Hi Newbie needs lens advice

foshan

foshan

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Hi all,
I have just brought my first DSLR it is a used canon 350d, Im just starting out in photography and my main uses are for scenic and bird photography. My question is would a Tamron 70-300mm F4-5.6 Di LD Macro AF Zoom Lens be of any use for bird photography.:)
 
No not really. Its not really long enough for proper bird shots and notoriously soft at 300mm.
Depends how close you are to the brids of course, but 300mm isnt really that long, you'd need to be within a few feet to get a frame filling image.
 
TCR4x4 said:
No not really. Its not really long enough for proper bird shots and notoriously soft at 300mm.
Depends how close you are to the brids of course, but 300mm isnt really that long, you'd need to be within a few feet to get a frame filling image.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply Tom what sort of range lens should i be looking for without costing an absolute fortune.
 
The problem with birds, as Tom has pointed out, is that they are comparatively (if not very) small, 400mm, preferably with a 1.4 convertor is about the minimum and still the disappointments come :'( this I know too well. Good glass costs I'm afraid, used Canon 400mm F5.6 is the usual way into the swamp that is trying to get good bird shots ;) on the other hand, time and good fieldcraft can get you close enough to offset a lack of mm.
 
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Also have a look for the canon 100-400. Seems to be a good intro into long lenses.
 
To put Tom's comments in context here's a picture (cropped I think) taken with a Sigma 150-500 at 500mm from about 10m.

Feeta.jpg
 
Oggy said:
To put Tom's comments in context here's a picture (cropped I think) taken with a Sigma 150-500 at 500mm from about 10m.

Feeta.jpg
Click to expand...

Thats a very nice shot. I would be pleased with a shot like that but i am just a keen amature at the moment and do not have the money to buy an expensive lens. I just need a starter lens that i could use to get a little closer to the subject. More expensive lenses will come a little later if i still have the enthusiasm in my new hobby.
 
I just bought a Canon 100-400mm L as some of my friends on here will know :-) . It's very good for bird shots ect but it is pricey, if you can get used do so.
 
I think this depends a lot on whether you want to get seriously into 'birding' or whether, like me, you just want to take the odd shot of a sparrow in your back garden. As others have alluded to, above 300mm, things start to get expensive very quickly.

I started with the Tamron that you're asking about and I wasn't disappointed. It's not the sharpest tool in the box but it's certainly not awful. I think they only cost around £100 right now, and frankly at that price, if you just want to have a play with telephoto you can't go wrong.

This shot was taken with the Tamron at 300mm, wide open at F/5.6. I appreciate that people take much sharper shots with more expensive gear but as somebody who just wanted to dabble, I wasn't too disappointed.


Blue tit by G.A.D, on Flickr
 
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A lot depends on where you are taking the photos, I spent a couple of years on bird photography but luckily I live in the countryside and a lot visit the garden. In this situation it is quite easy to cheat a bit (putting twigs as perches on feeders etc.) even so I still needed at least 400mm from only a few feet.
 
I have the Tamron lens for my Pentax Film cameras, It's not the best lens in the world,but its an okay lens to start out on with regards to telephoto.

Also take note that because your cameras a crop sensor,the lens is going to magnify the image slightly. just times the number you have by 1.6 and you get what equivalent it will be on a Full frame camera. I dont know if its any use to you, but it's helped me when picking lenses in the past.
 
300 works fine for me.........:)

Exif says 450 but it was taken with a 300 F4, D300 is 1.5 crop,hence the 450.





Sensibly,for a change, the longer the better.....:thumbs:
 
Canon 100-400mm L is something you should be definitely looking for. Also look for some photography courses
 
As some have said the Canon 100-400 is a good starter, I have one and still get frustrated quiet often bigger lens bigger lens
 
Thanks for all replies you have all been very helpful to a beginner. Because i am a beginner and at the moment just want a dabble at bird photography due to my interest in birds, i have purchased the Tamron 300mm which at the moment i am quite pleased with, although in the future when i have gained a bit more experience i am sure that i will want to upgrade. Once again many thanks to all.:)
 
I think a 70-300mm is ok to start with, if you can afford a 150-500 then go for it but a have used the 70-300mm and its a good lens to start with. Although head away from tamron, sigma is better quality or a canon.
 
Thanks for the reply graham what sigma lens should i be looking for and what would i expect to pay for a used one do you think:)
 
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