100-400 and Macro

Hi All,

Just joined today (I am from sunny South Africa ) and I had one or two questions please.

1. I am in the market for the 100-400 L IS USM lens but I honestly do not know much about it's quality and purpose. I am hoping that it is sharp and that it is good for wildlife/birding. Any personal experiences or sample photos that you could share would be appreciated.

2. My girlfriend thinks that she could be interested in Macro photography but is not too sure about what to get. She does not have a very big budget but she would still like to get something that will provide good images and hence keep her motivated. Again recommendations and samples appreciated. PS: she is looking at either Canon or Sigma lenses, but could consider others.

Thanks in advance for all your help

PS: We both have Canon Rebel XTs

Cheers
Vic

Welcome the to the forums..........the 100-400L is probably your best bet for wildlife and birding, its very sharp and very versatile. Highly recommended.

As for macro lenses, if she wants a dedicated macro lens, the two I would recommend are the Canon 100 F/2.8 macro and the Sigma 150 macro

A quick POTN search on the 100-400mm will get you a boatload of info/opinions/samples.

From personal experience I can assure you the 100-400 is a top notch lens. Combine it with an extension tube and it performs a serviceable macro job.

This is a sample taken with just that combination...

Canon EF-S 60mm f/2.8 macro might be the right choice if her budget is really tight. It's also the least expensive 1:1 macro lens available. The only thing is that it can only be used on crop camera bodies like the XT and 30D series. But seeing how she's just starting out, it should be a good purchase that will give the most bang for the least buck.

Edit: Plus, it's shorter than all the rest, so you might even be able to get away with using the on-camera flash!

You can also get a 500D close up filter which works well when on the 100-400, more info on these pages http://www.rogercavana​gh.com/helpinfo/18_500​d-2.stm#pros