Good Budget Telephoto Zoom

[theowls]

Right, I'm well baffled ???. Can anyone recommend a decent sub £200 lens for my Eos 350 I just got the 350d with the standard 18-55, but I guess this is not going to do much on my trip to a South African game reserve. Someone has recommended the Sigma 70-300 DG and APO DG. Any views on this, or should I stick to Canon?

[cfcRebel]

I think the good budget tele is Canon 100-300mm and Sigma 70-300 APO Super Macro II. It performs great for the price. I own the canon but not the Sigma. I have seen some nice pictures taken with the Sigma and heard many good reviews on the lens too. Do a search with the keyword "70-300" should bring you some information.

http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=94186&highlight=70-300

[eos-rob-uk]

I got my EF 100-300 F4.5-5.6 canon from ebay, £100 superb, need F8 beyond 200mm and aceptable quality at 300mm, auto focus is fast. make sure you get the lenshood though.

Sigma get a good review but make sure you can return it if you get a dud.

RoB B

[2005GLI]

I have the sigma 70-300 supermacro II, its pretty good. Decent focusing at full zoom. Haven't had lots of time to use at full zoom but i plan too.

[Juan Zas]

If you want to listen to a good advice, here is, save 100 GPB more and go for the Canon EF 70-200 f/4 L USM !!!.

[LightRules]

Juan is right, go for the f4L.

[kwsanders]

I really think that you guys have helped me to decide what I plan to urge my better half get me for Christmas. :)

[theowls]

Isn't the Canon EF 70-200 f4 around £600? My budget is £200!

[Tyger]

hey the owls,

First of all here are my views on the Sigma APO Macro DG.

Sigma APO Macro DG Review (http://www.epinions.com/Sigma_70_300_f4_5_6_DG_APO_Macro_Canon_AF_Zoom_Len s_USA_cat508101)

Not a bad lens for the price, IMO best bang for the buck. good starting lens, sharp from 70-200mm, soft on 300mm end but with good technique good shots are still possible.

Personally In terms of sharpness it's very good for a consumer lens, hunts in lowlight and indoors, zooming isn't that smooth, quite stiff, colours are a tad dull straight from the camera. In terms of colour, contrast, build, the canon 70-200mm f4 L is in a different league. Smoother zooming, quiet USM, build quality is excellent, great bokeh..i could go on. I know it's more money but if you can save up for one or buy a good used copy, you won't be sorry.


here's a few sample pics taken at the zoo.

keep in mind that there was no post production done on these pics and it was a cloudy day and had all my parameters set on 0, i normally go into PS to add a little pop to it, the one with the tigers mouth open is behind a fence. So these pics would look even beter after post production and some in camera setting.

http://img222.imageshack.us/img222/3540/sample9gc.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3593/sample22uk.jpg

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/3194/sample36ph.jpg

[condyk]

Juan is right, go for the f4L.

Way too short a lot of the time for many of the National Parks, but may suit reasonably some of the small private game farms. You'll catch Zebra and Springbok in South Africa easaily and you may well be lucky with more, but based on having lived there and travelling throughout Southern Africa over 18 months I can truly say with no fear of contradition that 400mm is the minimum ideally, PLUS crop factor, if you want the best chance of capturing the more interesting and elusive stuff.

Will the OP get some good shots with the 70-200 f4 YES :D

Will the OP miss many, many more YES

Will the Sigma 70-300 APO DG do a decent job on a budget YES

Will it be as good as an L optically NO

Will it struggle on dawn and dusk drives YES

Will the f4 struggle on dawn and dusk drives YES

Does the OP want fewer good quality shots or many more lesser quality? I dunno! f4 for fewer and 70-300 APO DG for more.

[theowls]

Tyger & Condyk - thanks for the advice. I think I'll go for the Sigma. Surfing now for one - £160 from fotosense seems to be best price.

[Tyger]

just make sure it is indeed the APO MACRO DG version, this is the latest one, the previous is the Super II APO.

[peacock]

Hi there
Not sure if you are interested , but as so many rate the 70-300 sm apo 2 and I saw this while surfing earlier today , scroll down the repaired / refurbed section its £ 100

http://www.warehouseexpress.com/specials/basement/basement.html#digital

[condyk]

Tyger & Condyk - thanks for the advice. I think I'll go for the Sigma. Surfing now for one - £160 from fotosense seems to be best price.

http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=115

Sigma's have the international warranty should you have a problem ... unlikely I reckon based on a survey of owners I did a few weeks back.

[dgcorner]

If on a budget, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX + extension might be the way to go IMO.

[Tyger]

If on a budget, Sigma 70-200mm f/2.8 EX + extension might be the way to go IMO.


but still over his budget;)

[eos-rob-uk]

First, I am not getting at any one person here remember.

**** Rob in rant mode again ***** (who will i upset this time i wonder :rolleyes:)

theowls budget is sub £200, i repeat sub £200, it's all well and good pointing out how good the "L" F4 etc is but like a lot of people (me unfortunatly included) cannot repeat CANNOT find this sort of cash for our hobby at this time. as with every hobbist you get what you can when you can.

I read this and other forums a lot before and after i got my 350D / XT and got good, no, great advice from all of you on what I could expect and get for my budget, and i am very greatfull, thanks. Don't get blinkered by "L" lenses (or high end third party lenses) there are excelent pictures to be taken with consumer lenses, the hard bit is to know which to go for and which to avoid.

Hopefully me, theowls and many in the same boat will enjoy our kit and when the time comes and the cash is available sell our decent consumer lenses to some other value conscious (skint, borasic, tight whatever) Canon owner, and then enjoy better quality lenses to give us sharper clearer images.

There are quite a few posters round here who would get cracking shots with a couple of milk bottles glued to there EOS bodies, it's all about taking pictures you enjoy looking at, for me anyhow.


***** Exit rant mode *****

I must thank the other posters for giving there sound advice.


theowls, congratulations, enjoy your new Sigma, and post some images to show what a lens in this price range is capable of. Hope the ones in my galleries give a good idea what my £100 second hand Canon EF 100-300 F4.5-5.6 will do in my old shaky hands.




RoB B

[theowls]

I think the Sigma will satisfy my needs for the time being. As I am a novice I don't want to be branded 'all the gear, and no idea'.

Anyone had any dealings with this Fotosense? Also, would I need to specify that I have a Canon - don't suppose it has a universal mount?????

http://www.fotosense.co.uk/shop_details.asp?productID=836&productName=Sigma_70-300mm_f/4-5.6_APO_DG_MACRO

[varanus]

you dont want to buy it from them you want to get it from http://www.onestop-digital.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=24_28&products_id=115
its a lot cheaper

[theowls]

Wow, that's a massive saving! Cheers Varanus. What's the catch? Have you ordered from the before?

[JonathanSQ]

Can't comment on the dealer but yes you need to be sure to get
a lens with it for the "Canon EOS" mount - it is not universal.

[Tyger]

I think the Sigma will satisfy my needs for the time being. As I am a novice I don't want to be branded 'all the gear, and no idea'.

Anyone had any dealings with this Fotosense? Also, would I need to specify that I have a Canon - don't suppose it has a universal mount?????

http://www.fotosense.co.uk/shop_details.asp?productID=836&productName=Sigma_70-300mm_f/4-5.6_APO_DG_MACRO


yes! make sure you get a canon mount.

[varanus]

well they are based In HK so you might get a bill from customs however they will refund you this if you get stung for it which most dont
Ive not ordered from onestop but ive ordered lots of bits and bobs from HK and have yet to get stung for Vat however many people on here have ordered from Onestop and have had the customs charges refunded so they can be trusted and the customs charges on a lens that price arent much anyway so i wouldnt worry about it anyway to be honest
in a few months I shall be spending a fair bit On glass when i do much of it will come from HK to get more for me £