Suggestions on a lens for a trip to the zoo

Going to the zoo later this week. I'll be taking my 70-200L f/4 IS and a 1.4X extender. What's a good compliment for taking pictures of both the animals in the zoo and my animals (kids)?

I'm thinking the 135L f/2.

It has the added benefit of being a decent choice for indoor sports it seems.

Seems like a good time to buy one with the rebate Canon has right now.

Any other suggestions?

Except for the indoor exhibits the 70-200 and the 135L will do mostly the same task for a zoo trip. Not in any way discouraging your purhcase of the 135L, I have both the lenses you mention and the 135L sees much more time on the camera than the zoom. But for a zoo trip they are sort of applicative. I would be more inclined to carry a wider lens as an alternative, to better use for the kid shots in a crowd.

gonzogolf wrote in post #16751164
Except for the indoor exhibits the 70-200 and the 135L will do mostly the same task for a zoo trip. Not in any way discouraging your purhcase of the 135L, I have both the lenses you mention and the 135L sees much more time on the camera than the zoom. But for a zoo trip they are sort of applicative. I would be more inclined to carry a wider lens as an alternative, to better use for the kid shots in a crowd.

Specific suggestion?

What about the EF 35mm f/1.4L USM?

IlliniFan99 wrote in post #16751167
Specific suggestion?

I wouldnt buy a lens for zoo trip. I wouldnt even rent a lens for zoo trip, but thats me. What do you think fits in to the other 99.9999 percent of your life that isnt at the zoo do you think you could use?

gonzogolf wrote in post #16751179
I wouldnt buy a lens for zoo trip. I wouldnt even rent a lens for zoo trip, but thats me. What do you think fits in to the other 99.9999 percent of your life that isnt at the zoo do you think you could use?

Indoor sports, portrait shots of my kids, both inside and outside.

Maybe I should have asked what's a decent addition to the 70-200L as one is building their line-up of lenses?

IlliniFan99 wrote in post #16751186
Indoor sports, portrait shots of my kids, both inside and outside.

That brings us back to the 135L for outside portraits. Its a bit long for indoor work in many places, and despite being f2 you need to keep your shutter speeds up with it so indoor work is iffy.

Sigma 17-70mm.

http://www.bhphotovide​o.com …0mm_f_2_8_4_DC_​Macro.html

IlliniFan99 wrote in post #16751111
Going to the zoo later this week. I'll be taking my 70-200L f/4 IS and a 1.4X extender. What's a good compliment for taking pictures of both the animals in the zoo and my animals (kids)?

I'm thinking the 135L f/2.

It has the added benefit of being a decent choice for indoor sports it seems.

Seems like a good time to buy one with the rebate Canon has right now.

Any other suggestions?

Heya,

I don't see why you'd want a 135L for this purpose when the 70-200 F4L IS is more appropriate in general. Animals/kids, they don't tend to sit still, and having a static long focal length means you're required to be a certain distance away and it really affects your ability to do lots of compositions. The 135L is a phenomenal lens of course, but, in this particular usage, I wouldn't go for it. I would actually have said the 70-200 F4L IS but you already have that lens. And an extender. So you're actually good to go as it is, since that already covers the next suggestion I would have made, which is the 300L or the 100-400L.

As for kids, I would go for a shorter focal length zoom, or a medium prime. 35~85mm.

Very best,

The 70-200 plus extender will be fine for the zoo. You may not need anything else. Whenever we go to a zoo or safari park, my long zoom stays glued to the camera.

If the 70-200 is your only lens, I'd suggest getting a shorter zoom as well. You could get a constant f2.8 zoom (Canon 17-55, Tamron 28-75, etc.) for less than the cost of the 135.

Tamron 17-50/2.8 non-VC.

You need optical power.
You need handling of low light.
I like your suggestion better than others.

what body are you using?

DreDaze wrote in post #16751728
what body are you using?

60D

I have 4 kids. We are zoo members. We enjoy free (after the membership is paid) entertainment. We visit the zoo about 20 times a year seriously.

I've quit taking multiple lenses to the zoo. One trip I may take the 85. Another I'll only take the 35. Another just the 24-70. Most of the time I take the 70-200. Some of my best shots was with a 70-200 F4 non IS and a T3i/60D.

Just went on saturday and all I took was the 300 but thats just because I just got it. Well I took the 2x also.

I say take the 70-200 and enjoy your visit.

IlliniFan99 wrote in post #16751753
60D

135mm is pretty long in a crop for a prime...i have a 135f2.8 that i don't use all that often due to it's length

what other lenses do you currently have?

you mentioned the 35mm f1.4...i would look at a sigma 30mm f1.4 since you are on a crop