Help me help a friend

[mercmanuk]

Hi my friend is starting out on the photography journey and has his first DSLR i got him a 10D on sale here TP, he had a Fuji before that and found it very difficult to change lens ???, he now has the 10D so he is actively seeking a longer lens whats the best way to describe this one he has found

Samyang 500mm ST Preset Telephoto Lens
f/8.0/f32
for Canon EOS @ £95.00

@ f/8 it's going to be limited, and with only manual focus how on earth do you focus @ 500mm well X 1.6 800mm

whats the nicest way to say it's possibly crap with out dampning his enthusiasm in the search for a longer lens he already has the 28-80mm usm III his budget is very tight




Merc

 

[Trig's]

If he's a mate then just tell him its not really suitable for a "starter lens" & to have a look at something more suitable.. Something that will AF instead of him having to MF..

You could even say that without a tripod this is not really worth it as you'll have too many OOF images - Only what I read on a couple of reviews...

So for him to get a tripod would cost a few more quid hence not making it worth while...

Then again just tell him that its a crap lens as you so thought yourself - then just hope that he doesn't take you off his xmas card list

 

[cw318is]

what sort of shots does he take? you could try the classic "a what? I've never seen one of them before"

Or if he is a true friend just say look mate thats just not for you and this is why, then fluff it up with something like I'd struggle to get results from it. He should understand and be greatful for both the advice and you not letting him spend his hard earned on something not suitable for him at the moment.

 

[martyp]

How about recommending the Canon 75-300 USM III? IIRC it's f4.5/5.6 and does AF on all bodies.

It isn't the greatest optic in the world but it's okay for the price - my work actually use them. However, it will be a lot better than the lens he's looking at which I guess is a mirror lens?

If he can pay a little more and the 10D takes EF-s lenses, the Canon EF-s 55-250 IS would be the better option.

EDIT: just tell him the above lenses are more flexable, a 500mm (well 800m) will be very limiting to use.

 

[u8myufo]

whats the nicest way to say it's possibly crap

Show him this thread

 

[Trig's]

Show him this thread

Like it....

Then ask on the forum "what do I say to him when he asks - "why didn't you tell me straight" :shrug:"

 

[Dulux]

I've got the sigma 70-300 apo dg, which at around £100 is seriously good value and not a bad lens, have a look around on here for the reviews.

 

[TCR4x4]

Just tell him straight, its crap. No point fluffing around the subject.

He doesnt know anything about it presumably and you do, so he should be gratefull to get your more knowledgeable experience.
When I first started all this, I bought 300mm lens of Ebay, cos I thought longer is better..
Turned out to be some old Vivitar manual focus and aperture lens, that I had no idea how to use, and was a complete waste of money. I wish I had someone then to tell me not to bother with it.

Give him some other better options and let him pick from them.

 

[Scarecrow]

Even if it wasn't a crap lens, the focal length will be quite restrictive, unless he specialises in photographing wildlife or similar.

I have a 100-400 zoom lens, which has a much more useable focal length range, but is still my least used lens.

If I had a 800mm lens, I reckon it would probably only come out of the bag once a year, if htat.

 

[magicaxeman]

Tell him for starters he can pick up an old 500mm F8 preset lens for around £10-£20 at most boot fairs and there's a reason they're so cheap, most are crap and his will end up unused at the bottom of his wardrobe.
Get a tamron or sigma, £30 more but it wil autofocus and take a half decent shot

 

[swanseamale47]

This is a preset manual focus lens, it's in all aspects virtually useless on a 10d, you have to manually stop the lens down before taking after focusing manually (so it goes dark) theres no connections with the camera so no auto modes except maybe apeture priority if your lucky.

 

[mercmanuk]

How about recommending the Canon 75-300 USM III? IIRC it's f4.5/5.6 and does AF on all bodies.

It isn't the greatest optic in the world but it's okay for the price - my work actually use them. However, it will be a lot better than the lens he's looking at which I guess is a mirror lens?

If he can pay a little more and the 10D takes EF-s lenses, the Canon EF-s 55-250 IS would be the better option.

EDIT: just tell him the above lenses are more flexable, a 500mm (well 800m) will be very limiting to use.

Hi going to steer him in the direction of a 75 300mm 10D takes EF only which ain't a bad thing some cracking Ef's out there

Ta Merc

Show him this thread

not just yet

Tell him for starters he can pick up an old 500mm F8 preset lens for around £10-£20 at most boot fairs and there's a reason they're so cheap, most are crap and his will end up unused at the bottom of his wardrobe.
Get a tamron or sigma, £30 more but it wil autofocus and take a half decent shot

he does the car boots so he may have come across one

This is a preset manual focus lens, it's in all aspects virtually useless on a 10d, you have to manually stop the lens down before taking after focusing manually (so it goes dark) theres no connections with the camera so no auto modes except maybe apeture priority if your lucky.

he has this big lens thing going on at the moment, it's about getting it out of your system, just going to have to walk the road with him again i did let him have a go of my 70 200mm and he was like a donkey with two tails

Cheers for all that i will show him this thread in a couple of weeks when he's moved onto primes


he keeps eyeing my new brand new 50mm 1.4 that i got last week i love that lens, my other went to son number 1 and after a failed transaction on here i treated myself.

Merc