Zoo lens

I'm sure this has come up before, anyway here is my question.
I have a Sigma 70-300 APO which at the telephoto end is quite good for wildlife and zoo shots, but I would like to get in closer. Is there a recommendable lens (fixed or zoom) around 500/600mm that is sharp but reasonably priced, say under 1 grand?
The other way would be to get a 2x converter for the sigma but I gather that definition can suffer with these devices.
Any suggestions on the best way to go?

Perhaps getting a 200mm zoom and a 2x extender. This is a common setup.

Pat

^^ ditto... the Sigma 70-200 2.8 would be great in that price range.

Pixels wrote in post #3692280
I'm sure this has come up before, anyway here is my question.
I have a Sigma 70-300 APO which at the telephoto end is quite good for wildlife and zoo shots, but I would like to get in closer. Is there a recommendable lens (fixed or zoom) around 500/600mm that is sharp but reasonably priced, say under 1 grand?
The other way would be to get a 2x converter for the sigma but I gather that definition can suffer with these devices.
Any suggestions on the best way to go?

i also have the 5d. i use the 300L f4 IS with and without a 1.4 TC at the zoo. for closer stuff i use my 70-200L f4 IS.

with the 5d you're going to need 400mm. you can get a used 300L f4 IS for under a grand.

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The Bigma is the first one to come to mind. 50-500 and a max apperture of f/6.3 in the long end. Quite popular lens so it will be easy to find. The price is around 1K.

The cheaper way to go to this focal length would be a Tamron 200-500, which is good and low cost.

Finaly, a very low cost lens, descent for it's price is the Sigma 135-400. Not the best performer, but reasonably priced.

another option is the sigma 100-300 f4 + a 1.4x tc, which is a very good combo. this would give you a 420mm f5.6 which is still pretty sharp.

bigma or a tamron 200-500mm.

asylumxl wrote in post #3692459
another option is the sigma 100-300 f4 + a 1.4x tc, which is a very good combo. this would give you a 420mm f5.6 which is still pretty sharp.

I would go with this combo.

Hi,
I'm kind of new to all these lens information.
is there an adapter that, for example, doubles your kit lens?
Like when you say 2x extender, or 1.4 tc what exactly are those and how does it fit with your regular lens?

It's been a very long time since I've picked up an SLR. But deciding to purchase one soon. Probably an XTi.

Thanks.

The extenders, aka teleconverters are lens attachments that fit between the lens and the camera body and multiply the focal length by 1.4 or 2. Better suited for fast primes with good IQ. An extender, attached on a poor IQ zoom will produce even poorer results. Many people put low quality TCs on poor quality zooms and this has generated a very bad reputation for TCs.

You should not consider taking a 200 lens and doubling it's focal length with an extender as a means to reach 400mm when you really might need 500mm. The correct approach is to select a lens that covers 80% of your reach needs and then use a 1.4xTC to get that little bit more when it is needed.

If you find you need a 2xTC too much, then it means you really need a longer lens. Of course, this might not be easy with bird photographers using their 600mm lenses with the 2xTC attached all the time. Well, they really need a longer lens, but $80,000 for a 1000/5.6L (without IS I think) is not really appealing.

Trust me, you will get much better results with a Tamron 200-500 than with a 70-300 + 2xTC.

asylumxl wrote in post #3692459
another option is the sigma 100-300 f4 + a 1.4x tc, which is a very good combo. this would give you a 420mm f5.6 which is still pretty sharp.

I agree with this... I use it myself. The only downside is the weight. Carrying 2kg+ of camera around a zoo all day may be a bit tiring.

What about the EF 100-400? Not my cup o' tea, but might be better suited to your needs.

Thanks for the info. I'm definitely not looking to spend on the professional lens. In fact, I'm still debating going with a G7 or an XTi. I'd like the flexibility of the XTi, but I honestly don't think I would be carrying lots of different lenses. But good to know the teleconverters are available for that extra reach.

I hate changing lens outside as dust is always the enemy to my gear and picture. So for a good balance of reach, Image quality, handling and convenience... go for 100-400/L IS.

It can be used on 5D for zoo animal shootouts ( pretty much covers everything you need unless you need to take some snapshot/ portraits for your family/friends. In that case you can always use your A640.

If you are in safari, you can put it on the 350D to make the reach to cover 160-640mm which is very idea in that situation.

I set my eyes on this one now as I need it for yellow stone trip which has been pushed back to next year due to busy schedule this summer

I rather not to use TC/extender due to the fact that AF performance and IQ will be affected. But 1.4X is a good solution for tight budgets.