Which lens?

Marcel

Marcel

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Marcel
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Well, it's the n00b here, asking more questions.

Went out to Hollinworth Lake yesterday, loats of boaters out, but unfortunately my 18-55 kit lens just wasn't enough to get close.
That, and the Chester Zoo visit on Friday, and a number of other occasions I've been thinking it wise to get my second lens.

Now I'll start by saying in no way do I want to spend alot of money, not while I'm still recovering from having to break the news to my wife about the camera :D
I know the more I spend on some decent glass the better, but it's definately budget for me, as cost is the biggest issue. I know it's a compromise, but unfortunately I'm not in a position not to compromise, if that makes sense :)

Anyway, I was thinking something along the lines of a 75-200, maybe 300 if the price is right.
Been looking at a couple by Tamron and Sigma, I just don't know which are what, and what is recommended, so I'm calling upon the TPF collective to give me their thoughts and recommendations.

All I'm after really is the ability to get up close, and with auto focus, not too keen on the 'push-pull' zoom that is on a couple of them either.

Forgive the non-technical terminology :)

I've also been thinking of going second hand, but ebay is just a minefield of sellers, both new and old, and I don't even know how much which lenses are worth what.

So come on, guide me through finding a nice cheap lens, just so I can get that bit closer to some subjects.

Regards
 
well i can hearily recommend the sigma 70-300mm super macro apoII lens, i think the new version is the DG, thats better for digi apparently....i havent used any others so i can comment on them, but im happy with mine.
 
Joe T said:
I think the Sigma 70-300 APO fits your needs. :)
Click to expand...

Which is also what I said in a conversation with Bod just the other night.

At the budget price range this lens hits all the right buttons and regularly returns the results.

As always though, try before you buy ;)
 
Hehe I remember what you said Steve ;) You see, like I said, I *am* like a sponge, I do soak it all in, it's just that someone keeps coming along and giving me a squeeze.

Looking at Warehouse Express, they're selling it for 170.
Onestop-Digital have it for £114.99, obviously shipped from HK (inclusive of P&P - 5 to 10 days), but they come recommended by lots of people to me, and they guarantee no VAT charges by customs.

As for try before I buy I don't think Jessops are stocking it...I'll have a look at Wilkinsons ;)

So has anyone else ordered from Onestop-Digital before?
Or essentially from HK?
 
Well upon closer inspection they may not be the same lens.

We have this one at Onestop-Digital for £114.99
and
this one at 7dayshop for £25 more (£139.99)

What's the difference? (Besides the words 'Macro Super II'):p and is the difference worth the price difference? (Whichever way you look at it, price higher or lower)

Regards

Edit : Also just found this little puppy on eBay with no bids.
Ends tomorrow.
 
It looks like the dearer one has APO (apochromatic) glass elements Bod. APO glass reduces chromatic aberrations and enhances image contrast and sharpness. Many of the L series Canon lenses use this glass too. It's real techy anorak stuff, but I'd have to say for the extra 25 quid, it has to be worth it.

I'm not really up on Sigma lenses at all, but I think that a gold ring at the front of a Sigma lens signifies an APO lens in the same way a red ring signifies a Canon L lens, so that should be a visible difference between the two lenses unless I'm wildly wrong. :icon_eek:

If you check out this list of Sigma lenses you'll see they do two versions of the lens, one being APO so that seems to be the difference.

http://www.sigmaphoto.com/lenses/lenses_all.asp
 
Thanks CT. But they are both stated as APO lenses.
 
Right... to be fair I'd have thought there'd be a bigger price differential for the APO glass? Anyway, I agree with the guys, the 70-300 Sigma is a bargain and I've seen some tack-sharp results from this lens. :thumb:
 
Bod, the difference is one is the newer DG lens and has no vat on it. The supplier says no vat will be charged? The other from 7dayshop has vat included. Apart from the coating on a couple of the lens elements the two are identical.

My 70-300apo came from 7dayshop and i've been very happy with it, however on onestop digital can supply one for £25 less (check the cost of postage etc) then I'd go for it.
 
Ahah! one stop digital is based in Hong Kong, the cost of delivery is likely to be pretty high and I wouldn't guarantee that there will be no import duty on it either.
 
Thats the tickler Steep. The Onestop price includes delivery and comes with a no import charge/vat guarantee, IE the price they quote is the price you pay. Guaranteed.

If the lenses are the same (and I think they are just worded slightly differently). I think they're both the new DG lens.

If thats the case then I may as well plump for the HK option.
 
Bod said:
Thats the tickler Steep. The Onestop price includes delivery and comes with a no import charge/vat guarantee, IE the price they quote is the price you pay. Guaranteed.

If the lenses are the same (and I think they are just worded slightly differently). I think they're both the new DG lens.

If thats the case then I may as well plump for the HK option.
Click to expand...

I would contact them and ask if it is the DG version, it will cost nothing and save alot of guesswork and possible heartache.
 
Eye'up Bod's a Marcel??!!
 
I sure am. Thanks to my dad's music tastes in the late 70's when I was born.

As my mum was in labour, he was singing "Bluuuuee mooooooon, you saw me staaandiiing aloooooone", and I was born.
(Well that's not exactly true I think, but I was named after the Marcels)
 
Looks a bit like you after your F1 is interrupted with a panicky 28 year old :p
 
Marcel said:
Looks a bit like you after your F1 is interrupted with a panicky 28 year old :p
Click to expand...

No way, thats not showing nearly enough stress.

BTW get on MSN I need to ask you something :whistling
 
Marcel said:
Well upon closer inspection they may not be the same lens.

We have this one at Onestop-Digital for £114.99
and
this one at 7dayshop for £25 more (£139.99)

What's the difference? (Besides the words 'Macro Super II'):p and is the difference worth the price difference? (Whichever way you look at it, price higher or lower)

Regards

Edit : Also just found this little puppy on eBay with no bids.
Ends tomorrow.
Click to expand...
Just wondering which lens you went for and if you'd keep us updated, as i'm in the hunt for a longer lens now. Interested to know if onestop service is any good if you opted for that.
 
Many other customers are telling me nothing but praise of Onestops service.
One or two people have been hit by customs, but upon sending the scanned invoice to Onestop are getting it refunded very quickly(some of them within 10 minutes...lol).

I'm about to receive some money into my Paypal account so when that's done I'll be ordering the 70-300 Sigma from Onestop, and I shall definately keep you all updated.
 
All ordered, receipt recieved within the minute by email.
 
that lens also has Macro on it Marcel, same as mine, but the updated version
 
Please excuse my ignorance people, I just don't have a clue. I thought the difficult part was purchasing the right camera (and using it correctly) now I find purchasing a lens to be even more complicated, what with ef, ef-s, dl's, usm', II's, III's, apo's, dg's the list just goes on. I have been hunting around Ebay as well as 7 dayshop, warehouse express and onestop shop ETc, ETc, but I am unsure as to what will fit my camera, what is the better lens (or newer) and is the difference in the updated lens really that much. I spent most of yesterday checking out various websites with regards these differences and still find myself lost and confused. (It doesn't take much I know, but i'm not helped when identical lenses are advertised differently or different lenses are advertised the same). I have emailed several people and companies but am still no further forward.
I have about £200-£250 to spend and would love a telephoto lens, the 70-300 sounds ideal as the price is right...however there are about 4 versions of this just from sigma:
There's the Canon fit SIGMA 70-300 APO DG New Model @ £169.99 (buy it now Ebay).
The Canon fit SIGMA 70-300 mm f/4-5.6 NEW DG Macro @ £94.99 (buy it now ebay).
The Canon fit SIGMA 70-300 mm f/4-5.6 DG Macro Super II @ £94.99 (buy it now ebay).
The Sigma Lens for Canon EF - 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro Super II @ £139.00 (7 dayshop).
The Sigma Lens for Canon EF - 70-300mm F4-5.6 DL Macro Super II @ £101.00 (7 dayshop). I know this is the old version.
The 70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro Super DG @ £179.99 (warehouse Express) from were i recently purchased Digipads and fluid next day delivery.
Onestop shops Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro Lens @ £114.99 inc P&P
( I'm a lttle reluctant to use these as Shipping could take as long as 5-10 working days IF all goes well, also there is no contact number and I emailed them on Friday and as yet have still not had a reply, they state stuff about ebay which doesn't seem to tally, also there ebay shop does not have much stock and no 70-300 lens for sale). Could just be me being overly paranoid but then there's the international guarantee.....A very good price I know inc P&P Just seems a little to good to be true.
There are many other places which have versions of this lens and various prices ie. Jessops although not in stock have 2 ( staff weren't sure if both are macro) @ £150.00 and £200.00.
Sorry that this is a little long winded or if I have answered my own questions without realising BUT
Can someone please, please help me. I am on a tight budget and any change would go on purchasing cf cards.
Many thanks in advance.
Ken.
 
Ken, it's a nightmare, I know, and it doesn't help when staff are often ignorent of what they're selling.:eyesup:

I've had a quick look at those and I'm leaning towards tthis one from Warehouse Express.

70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro Super DG (58mm) @ £179.99. That one would be my choice as it it has APO and DG. I explained what APO is earlier inthe thread, and DG lenses are relatively new from Sigma, the DG siginifying that the lens is optimised in it's design to be used with digital cameras.

Warehouse Express tend to know what they're talking about if you ring them up and there's a phone no. on their site which people actually answer if you ring up.:)

Hope that helps mate.
 
CT said:
Ken, it's a nightmare, I know, and it doesn't help when staff are often ignorent of what they're selling.:eyesup:

I've had a quick look at those and I'm leaning towards tthis one from Warehouse Express.

70-300mm F4-5.6 APO Macro Super DG (58mm) @ £179.99. That one would be my choice as it it has APO and DG. I explained what APO is earlier inthe thread, and DG lenses are relatively new from Sigma, the DG siginifying that the lens is optimised in it's design to be used with digital cameras.

Warehouse Express tend to know what they're talking about if you ring them up and there's a phone no. on their site which people actually answer if you ring up.:)

Hope that helps mate.
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Thanks once again CT. :thumb: You never fail to come to my aid, you are a real hero...even if you did pick the most expensive one :) I have just visited the sigma site Here And the only 70-300's they show are APO DG Macro and DG MACRO now don't understand why there is no super or even II's??? :confused-
My poor brain.
Thanks again ct.
 
LOL. Sorry mate. If you can get the same thing from 7dayshop it will be cheaper .
 
I had a look at the one from 7 day shop, and IIRC it doesnt say whether it's the new DG version or not.

Having a look around the net there are two schools of thought. One that says DG is an improvement, others say the DG designation is just new letters and nothing more. (Well, certainly nothing to make you say "DG Only for me").

Edit : BTW 7day shop was 139.99 I think.
 
I am not really going to be much help here Ken but to sort out and give yourself a little understanding you need to do two things..

The first is to sort out and understand the real differences between the features...this is relatively simple with a little research or specific questions here. From that you can decide which you want and then ask for specific opinions, samples of pictures from people with that lens etc.

The second is the hard bit, that is sorting through the badly advertised and displayed lenses, working out which are actually which and making 100% sure that the one you want is the one you buy. Again once you know what you want, the members here can help by telling you where they bought the same lens from, how much it cost them, what the service was like and above all would they buy there again.

Trying to do all of the above at the same time will not be easy and you will just end up confused and probably making a bad decision. Break it down to simple steps and enjoy the learning curve and knowing that when you do buy the lens it will be the right one for you as it was from an informed and correct choice.

Hope that helps a little ;)
 
Instead of the way I do things...."Ooooh I like that one......I'll take it" ;)
 
Thanks Ct, Steve and Marcel for the help. With regards the difference in lenses, it could be a toilet roll with cling film and i'll probably never know the difference. I can't justify spending anymore money at this time being so new to photography and, all I really want is to get closer to the action...But would like to get value for money, rather than buying the cheapest and finding it's the oldest, when a couple of quid more could buy newer. I have been watching a 170-500 currently at £155 and ending soon...but the price is being bumped by others with no feedback.
Think i'll play the safe card and get the Warehouse express one, which says apo, dg and macro.
 
I think you're wise Ken, and Warehouse Express are great to deal with if you do have any issues with the lens, and that isn't always the case when you buy off the 'net. ;)

GOOD choice of lens, I'm sure you'll thoroughly enjoy using it. The leap in quality in EOSd's (matty's) raptor pics when he got the same lens was very obvious.

170-500 would be great if you had the shorter end covered with another lens, but it would probably prove to be too 'long' for lots of uses and quite frustrating.
 
CT said:
The leap in quality in EOSd's (matty's) raptor pics when he got the same lens was very obvious.
Click to expand...
Yes i have been looking at Eosd's gallery and with the photo's he's taken and the price makes it a must have lens for someone in my shoes. The 170-500 went for £160 altough I didn't buy it I would have bought another lens to get me up to 170 range as well...but decided against bidding.
 
I think I'm like you Ken, I wouldn't know the difference between all the different variations. Many people would, I'm sure, but I am not 'keen eyed' enough to say "That's got a bit of chromatic abbheration around the edges, that must be from the non APO lens". Me personally, I say "That's nice, how much?".
I suppose to be driven mainly by cost is a bit short sighted (pun intended), but when I see images produced from a lens that I think are stunning, then it gets a tick by its name.
Having a lens slightly heavier is justifiable to me, if it's cheaper, or having a lens that some people say is 'soft' is justifiable. If I like what can be reproduced with it, then that's enough for me.
Unless a product is seriously deficient, in that it doesnt do what it is supposed to, then again, the cost begins to take over.
I know I've taken to an expensive hobby, I understand that, and some people will say "It can't be done by the way you're thinking". I don't disagree entirely, but nor do I agree wholeheartedly.
If you have a very keen eye and can spot an off coloured pixel from 100 yards, and are a perfectionist to boot, then it definately can't be done on the cheaper end of the scale. When only the best will do, the price will reflect that.
I, however, am not that fussy (for want of a better word). All I want is the ability to create something visually appealing. If I had the money, then maybe only the best would do. But until I win the lottery or Bill Gates calls me 'son', then that isn't going to happen, so for me, the cheaper end is the viable alternative.
I suppose I could save up for ages and get the best, but at what cost? Would I *really* notice a justifiable difference in quality for the cost? I'm not too sure.
OK so I lack a great deal of experience and knowledge in this field, granted...a GREAT deal..but I'm old enough and daft enough to know that buying the best money can buy isn't always the best for me.

I've seen some sample shots from this lens, and I'm happy with that. I've seen sample shots from the older versions of this lens, and they too are good. That's why I've not done *too much* research on this lens before buying it.
It does what it says on the tin, and that is what I want for a lens. Maybe it is short sighted of me, but I suppose that's the way I am personally.
I suppose it's all down to how each person is. I've always been one of those people who when I've decided Im going to buy something, I want it ASAP. I don't want to be doing mountains of research and being 150% sure that what I do buy is the one that's everything I ever wanted out of it, the perfect product for me. I have an idea of what I want, I have an idea of how much I want to spend, and I have a good look around, and then make a choice. I don't go heavily into each option, as long as each one does what I want, ie the reason I'm buying it, and has features that I have in mind, at the right price, then it goes onto my 'suitable list'. Unless of course, it is a complete donkey, then I'm happy.

Not sure if that all makes sense, I suppose I'm waffling now.
I'm not a 'calm, collected, researcher' by nature. I have attempted to be in the past, and it didn't work, I suppose I can't change that now. I just want what it says on the tin, no more no less.
 
FWIW chromatic aberrations are the typically bluish purple fringing you see (for example) around tree branches etc, when there's a great deal of contrast with the surrounding sky. All lenses produce this sometimes, regardless of whether they're APO or not. Although APO is a desirable feature in that it should reduce the problem, it's often only the most knowledgeable and critical viewer who'd spot the difference anyway.

DG lenses optimised for digital cameras is a step in the right direction in that finally we're getting lenses that weren't designed to work with film stock. We're a long way from seeing the full implications of this yet, but eventually we will see a new generation of lenses which really raises the bar for sharpness and colour fidelity. All we can do in the meantime is decide to what extent these features are important to us and whether we want to pay for them.

You're right though Bod, (sorry - Marcel :p) it's easy to get carried away with equipment and all this technical stuff, a great shot is a great shot regardless of what equipment it was captured with.
 
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