New lens options?

CaveDweller

CaveDweller

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Paul
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I've had £450 sat aside for a while now as I was going to buy the new Playstation 4 when it came out, but I've decided against it as I'd rather put it towards a new lens for my Canon 550D. I only have 2 kit lenses at the moment, the 18-55 and the 55-250. I find myself using the longer lens more so I'd rather replace it with a better one. I've been looking towards the Canon EF 70-200 f/4 L IS USM as I can get them second hand for around my budget and I can't afford the F/2.8 version. I have also been looking at the 24-105mm L lens as well. If I go for the 24-105mm lens I'd probably look for a 2x teleconverter at a later date as I find myself using the longer focal lengths of my 55-250 quite often. I'm stuck for choices really as I don't really know what's best.

If anyone has any recommendations for a decent telephoto or places to look then it would be much appreciated. I'm not really into any certain type of photography. I like to shoot a bit of everything.
 
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I don't think you will get the 70-200 F4 L IS for £450, they seem to be around £6-700, but you won,t gain all that much even with a 1.4TC ( 280mm) over your existing 55-250.
Have a look at the used Sigmas on MPB photographic he is showing a couple of 120-400's and a 50-500 which are within your budget ( + afew quid)
 
It's an excellent lens for the money, get new though jessops and harrisons cameras both sell for less than £500
 
Cheers. If I was to go for another brand like a Sigma, are there any ones to avoid or to aim towards getting. Like Canon make their kit lenses then obviously the much better ones.
 
CaveDweller said:
Cheers. If I was to go for another brand like a Sigma, are there any ones to avoid or to aim towards getting. Like Canon make their kit lenses then obviously the much better ones.
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Personally I have no problems with Sigma Lenses,I have had three , a 17-70 a 50-500 and a 35mm f1.4 and all have been fine. Tamron lenses I have never used so I cannot comment.
Some people have complained about copy variation with Sigma but that has not been my experience but that does not mean to say it does it does not happen.
It can happen with any lens from any manufacturer so just make sure that whatever you buy and wherever you buy it from you can return it.
BTW if you are sticking with a crop camera I would look at the Canon 17-55 f2.8 or the 15-85 over the 24-105 for the simple reason 24mm is not all that wide on a crop.
 
CaveDweller said:
I've had £450 sat aside for a while now as I was going to buy the new Playstation 4 when it came out, but I've decided against it as I'd rather put it towards a new lens for my Canon 550D. I only have 2 kit lenses at the moment, the 18-55 and the 55-250. I find myself using the longer lens more so I'd rather replace it with a better one. I've been looking towards the Canon EF 70-200 f/4 L IS USM as I can get them second hand for around my budget and I can't afford the F/2.8 version. I have also been looking at the 24-105mm L lens as well. If I go for the 24-105mm lens I'd probably look for a 2x teleconverter at a later date as I find myself using the longer focal lengths of my 55-250 quite often. I'm stuck for choices really as I don't really know what's best.

If anyone has any recommendations for a decent telephoto or places to look then it would be much appreciated. I'm not really into any certain type of photography. I like to shoot a bit of everything.
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Thats a good budget for a good lens.

I doubt very much you'd get the 70-200 F4 IS model 2nd hand for your budget - you'd certainly get the NON IS model in your budget, which is a superb lens...

The 24-105 is a great lens and a huge improvement on your kit lens - certainly worth a though if you don't want the 70-200 lens...

Just another point, the Canon 2x TC won't work with the 70-200 F4 lens, the Canon 1.4 TC will, which could be another option
 
My Canon 70-200 F4 (non-IS) is a very nice lens but as troutfisher said you'll only get up to 280mm even with a TC if you want to keep autofocus. The built quality of Canon L lenses is amazing so if that's something which is important to you then I'd consider it, if you get lucky you can grab one for sub £350. I've also had a play with a Sigma 120-400 OS which is a much heavier lens to carry around but still very nice image quality and if you want a zoom which can reach 400mm it's an affordable option.
 
Thanks all, I will have a look around for a 70-200. The temptation is just too much lol. I have no plans to replace my 550D body yet, I'm mainly focusing on the lenses for now.
 
Hi mate, have you thought about upgrading your camera instead of a lens?
 
downs523 said:
Hi mate, have you thought about upgrading your camera instead of a lens?
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To be honest I'd love to but I don't want to buy a better body and not have decent lenses to put on it, I only have kit lenses. I saw a video of a 550D with a decent L lens compared with a 1Dx with a crap lens and the 550D was just as sharp apart from the noise performance. It's doing the job for me just now, I'm still learning all aspects of photography. I will probably upgrade some point next year. I have a lot of other hobbies requiring my pay check just now and kids christmas lol
 
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There's very little wrong with the image quality from the 550D, it has the same sensor as the 7D... unless you want to go full frame, have a more fancy AF system or you want the features of STM lenses for video there's not much point in changing really.
 
Uxon said:
There's very little wrong with the image quality from the 550D, it has the same sensor as the 7D... unless you want to go full frame, have a more fancy AF system or you want the features of STM lenses for video there's not much point in changing really.
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Yeh I would much rather upgrade my lenses to some nice L ones. The 550D is a great camera for me just now until I do actually want those better features. For now though for what I need and want from a camera I can't fault it at all.
 
I don't know if the Canon converters will fit but I do know a Kenko Pro300 DGX 1.4x will fit on the 70-200 f4L and it'll still give you very good IQ without slowing the AF speed down much. I've got a 2x Canon converter and use it regularly on my 70-200 f2.8L IS MkII and I was planning on getting the 1.4x version as well, but when I tried the converter I didn't find the IQ or AF speed any better than with the Kenko, and the Kenko is compatible with most of my lenses whereas the Canon isn't. You would still retain AF with the 70-200 f4L and Kenko 1.4x on your 550D and it'll give you very good quality shots too, the 550D was my first dslr and the 70-200 f4L was the first I got in the 70-200 series and I got some fabulous squirrel shots with the setup.

If you can find a Sigma 120-400 OS or 150-500 OS with your budget I'd seriously have a think about that too. I've seen a couple of 150-500's go recently for around your budget and they are a fantastic wildlife and aviation lens. My 150-500 OS is my 'go to' lens for wildlife and when it's on my 5D3 the IQ is just amazing. It needs good light to get the best out of it but at a summer airshow I got a shot of a SAAB Viggen and you can count the rivets at 100% viewing.
 
Hi Paul,

I've just upgraded my 55-250 to a Canon 70-200 f4 IS and it's a great move, although the IS model is above your budget. I also use a Canon 550d and the 70-200 is nice and light to handhold with it. I also own a Sigma 120-400, an excellent lens, but in the beast category to hold, I use mine primarily for cricket using a monopod.
 
Thanks for the tips. I'm going to order a 70-200 f4 tonight, the non IS version. I will still keep the 55-250 as a spare though, things get broken a lot in my house. After christmas I will get another lens. I don't know wether to upgrade my 18-55 to a slightly wider one or to get a nice macro lens. I will cross that bridge when it comes to it lol.
 
I had the non IS version of the 70-200 F4L and sold it for the IS version after less than a year.

IMO I would save for a bit longer and just get the IS version - we don't exactly live in the brightest of countries and the IS is great...
 
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