Extender or new lens for Digital Rebel?

[slaterson]

I'm a hobbyist photographer but getting more interested every day. I have a Digital Rebel with the following lenses:

Canon EF -S 18-55 mm
Canon EF 28-135 mm (IS)
Canon EF 75-300 mm (IS)

I would like to get tighter shots, the 300mm lens works well but in a lot of cases still isn't enough. I will be photographing motorcycle/auto races, surfing/waves and some wildlife.

Should I get an extender (the EF 1.4x) or a new lens, something like the 100-400 mm (pricey) the Sigma 50-500mm? Will the extender provide good results on the Digital Rebel?

Thanks a lot for any feedback,
Slate

[tommykjensen]

The extenders does not work with any of You lenses (there is a taping trick to get them to work).

Most users here will recommend the 100-400 for You. (Have a look at the STICKY threads in this forum, specifically http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=402436#post402436 ).

The extender 1,4x work well with 300D and the right lenses. I have had a 300D and have 70-200 mm f4L and the extender. Following photo is shot with this combination:

http://photo.klein-jensen.dk/photohtml.php?n=zootest14x2.jpg

Now I have replaced the 300D with a 20D, and I recently bought a 300 mm f4L IS which can also be used with the extender.

[robertwgross]

Canon EF -S 18-55 mm
Canon EF 28-135 mm (IS)
Canon EF 75-300 mm (IS)

Should I get an extender (the EF 1.4x) or a new lens, something like the 100-400 mm (pricey) the Sigma 50-500mm? Will the extender provide good results on the Digital Rebel?


First of all, the Canon 1.4x teleconverter is not going to fit any of those three lenses.

Second, don't think so much about how the teleconverter will work on a Digital Rebel. Think about how it will work on any particular lens. How good it works is more a function of the lens than the camera body.

You might split off your lens decisions to which one works best for the kind of shooting you do. Start there, then pick a teleconverter that will work there, if possible. Note that if you start with a mushy lens, then the teleconverter makes the shot into a tighter mushy shot.

---Bob Gross---

[thomascanty]

The extenders does not work with any of You lenses (there is a taping trick to get them to work).

The tape trick is to get them to autofocus on slow lenses, not to fit on lenses they don't support. They will not attach to his lenses because they simply don't fit.

[slaterson]

First of all, the Canon 1.4x teleconverter is not going to fit any of those three lenses.

Second, don't think so much about how the teleconverter will work on a Digital Rebel. Think about how it will work on any particular lens. How good it works is more a function of the lens than the camera body.

You might split off your lens decisions to which one works best for the kind of shooting you do. Start there, then pick a teleconverter that will work there, if possible. Note that if you start with a mushy lens, then the teleconverter makes the shot into a tighter mushy shot.

---Bob Gross---

thanks for all the very quick replies!

so, i gather that the extender won't work with my lenses, so it rules out that option.

for an amateur/hobbyist such as myself, would the sigma 50-500 or the canon 100-400 be a better choice? (i typically go for quality as opposed to cost savings)

besides ebay, what are some good sites to find used lenses?

thanks a lot!
slate

[tommykjensen]

The tape trick is to get them to autofocus on slow lenses, not to fit on lenses they don't support. They will not attach to his lenses because they simply don't fit.

Of course, forgot to point that out. Thanks for correcting me.

[ron chappel]

The other brand extenders aren't too bad.
http://194.100.88.243/petteri/pont/Reviews/de_TC_vs_TC/a_Tamron_vs_Sigma_1.4x.html
Of course any extender on the 75-300 is going to give pretty bad results simply because that lens is not very good.
Other options i can think of are:
The EF100-400 and Sigma 50-500 allready mentioned
Sigma 170-500 lens.This will be quite alot cheaper than the first options and give sharper results than a 75-300 + extender
Tokina and tamron still make 80-400 sized zooms i think (?)
The sigma 80-400 optical stabilizer lens is being sold seriously discounted here on ebay australia-maybe where you are too?
Here is a decent inexpensive non zoom lens option.I have tested one of these against the canon 75-300-it is not quite as sharp so will easily beat the 75-300 + extender
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4687&item=3873355780&rd=1

[slaterson]

The other brand extenders aren't too bad.
http://194.100.88.243/petteri/pont/Reviews/de_TC_vs_TC/a_Tamron_vs_Sigma_1.4x.html
Of course any extender on the 75-300 is going to give pretty bad results simply because that lens is not very good.
Other options i can think of are:
The EF100-400 and Sigma 50-500 allready mentioned
Sigma 170-500 lens.This will be quite alot cheaper than the first options and give sharper results than a 75-300 + extender
Tokina and tamron still make 80-400 sized zooms i think (?)
The sigma 80-400 optical stabilizer lens is being sold seriously discounted here on ebay australia-maybe where you are too?
Here is a decent inexpensive non zoom lens option.I have tested one of these against the canon 75-300-it is not quite as sharp so will easily beat the 75-300 + extender
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=4687&item=3873355780&rd=1

thanks for the information ron. i looked at the lenses from ebay (the link in your message). they are made by 'phoenix' and are incredibly inexpensive, which makes me a little leary of buying one.

i think at this point it will be best to save few pennies and get either the canon 100-400 or one of the sigma's (50-500 or 170-500). i would prefer to get the canon, so i'll probably just wait until i can get a good deal on one of those.

on more question... the 1.4x extender will work with the 100-400? is there a chart that shows what lenses work with what camera bodies/extenders, etc?

thanks a lot for the help,
slate

[Lensdude]

The Canon 1.4x teleconverter can be used with fixed focal length lenses 135mm and longer (except the 135mm f/2.8 Softfocus lens), and the EF 70-200 f/2.8L, 70-200 f/2.8L IS, 70-200 f/4.0L, and 100-400 f/4.5-5.6L IS zoom lenses. Superb optically, it preserves the image quality of the lens it's mounted to and multiplies its focal length 1.4x. Your effective aperture is reduced by one f-stop; autofocus is possible on any EOS camera when combined with a lens having an f/4 or faster maximum aperture. The new version II adds enhanced weather- resistant construction, and improved anti-reflective surfaces in the barrel