New Toy New Toy!!

srinaldo86

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I succumbed to an impulse purchase just minutes ago... The Marine Corps Exchange had a perfectly good Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III on the clearance shelf for $161.99 (tax free!) Seeing as I've been desiring a new lens for a while now because the kit lens just doesn't satisfy my desires so, I bought it.

Anyways, I've already done test shots to see the capabilities and compare them to my 18-55mm.

Here are the test shots - Flickr: srinaldo86's Photostream


Should I return this lens and save for a more expensive one? I'm no professional so the quality is about what I expect to get for the money.
 
I succumbed to an impulse purchase just minutes ago... The Marine Corps Exchange had a perfectly good Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III on the clearance shelf for $161.99 (tax free!) Seeing as I've been desiring a new lens for a while now because the kit lens just doesn't satisfy my desires so, I bought it.

Anyways, I've already done test shots to see the capabilities and compare them to my 18-55mm.

Here are the test shots - Flickr: srinaldo86's Photostream


Should I return this lens and save for a more expensive one? I'm no professional so the quality is about what I expect to get for the money.

For that price keep it. you can't get much better than that. Its 200 at retail. Only gripe I have with it is the f-stop isn't low enough for my needs and it isn't stabilized but there are ways to compensate for that like raising the ISO or using faster shutter speeds so I guess it isn't too big of a deal.
 
I would not return it. You now own a lightweight 75-300 zoom. It's yours, free and clear, and you can keep moving it forward as you continue in your photographic journey. It's now another tool you own. Sure, there are bigger, better, badder lenses, but now you own a 75-300 that's light,small,and decent.
My philosophy is to buy and move forward and accumulate additional lenses as needed or as desired, but not to worry about selling off and always moving up, but more about assembling a collection of equipment that has its own,specific set of good points.

Like for example, a 100-400 Canon L IS-USM trombone-style zoom lens has more reach, a bit better optics, and will be a HUGE PITA to hump around all weekend, compared to the 75-300. So, the 75-300 would make things a LOT more fun if say you and the Missus and the kiddo head to the zoo for 4 -6 hours, and you want to focus on fun, not a massive zoom lens smacking you in the side with every step.
 
Most of the 70(5)-300mm zoom lenses are basically in the same category as the kit lenses. They are made to be cheap, light and affordable....so the quality isn't going to be on par with more expensive lenses.
And given the added challenges of being/using a long telephoto lens, you can't expect much.

In good (rather bright) light, lenses like this can be perfectly usable. But when the light isn't great, it can be very hard to get shutter speeds fast enough to keep your shots sharp.

The problem is that a better telephoto zoom lens, is going to cost you more money...a lot more money. So unless you are willing to spend at least 4 times as much, you probably won't find anything better.
 
Awesome Gents, thanks for the pep talk. I feel a lot better about my purchase now. I'm already noticing the difference in quality between the 18-55 and the 75-300, its very slight but I'm sure this lens will still do what I desire.
 

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