Proper Lens

I am asking for help in either getting a better lens or adding a converter. I have a Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III Lens, yep the old cheapie but does take some nice bird photos. I need more length or a better lens. What I am getting is not really what I want without being cropped and heavily edited. Suggestions on this is appreciated.

Hi,
Be sure to read the FAQ and Sticky threads at the top of this forum in regards to getting closer to your subjects.

That said, 300mm is a bit short for a lot of birding, but the next level is pushing into the $1,000.00 lens market.

Do NOT try to use a tele-converter with this lens. That is money wasted.

You should be looking at the Canon 400mm f/5.5L prime, 100-400mm f/5.6 L IS, or some of the 3rd party mega zooms like the SIGMA XXX-500mm or Tamron xxx-600mm zooms.

All are in that $1K neighborhood, do some shopping and compare.

My own recomendation would be to go straight to the afor mentioned 400mm Canon Prime. It is a superb optic that leaves most zooms lacking.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #16879897
Hi,
Be sure to read the FAQ and Sticky threads at the top of this forum in regards to getting closer to your subjects.

That said, 300mm is a bit short for a lot of birding, but the next level is pushing into the $1,000.00 lens market.

Do NOT try to use a tele-converter with this lens. That is money wasted.

You should be looking at the Canon 400mm f/5.5L prime, 100-400mm f/5.6 L IS, or some of the 3rd party mega zooms like the SIGMA XXX-500mm or Tamron xxx-600mm zooms.

All are in that $1K neighborhood, do some shopping and compare.

My own recomendation would be to go straight to the afor mentioned 400mm Canon Prime. It is a superb optic that leaves most zooms lacking.

Will do on the FAQ's. I can handle the 1K tag but don't want to go much over it. Thanks
(btw Sr. fan myself)

+1 on the Canon 400 F5.6 - you will have to spend a LOT of money to beat this lens! If a new one is pushing your budget then they are available used at more sensible money + they are built to last.

Yes the 400 5.6 is the step into wildlife/bird, and for some (me included!) is the peak too
In short I am another happy owner of this lens, but I also found that learning a bit of fieldcraft and patience helped my pics greatly!

Foggiest wrote in post #16880770
Yes the 400 5.6 is the step into wildlife/bird, and for some (me included!) is the peak too ....

For more than you might imagine. Even after "graduating" to a supertelephoto, many of us hold on to our 400mm for what it is best at!

For Birding the Canon 400 f5.6 seems to be the standard. I have the 100-400L and love it, both will do you well. I understand a large number of photographers own both. The 100-400 for the focal range versatility and the 400 for the image quality.

Another 400mm F5.6 fanboy here. But I have to add, the Tamron 150-600 looks very interesting, too.

Before I had the 400 5.6 I had the Tamron 70-300 VC, and before that the awful Canon 75-300 lens. The jump from the 75-300 to the Tamron was night and day and I really recommend it.

I find the closest focussing distance of 12ft on the 400 5.6 to be an annoyance on small birds as you can't fill the frame and have to resort to cropping. Other than that it's an amazing lens. Pricey but what isnt?

I was more or less in the same boat as yourself with the 70-300 IS USM, alas I could not spare the £1000 (although I did rent the 400 f5.6L and really liked it).
My initial solution was to get a second hand 70-200 F4L which is a great lens for very little money. I can take a pic at 200mm F4 that will produce a better, sharper crop than any pic at 300mm on the old lens.

Still woefully short of mm though.

I still want the 400mm - maybe one day I will spare the cash.

CyberDyneSystems wrote in post #16881233
For more than you might imagine. Even after "graduating" to a supertelephoto, many of us hold on to our 400mm for what it is best at!

Agreed, many days I go out shooting with my trusty 400 5.6 and the results make me wonder why I bother keeping a 500 F4 IS that costs many times more. Not to mention on a tripod and gimbal head that costs more than the 400 5.6 on its own. No doubt it is the best value in birding out there.