sigma 18-200mm DC IF. It's my new favourite standard lens, replacing a 18-55mm and a 50-200mm. Honestly, I don't know what I'd do without it, now. ;-)
If your complaint about your current lens is that it's slow the 70-300 you linked to wont make a lick of difference, still a slow lens.
PS in the words of the great Rober Capa "If your pictures aren't good enough, you're not close enough. "
(Granted he did blow himself up stepping on a land mine while covering south east asia)
Really don't know enough yet to respond intelligently, but,
are you famiiar with "uglyhedhog.com"?
Fantastic site for questions like yours, though you've already gotten good advice from the 365 gang.
Having owned a cheap third party and the canon 70-200 (just a shorter version of the one you linked to) I'll tell you that I really wasted my money both times. If all you want is extended range it'll do ok, but if you need it to be a fast lens as well save up for the real 70-200 http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/680103-USA/Canon_2751B002_EF_70_200mm_f_2_8L_IS.html
Any chance to bring the bird feeder (and therefore the birds) closer to you?