Telephoto Lens Question.. buying decsion !!

[SHKJ]

Hi All,
I just purchased a 20D and I love it !!!!

I am looking for a high quality telephoto zoom lens and here are my choices
that I have narrowed my lens down to the following

Canon 70-200 F2.8 L (kinda heavy)
Canon 70-200 F4
Sigma APO 100-300mm F4 EX IF HSM
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX HSM

This lens will be used for:Kids sports,Nascar races,air shows,zoo trips,etc



Which one do you think will be best at image quality and hand holding managability ???

Thanks.......Shkj

[SkipD]

I find the weight of the 70-200 f2.8L IS to be an advantage at times. It gives the camera more mass, so it doesn't wave around as much. Add that to the IS and the quality of the optics, and you'd be amazed at how low a shutter speed you can use and get a beautifully sharp image. I wouldn't trade this lens in for anything else (but I will add to my collection over time, of course).

[condyk]

1. Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX HSM if you need 2.8

2. Canon 70-200mm F4 if you don't need 2.8

3. A 1.4x extender if you want a bit more length, Kenko Pro are good value

[DaveG]

Hi All,
I just purchased a 20D and I love it !!!!

I am looking for a high quality telephoto zoom lens and here are my choices
that I have narrowed my lens down to the following

Canon 70-200 F2.8 L (kinda heavy)
Canon 70-200 F4
Sigma APO 100-300mm F4 EX IF HSM
Sigma 70-200mm F2.8 EX HSM

This lens will be used for:Kids sports,Nascar races,air shows,zoo trips,etc



Which one do you think will be best at image quality and hand holding managability ???

Thanks.......Shkj


I have and love the Canon 70-200 f2.8L (non IS). I agree that it's heavy - but they all are. I use a monopod with this lens, to take the weight of of my arms, and would with any of the others too. You are effectively getting a 320 mm out of the 200mm focal length with a Canon 20D camera, so a little support can't hurt even with IS.

You mentioned a desire for handholding the camera and lens, and I just don't see it. Oh you'll get a few handheld shots off. I shot the conclusion of a "Cops" like car chase with a handheld 70-200 f2.8L, but the whole shoot took less than thirty seconds, and had I the time it would have been on a monopod. I'm also sure that someone will write into tell us how HE can handhold his 20D, vertical grip and 70-200 f2.8L for hours. But the fatigue is real and a monopod will fix this problem, and let you concentrate on the shot rather than the pain.

IS is nice and I'd love to have it on my 70-200. But the extra expense couldn't be rationalized at the time, nor now. But then again that's where the monopod comes in, doesn't it? A monopod = a poor man's IS. If you have the money by all means get the IS. You can always turn it off. But subject movement will be as much of your exposure criteria as camera movement. Those pesky NASCAR vehicles resist being photographed in the middle of a race at 1/60 of a second no matter how stable the camera is!

The tripod collar for the Canon 70-200 f4 is an option, one that I would buy, but it comes with the 2.8. You can flip from horizontal to vertical effortlessly, and after you use one for a hour or so you'll wish that ALL your lenses had tripod collars!

I am partial to Canon lenses for Canon. I think that they are more mechnically sound, if no sharper on the day that you buy one. They also will hold their value, and from what I've seen the Brand X's don't. As well many Brand X lenses don't seem to have the no-switch manual focus but that more important to some people than to others.

[CyberDyneSystems]

The 2.8's will be best for sports and hand holding becuase they will allow faste rshutter speeds,.

The Canon with Image Stabiization will be even better..

But all of the lenses you mention are top notch! Really excellent excellent choices.

If weight is a concern over prolonged periods of hand holding the f/4 Canon and the f/2.8 70-200mm Sigma are significantly lighter than the others.

In either case,. I would advise looking into, and getting used to using a monopod. It eliminates the weight problem and helps dramatically with handheld camera shake ;)

[raylks]

Get the monopod and you will find that even 70-200mm f4 is a fun!
If you are not budget user, then you may go for f2.8L IS. It is heavy but with the monpod you won't feel it. Also the IS really helps a lot in compensating camera shake for sharp image.