Picking a telephoto lens

Dmariehill · May 28, 2015

I've got a Canon EOS T4i camera. I'm in the market for a telephoto lens but they are so incredibly expensive.

My main subjects are my kids. My daughter will be starting gymnastics in the fall and soccer in the spring. I want to be able to take nice pictures of those events.

I looked at a 200 mm f/2.8 without IS. But will that really suit my needs?

A 70-200mm has been suggested but the canon is really expensive.

I always try to buy the best I can afford so that I don't have to replace it later.

Suggestions for a good telephoto for my needs?

JacaRanda · May 28, 2015

One alternative to the Canon 70-200 SP 70-200mm F 2.8 Di VC USD Photographer Gallery Tamron USA Inc.

goodguy · May 28, 2015

I have the Tamron 70-200mm 2.8 VC - AWESOME lens!!! cant rave enough about it and is much cheaper then Canon's equivalent.
Another option is the Sigma 70-200mm 2.8 OS, slightly behind the Canon and Tamron but its cheaper and when I say slightly I mean it is still and amazing lens, super sharp and I bet in 99% of the time you will be hard pressed to see any real differences between the other 2 lenses.

Good luck

Derrel · May 28, 2015

How much money are you actually willing to spend? Without a budget, suggestions are difficult to supply with any degree of applicability. However...in general...I often suggest the Canon 85mm f/1.8 EF lens...light, small, compact, easy to carry, and can shoot at a FAST shutter speed indoors if needed at f/1.8 or f/2 or f/2.2 or f/2.5...something really wide in aperture, so you can get a high shutter speed from a really fine, high-performance optic, and then later, crop in on the images if or as-needed. On a small-body Canon, it's close to the old 135mm length, which is VERY handy for indoor event work. It is also a "lifetime" lens...not one you will outgrow. $400-ish. I had one for six years--great lens! VERY sharp, very easy to use. A really valuable piece of photo gear is a good 85mm lens.

ratssass · May 28, 2015

...don't overlook used

Dmariehill · May 29, 2015

Thanks everyone for taking time to reply.

I'm definitely not opposed to used ,just a little leery since I haven't done that before and unsure how to vet the source and the lens in that case. So with some guidance I could definitely go used.

I told my husband that if I went used I might be able to find something between $800 and $1200. But it would be birthday, anniversary, and christmas. lol. Again - yes I'm thinking lifetime lens. Less expensive would allow me to buy another lens sooner if needed.

I absolutely love the Canon EF 50 mm f/1.4 that you guys steered me to. I don't even use the 18-135 that came with the camera now because the picture quality of the 50 just blows it away. So I want to stay at the same quality level.

So Derrel, you think the 85mm would work well for the gymnastics type photos? Would I be happy with it when they start soccer in the spring? (think toddler soccer, not really fast paced serious play).

Braineack · May 29, 2015

Id personally would want somethign longer than 85mm or even 200mm for outdoor soccer, but for indoor gymnastics is should work well.

Dmariehill · May 31, 2015

Thanks for all the input. . .

So, in doing some more research it looks like I could have that Canon 85 1.8 off Amazon for about 350.

Looking at a little longer lens, more consumer grade I found the Canon 70-300mm f/4-5.6 IS for 650.

Would adding these 2 lens to my 50 f1.4 cover most of my needs do you think? The 50 has worked really well for inside lower light situations with my kids and does okay at catching them in movement. It'd be nice if it were a little faster focusing but I doubt they make a lens that focuses at toddler speed. lol. And I can use the 50 outside too. I'm guessing the 85 and 50 might overlap just a little but if the 85 handles the gymnastics and swimming that my kids are doing, and the 300 handles longer shots like soccer I might be fine.

What do you think? Do these two fix my issue?

Derrel · May 31, 2015

The Canon 85mm EF is a SOLID performer. A lifetime lens in my book. The 70-300 f/4~5.6 I am not familiar with at all. I read this very proficient Canon reviewer's review about the "new" 70-300 Canon has...honestly, NOT very impressive a lens for that kind of money, and the lens loses maximum aperture fairly fast as it zooms longer...as he says, the 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM lens "becomes faster than the 70-300 at 85mm"--which is a nice, subtle way of saying the 70-300mm dips to a slower max aperture than f/4 at the 85mm length...and of course, at 200mm, the 70-200 is still an f/4 lens, whereas the 70-300 is STILL an f/5.6 lens...ehhhhhhh.....

The 70-300 is a SLOW zoom, and it uses Canon;s second-grade focusing motor system...I would not really want it for soccer, myself. It just sounds "meh" from tis guy's review, and there's also the absolute necessity to make 100% SURE which 70-300 USM lens you are being sold; there is an OLD version of this lens. The newer model does not sound particularly well-made, and honestly, I thing the cheaper third-party offerings like the Tamron 70-300 might be as good.

Read the review; the Canon 70-300 sounds, honestly, unimpressive as hell...I sure would not want it as my sports lens...I think it would money badly appropriated at $659.

Canon EF 70-300mm f 4-5.6 IS USM Lens Review

As he mentions the Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM is sharper, focuses faster, is a better lens.

I think, honestly, I would look for a clean, used 70-200mm f/2.8 L IS USM Canon....meaning the NON-IS, first-generation f/2.8 USM model, and skipping the 85mm entirely...maybe $950-$1100 used? Not sure at current market prices, but you do not really "need" IS for sports.

My feeling is that, moving forward, with higher MP cameras, that the Canon 70-200mm f/4 L IS USM, with its professional-grade optics, constant f/stop of f/4, and solid build is one of the three best places to drop the money, and CROP in later, using a professional-level optic. He compares it against the 70-300...the f/4 zoom is an L-series, with better optics. He says his personal preference, as a full-time lens reviewer, is the 70-200 f/4 L IS USM, and I would agree with his conclusions.

Welcome to serious photography. There are very few "cheaop" lenses that are any good at all, and for sports, a "Cheap" lens is the 85/1.8. Once the focal lengths get longer, the prices go up. The 70-200/2.8 zoom is the "standard" utility lens. Canon's 200/2.8 prime is affordable, but has no zoom, but is sharper than a zoom. A really GOOD lens can make very sharp images that can be cropped a good deal. While modern zooms are pretty good, prime telephotos are sharper.

Soccer is a sport where as the kids get older, the fields get bigger. And the players get faster. I would rather have the older, Canon 200mm f/2.8 "prime pipe" than the 70-300 4~5.6. I own a couple slow 70-300 lenses...they're not really that good for sports and action. They are "okay", but there are better choices that cost more, but which really are better. $659 is way too much money for a half-way lens.

200mm f/2.8 prime: best bang-for-dollar, light weight, easy to handle, good price
70-200 f/2.8 L USM (generation 1, used, no IS, but VERY sharp; buy a clean low-use one)
70-200 f/4 L IS USM: professional optics, designed for the higher-MP cameras of the future

Dmariehill · Jun 1, 2015

Derrel thank you so much. I was reading so many reviews but sometimes it's really hard for me to evaluate what they're trying to tell me.

I'm been wondering if I really needed the IS for sports or not. Your comments make a lot of sense. Thank you again for taking the time to type that out. It helps a lot!

Dmariehill · Jun 1, 2015

Looking at this one. . . . . Derrel is this the 70-200 2.8 you're talking about?

Amazon.com Buying Choices Canon EF 70-200mm f 2.8L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

ETA: What about KEH as a source for used lenses? I'm in ATL where they are, so I could probably actually see the lens before buying it from them.

beagle100 · Jun 3, 2015

Dmariehill said:
Looking at this one. . . . . Derrel is this the 70-200 2.8 you're talking about?

Amazon.com Buying Choices Canon EF 70-200mm f 2.8L USM Telephoto Zoom Lens for Canon SLR Cameras

ETA: What about KEH as a source for used lenses? I'm in ATL where they are, so I could probably actually see the lens before buying it from them.

that will work but you will find much better deals are on DSLR buy sell forums here and
FM Forums
Photography-on-the.net Digital Photography Forums

Of course you have to check the seller's feedback ratings, history etc.