Looking for a budget 70-300 zoom lens for action shots

[dawnron1]

Hello all,

I'm a newbie to the forums and to digital, getting back into photography after a 20+ year hiatus, and I purchased a Rebel XT from a friend and LOVE it. I'm looking for a budget(non IS) zoom lens in the 70-300 size and for around $200(I know the selection is pretty thin). I plan to do alot of bird and r/c aircraft photgraphy, so a fairly fast autofocus is a plus, but I'd like at least decent sharpness at 200-300mm. Does anyone have any suggestions or experience in this type of shooting with these lenses? Sorry for the inexperience, and thanks in advance for your help!!

Ronnie

[NAisBEST]

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro *Hands Down* for that price http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=SI703004DGCA&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=391074 Sample Pics: http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=200682

[runninmann]

If you can get by with 100 mm at the short end, a used Canon EF 100-300 may fit the bill. It possesses fast, accurate ring USM and decent IQ through the zoom range.

[MitsuJDM]

I have the EF 75-300 III USM. It's decently sharp, and AF isn't the fastest, but it's only $169. I bought it until I could affroad a 70-200 F/4L OR F/2.8L.

[Mr. Clean]

Sigma 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG Macro *Hands Down* for that price http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?A=details&kw=SI703004DGCA&is=REG&Q=&O=productlist&sku=391074 Sample Pics: http://www.photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=200682

While I agree this is the best bang for the buck zoom (I own one too), I'm not sure it's great for action. Probably the best bet for the price rance though. You'd need a super bright day to be able to use the lens well with action, or bump your ISO. It's sharp stopped down about 3 stops.

[dawnron1]

Thanks very much for responding! I'm thinking either the Tamron or the Sigma 70-300 with the macro function, would LOVE to have a Canon 100-300 but it's out of my price range for now.

Ronnie

[marka123]

Howdy,

I very much like my Tamron 70-300. Cheaper than the Sigma and the only reason I'm not still using it is that I wanted to use a polarizer and didn't want a rotating front element (which the Sigma also has). Picture quality is excellent.

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/controller/home?O=productlist&A=details&Q=&sku=423725&is=REG&addedTroughType=search

Mark

[gcogger]

I'd say the Sigma can do action shots, but you have to be careful. If you pre-focus somewhere near where the subject will be, it can focus fast and accurately enough. It even tracks in AI-servo mode well enough, once it has acquired focus in the first place. It may not be a fast lens, but I'm not sure what else you could get for the money that would be better in that regard.

The following pics were all taken with the Sigma 70-300 and a 300D (well all except the paddock shots, and a couple of the panning ones), mostly at 300mm.

http://www.gcogger.dsl.pipex.com/goodwood/index.htm

[delhi]

if AF speed is your main criteria, then you gotta get something with ring-USM. Hence the 100-300 from Canon is what you want. A used one can be had for cheap. The Sigma provides great IQ for the price. But without HSM (Sigma's version of USM), it's gonna hurt in the AF department.

[superdiver]

What is sigmas equivalent to IS? Dont that have something like that as well? I know its more then what he is looking for, but something to consider...

[Jon]

Sigma offer Optical Stabilization only in one lens, the 80-400 OS. It's reputed to be fairly slow-focussing.

[PEACHMAN]

I have the Canon 75-300 , and while a good lens for some shots, absolutly not fast and very soft for fast shots...I'd be happy to sell mine for $150 but don't think it would give you the results you are after!

[dawnron1]

Well, it looks like I have a pending deal on a Canon 100-300, but I appreciate the offers! Here's a shot from my little Lumix before I upgraded to the Rebel XT, so you have an Idea what I'll be shooting. These are both r/c electrics; the OV-1 Mohawk at the bottom weighs 6 pounds!

[FlashZebra]

I think 300mm might be a bit short for birds, typically most recommend a 400mm as a minimum.

Please note that focus speed is not addressed in the info below. The info below just deals mostly with optical quality. Focus speed would be very important for fast moving aircraft.

I have served this same post up many times, you might find it helpful.

Here are several info links and my take on the inexpensive 75-300mm or 70-300mm landscape for Canon 1.6 crop DSLR bodies.

This class includes the following lenses:

Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM
Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-f5.6 LD Macro 1:2
Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG macro

User testimonials for the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=18&sort=7&cat=27&page=2
I could not find a Imatest review of this lens, but not many users are keen on this lens, especially above 200mm.

Imatest results for Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-f5.6 LD Macro 1:2
http://www.eospix.com/content-25.html

User testimonials for the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-f5.6 LD Macro 1:2
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=254&sort=7&cat=43&page=2

Imatest results for Sigma AF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 APO DG macro
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/sigma_70300_456/index.htm
There are no user testimonials at FredMiranda.com for this lens.

All of these relatively inexpensive lenses have meaningful performance issues. But based on this info, and other info, I purchased the Tamron AF 70-300mm f4-f5.6 LD Macro 1:2.

It seems to be the only one that works over the entire focal length range with acceptable center and edge sharpness. Admittedly, you really have to really stop the Tamron down to get it to cooperate (at all focal lengths), but at some lens setting, even at 300mm you can get a significantly sharp image at both the center and the edge.

The Sigma has very good performance at 70 to 200mm, at almost any aperture, but at 300mm the edge sharpness is very marginal at all apertures. At 70 to 200mm it seems to be a better lens than the Tamron, especially at wider lens openings. But at or near 300mm the center is sharp, but there is no aperture that will give you even modest edge sharpness.

The Canon seems to provide a reasonable performance at 70 and 200, just not as good as the Sigma, but like the Sigma it is very marginal at 300mm.

Others will likely look at this same info and data and make a much different purchase decision, based on what might be important to them.

One other factor, the Tamron is by far the least expensive lens of the three, especially since the lens hood is included, that increases the value, and were compromises must be made, as with this class of lenses, value seems very appropriate to insert into the mix. I understand that the Sigma also has an included hood.

As a side note, moving up to the much more expensive Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM lens does not change this much.

Imatest results for the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_75300_456is/index.htm
http://www.eospix.com/content-28.html

User testimonials for the Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III USM
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=16&sort=7&cat=27&page=2

The much more expensive Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM (note that this lens has a 70mm at the low end not a 75mm like the oter Canon IS lens) seems to be quite a different story, as everyone loves this lens and it has very good test results at all focal lengths. But it also costs 3 to 5 times that of the three cited at the begining of this post.

Imatest results for the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
http://www.photozone.de/8Reviews/lenses/canon_70300_456is/index.htm

User testimonials for the Canon EF 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS USM
http://www.fredmiranda.com/reviews/showproduct.php?product=294&sort=7&cat=27&page=3

Enjoy! Lon