Still not decided on a zoom lens!!

gibbon

gibbon

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Andy Gilbert
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I am trying to decided on a good zoom lens for my budget (about £200), i am willing to buy used gear and i keep finding a few but without really knowing the quality i am unsure and end up just going back to nearly buying the canon 250mm IS. But i am unsure if 250mm will be long enough.

It will be used for track days and nurburgring trips and somtimes you really cant get that close. Previosuly i used to use my s9600 which was 300mm and that fine. I now have a 350d so want a nice lens.

Dont really know why i am posting, but i guess asking for any last minute suggestions? I just dont want to buy the 250mm and then realise its not enough and wish i had got somthing better. I like the looks of the 300mm IS but it doubles in price.

Are there any good, sigma or orther brands that are good for my budget?

Thanks
Andy
 
What camera would this be on? Only you'll need to take the crop factor into account. the crop factor of a Canon aps-c camera is 1.6, so the 250mm would actually have an effective length of 400mm.

Whether this is long enough or not I don't know, I've not shot any motorsport yet.
 
Which 300mm lens are you talking about?

This is a good site to see the relative merits of a lens and the reviews are also good:

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/...&Camera=474&Sample=0&FLI=7&API=1&LensComp=111

To get good S/H equipment I would recommend keeping an eye out on here.

I've saved myself about £800 in the last year by buying on here and have not been disappointed.

Just buy from someone who has a good itrader rating.
 
Hi, thanks for the links, Now know what the crop factor is.

The 300mm is the canon 70-300 IS USM. Not the 300mm NON IS as ive heard its not to good.

Ok, well it think it will end up being the 250mm IS lens.

Unless there is anything else i should look out for within or around my budget?

Thanks
Andy
 
Well I would say wait until you can afford a good lens - I have both the 70-300mm IS USM and the 75-300mm lens and the 70-300mm is definitely a better lens.

Having said that the 75-300mm gets panned a lot but it's quite good up to 200mm then softens from there.

I stopped using it because I wanted more than it could deliver and I also needed IS.
 
I think for under £200 it's hard to beat. Some people like the Sigma 70-300 apo lens, which can be found for around £150, though it doesn't have IS, and is supposed to get a bit soft at the long end, whereas the canon is supposed to be pin sharp right up to 250mm. Just depends if you really need the extra reach.
 
A lens with 300mm maximum focal length should do you ok for motor racing. Even though your Fuji has more megapixels, your 350D will have more usable resolution, so you will be able to crop your images significantly more and still keep decent sharpness. I would prefer to go for a zoom with a relatively short range rather than long because the latter tends to be moving more glass around when focussing and will be slower to autofocus. The aperture size at full zoom of a short range zoom will be bigger too. Both of these are important when shooting fast moving subjects, perhaps more so than image stabilisation because the latter can minimise camera shake but it won't freeze subject motion.
In a choice between OEM and independent lenses I would always be inclined towards OEM. OK, you do pay for the name to some extent with OEM, nevertheless their build quality tends to be better and statistically they have a lower failure rate.
Photozone.de gives the Canon 70-300 USM IS a very high rating with MTF figures close in performance to an 'L' categrory, so this seems to be an obvious short listed candidate. Although IS might not be vital for motor sport, it is a nice-to-have for more sedentary subjects, but I would look for this one over its predecessor simply because it's a good lens.
 
I have the 55-250 IS and can highly recommend it, and it can be had for as little as £160 brand new! Its pin sharp throughout the range and has excellent 4 way image stabilization which is great for panning.

The 70-300 USM IS is a great lens, but I'd argue definitely not worth twice the price of the 55-250!

I took mine to the Nurburgring a couple of years ago and 250mm is more than enough range, and I do a lot of motorsport and have not been found wanting. I can post some images up if you want?
 
For a motorsport lens, AF speed is as important as length, if not more so as you can crop a picture to give a similar result to a longer lens.
The 55-250 has micro-motor driven AF which is rather slow in comparison to the USM AF of the 70-300 IS USM.
There is a reason that the 70-300 is more expensive than the 55-250, and this is one of them.
 
Ok, thanks again for advise. I think for now ill go with the 250mm IS. Sounds like it will be good for what i need, and ill be able to buy it new easily within budget, as apposed to a used 300mm IS.

And my OP was beacuse I was comparing the 55-250mm IS to my fuji's 300mm (with no IS) and so if the equivilent of the 250mm is 400mm on my 350D with IS, i think it will suit me good.

Oddjim, if you get chance to, i would love to see some shots (pref motorsport ones) with that lens. Thanks.

Cheers
Andy
 
Ok;

IMG_8660.jpg


IMG_7271.jpg


IMG_5789.jpg


IMG_5982.jpg



I de-saturated this in PP'ing, its not the lens that washed the colours!

IMG_2933.jpg


All taken with the 55-250 IS.
 
micloi said:
You can look for a 2nd hand Cannon 75-300 IS (old model but quite good for that range and less than £200)
Click to expand...

The 75-300 is a poor lens!
 
micloi said:
Please do your research before you reply so that you do not confuse the OP. I am talking about the 75-300 IS with Optical Stabilization and USM motor and not the cheap 75-300mm model you usually see.

75-300 IS USM
http://www.amazon.com/Canon-75-300mm-4-5-6-Telephoto-Cameras/dp/B00004XONF
Click to expand...

Blimey, time to remove that stick I think!!!

The 75-300 IS USM is a poor lens and I have done my research as its a lens I know well. From DP "If you care about excellent quality, sharp photos, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens is not for you".

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-75-300mm-f-4-5.6-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

Why buy this for £200 when there are far better, and more inexpensive lenses around. Its also the first ever Canon IS lens. IS has moved on dramatically since this lens was released.
 
gibbon said:
Thanks for the photos, there great. And shows the lens is good.

Micloe: I understand which lens you were refering to, and i belive its the one in question in my OP, but i dont seem to see that anywhere for under £200? There nearer £300+

Thanks
Andy
Click to expand...

Nope. The one you are (most probably referring to) is the 70-300mm IS.
I am referring to the older 75-300mm IS tat you can only find used now for under £200 (there was one for sale not long ago in another forum for £180)
 
odd jim said:
Blimey, time to remove that stick I think!!!

It is a poor lens and I have done my research, from DP "If you care about excellent quality, sharp photos, the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM Lens is not for you".

http://www.the-digital-picture.com/Reviews/Canon-EF-75-300mm-f-4-5.6-IS-USM-Lens-Review.aspx

Why buy this for £200 when there are far better, and more inexpensive lenses around. Its also the first ever Canon IS lens. IS has moved on dramatically since this lens was released.
Click to expand...

You read a review from a site that is, many times, wrong in their evaluations.
I owned the lens amongst another 10 different zoom (and prime telephotos) until now and I stand behind my opinion. If the OP needs IS and 300mm then it is the ONLY choice at that price range (except if you can suggest otherwise in which case I will admit I am wrong and I will buy the lens you will suggest myself!)

And I do like playing with sticks I am afraid :razz: :lol:
 
gibbon said:
Ahh i see, sorry. Ok well.. i think ,just so again, it will be new and has good reviews, ill go with the 250mm.

But thanks again for all the advise. Also for the examples jim.

Ill go try find the best offer now! :)

Andy
Click to expand...

The 250mm is an excellent lens if you do not need the extra 50mm (and yes, I had that one as well!) :). I only changed it as I needed a longer lens for birding for my OH.

You will not be disappointed with the quality though!
 
micloi said:
You read a review from a site that is, many times, wrong in their evaluations.
I owned the lens amongst another 10 different zoom (and prime telephotos) until now and I stand behind my opinion. If the OP needs IS and 300mm then it is the ONLY choice at that price range (except if you can suggest otherwise in which case I will admit I am wrong and I will buy the lens you will suggest myself!)

And I do like playing with sticks I am afraid :razz: :lol:
Click to expand...

Lol! Ok, fair enough (and yes, Dp can get it wrong, as they did with the 18-135 IS which I love!). I've used the lens as my brother has one and in comparison to the 55-250 IS the IQ just doesn't compare in sharpness. And, to throw a spanner in the works, the extra 50mm seems barely noticable?

Gibbon - Amazon have the 55-250 for £171 - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canon-55-25...1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1265975525&sr=8-1

Amazon are hard to beat for service and delivery time!
 
The Amazon price is very good but I would also ask Kerso for a price as well as he is usually very competitive.

Have fun with the new lens and post some photos when you get it !
 
whoops, double post!
 
I had the 350d with the 70-300 IS USM and found it to performed well (never tried motorsport with it though),the only complaint i had was the balance, if you decide on this lens you may want to consider sticking a battery grip on the bottom to even things out a bit.
 
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