ahhh lenses

D

darren.smith

Messages
6
Name
Darren
Edit My Images
Yes
:bang::bang::bang::bang:

I am new to photography and am intrested in starting to take some sports photos and am looking to invest in a telephoto lens

But as i am finding out it seems to be a minefeild out there

I have a canon 600D and have been looking at the Canon EF Telephoto zoom lens - 70 mm - 300 mm - F/4.0-5.6

but i have also discovered the sigma 70-300mm and the tamron 70-300mm

Any one got any previous use of the about lens and offer any advice
 
I've got the EF 70-300mm f/4.0-5.6 IS USM Lens, In my mind don't contemplate the non-IS. For the cash overall its not a huge saving and I love this results you get with it.
On my 40D, this can really reach, and you'll get very similar results too due to the crop sensor.
I can't speak about the tamron or sigma, but the Canon 70-300 IS non L...great and worth the money.
I bought mine 2nd hand from AVF and picked it up in Winsor, still going strong today, 4 years later. Though it will be replaced with the L over the next 12 months.
 
I would recommend the Canon 70-300 IS. The Canon IS and Tamron VC should have similar image quality while the Sigma is perhaps a bit behind them. But most importantly the Canon will AF the fastest and most accurately, and for sports that is the most important thing overall.
 
The Tamron SP 70-300mm VC is the best from these 3 lenses, Super quick AF, 4 stop immage stabalizer, Also the front barel doesnt rotate so better if you wanna fit a filter holder. I've used this lens and compared to my much expensive Canon EF 70-300mm L glass theres not alot in it in terms of i'm quality and contrast. Only thing i didnt like about it was the zoom/focus rings seemed a little stiff to me and the image stabalizer would kick in with a bit of a whirr.
 
Last edited:
The sports i will mainly be photographing will be motor sports like oval racing and bike racing

thanks for the input guys its been a big help.
I am just getting into photography it will be a few months before i am ready to get a new lens(better figure out how to use my camera first lol) so should have plenty saving time.
 
darren.smith said:
The sports i will mainly be photographing will be motor sports like oval racing and bike racing

thanks for the input guys its been a big help.
I am just getting into photography it will be a few months before i am ready to get a new lens(better figure out how to use my camera first lol) so should have plenty saving time.
Click to expand...

Motorsport, difficult, depends which circuits and whether you have media accreditation. I assume that you don't, so the 1st thing you'll have problems with is safety fences, the 2nd is the distance you're away from the action. Most major motor racing circuits in the UK you struggle to get anything decent with a 300mm lens. OK in certain parts of the track you can get close, but most places you're focusing through safety fences and 400mm + is required to focus beyond the fences and onto the action.

Yes the 70-300mm series of lenses, whether it be sigma, tamron etc are a easy way to start, personally you need a long lens unless you're on the other side of the fence, then you could get away with a 70-200mm lens.

I use either a 300mm f4 or 300mm f2.8 (plus 1.4 or 2x TC). Recommendations for lenses would be going up in price sigma 120-400mm, (sigma 150-500mm or 50-150mm lenses can be used, but personally I've not been very impressed with the results, the lenses are too slow), canon 100-400mm, sigma 120-300mm and then the prime lenses.

It depends on your budget, but 400mm + is the way to go, even at brands and especially ar donnington or silverstone, 300mm not long enough to get full frame shots.
 
"Most major motor racing circuits in the UK you struggle to get anything decent with a 300mm len"

The attached taken at Silverstone with a 300 and Donnington,Trac Mon and Mallory other circuits I have photographed at you can get even closer,if its Hill Climb events like Shellsley or Loton then a 200 will do.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/captainpenguin/sets/72157624869870381/
 
Last edited:
pete.rush said:
Motorsport, difficult, depends which circuits and whether you have media accreditation. I assume that you don't, so the 1st thing you'll have problems with is safety fences, the 2nd is the distance you're away from the action. Most major motor racing circuits in the UK you struggle to get anything decent with a 300mm lens. OK in certain parts of the track you can get close, but most places you're focusing through safety fences and 400mm + is required to focus beyond the fences and onto the action.

Yes the 70-300mm series of lenses, whether it be sigma, tamron etc are a easy way to start, personally you need a long lens unless you're on the other side of the fence, then you could get away with a 70-200mm lens.

I use either a 300mm f4 or 300mm f2.8 (plus 1.4 or 2x TC). Recommendations for lenses would be going up in price sigma 120-400mm, (sigma 150-500mm or 50-150mm lenses can be used, but personally I've not been very impressed with the results, the lenses are too slow), canon 100-400mm, sigma 120-300mm and then the prime lenses.

It depends on your budget, but 400mm + is the way to go, even at brands and especially ar donnington or silverstone, 300mm not long enough to get full frame shots.
Click to expand...


Thanks for the tips and very handy to know as i am planning on a trip to silverstone next year for the moto gp.

But to start with i will be at my local oval racing track which there is no saftey fences and at the most i am no more than 50m away from the track.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top